Globalization has greatly
influenced our thought process, culture and ideology. It has a huge impact on
education. On one hand, globalization has made higher education a web of
knowledge through Information Technology and on the other, it has changed the
structure of higher education through Neoliberal reforms. Due to higher demands
and global necessities, public structure of higher education is converting into
private structure. With increased number of higher education candidates, the
role of universities has been transformed into knowledge workers from knowledge
producers.
Universities have been commoditized, which has also affected the moral structure
of universities. Resultantly, it has impaired the interpersonal relationship
between students and teachers and turned it into a consumer-seller relationship.
Universities are offering programs according to the demand of international or
local economy producing knowledge workers for private business.
With the revolution in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs),
various changes occurred in higher education. Although, digital broadcasting,
web, e-mail and other fast and user friendly ICTs have promoted quality in
higher education yet it brought many challenges for the developing countries.
Rating of universities is done according to the access of ICTs. Unlike
developing countries as Pakistan, the majority of developed countries have
access to ICTs. Therefore, Pakistan has always been ranked lower in the list of
countries with better higher education. These ICTs produce a global market in
the teaching and training of knowledge workers. North America has become the
largest global market in world. They have been able to claim large share of
international students who spend more than $11 billion on tuition and living
expenditures. Moreover, 55 percent of foreign students come from developing
countries like Pakistan.
As a result of privatization in higher education, number of universities is
increasing day by day. But there is an imbalance in quantity and quality of
higher education. Quantity is preferred over quality because of lack of funds.
In 1947, there was only one university in Pakistan i.e. University of The
Punjab, Lahore. Four years later, one university was set up in Peshawar and two
in Karachi. During the regime of Ayub Khan (1958-69), two professional
engineering and agricultural universities opened. The most remarkable work in
public higher education was done during the Bhutto regime (1971-77). Seven
universities in Sindh and southern Punjab, nine centers of excellence for
promoting high quality research in different fields and seven area study centers
were opened. During this era controlling authority of higher education UGC
(University Grand Commission) which is now reformed as Higher Education
Commission (HEC) was established.
With invent of neoliberal policies, privatization in higher education appeared
during the Ziaul Haq regime (1977-86). Two private universities Aga Khan
University and Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) were opened. Both
produced a dual education system in Pakistan. From this era on, English medium
schools were established to serve elite class. By the Universities Act of 1974,
autocratic powers were shifted from state to vice chancellors of the
universities. With increased demand in higher education, number of universities
increased. Hence, foreign faculty was imported in order to maintain quality of
higher education. As a result, 85 percent of university budget was spent on
salaries and allowances whereas the remaining budget was spent on research and
other facilities. This caused low quality of higher education in Pakistan. To
meet the crisis, tuition fees were increased. Even self-financing in public
universities increased from 25 to 50 percent. This made the higher education an
exclusive commodity, limited to elite class only. It left no room for lower and
middle class to meet or exceed the demands of the market since degrees in higher
studies were made mandatory to get a job.
In Pakistan, HEC is made responsible to meet international standards of higher
education. Over several years, HEC has been playing a vital role in enhancing
quality of Pakistan universities. During the 56 years period (1947-2003) not a
single university was ranked amongst top 600 world universities. Now two
universities of Pakistan are amongst the top 500 universities globally. Seven
Pakistan universities are amongst top 250 universities of Asia. To promote
higher education in Pakistan HEC financial budget has been increased up to 57.8
billion. It promotes research, thus Pakistan is contributing significantly in
international publications. HEC has awarded 5000 PhD and 3000 indigenous
scholarships to enhance the quality of higher education in Pakistan. But still,
there is a long way to go.
Privatization has turned education into knowledge economy. Only 5.1 percent of
Pakistanis aged between 17 to 23 were enrolled in 2011. It is paramount to
improve the quality of education in Pakistan ensuring more enrollments from the
lower echelon of the society lest it becomes purely a commercial activity
catering the needs of global economy but deepening the chasm between ruling
class and ruled.