University of Peshawar. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
Once considered the pride of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the University of Peshawar, one of the province’s oldest and largest higher education institutions, is now facing one of the worst enrollment crises in its history. Due to administrative inefficiency and government neglect, admissions in several institutes have fallen sharply this year, leaving the university’s finances in a dismal state.
This year there has been a noticeable shift with an increasing number of students choosing to enroll in private universities and public colleges instead of the University of Peshawar. According to students and parents, the primary reason is the drastic increase in tuition fees and the university administration’s indifferent attitude towards future applicants.
In a move that has sparked widespread criticism, the University of Peshawar recently increased its semester fees by an unprecedented margin, ranging from Rs10,000 to Rs15,000 per semester. As a result, the total semester fee has increased from Rs42,000 to Rs62,000, making it increasingly difficult for middle and low-income families to afford higher education for their children.
Furqan Khan, a student of the University of Peshawar, expressed his frustration while speaking to The Express Pakinomist. “It is deeply disappointing that the university has increased the fees without any justification. It means that education is now becoming a privilege of the wealthy while the children of the poor are being left behind. The administration is raising the fees just to maintain their high salaries and the burden falls solely on struggling families,” stressed Khan.
Parents also shared similar concerns. Ahmad Jan, who runs a small general store and whose daughter is enrolled in university, told The Express Pakinomist that the financial pressure on families was unbearable. “It is getting harder every year to keep our children in school. With such fee increases, even basic education has become a luxury,” complained Jan.
According to Professor Dr. Zakirullah Jan, president of the Peshawar University Teachers’ Association, said both management inefficiency and poor public relations have worsened the situation. “On the one hand, the administration continuously raises the fees, and on the other hand, their attitude discourages students from applying. When students and parents visit for information, they receive little or no cooperation from the staff. This behavior leads many to seek admission in private universities, despite the higher costs,” explained Dr. January
Dr. Jan further added that every year the university usually admitted about 18,000 students, generating up to Rs3 billion rupees in revenue. However, this year’s drastic drop in enrollment had created a serious financial deficit. “The unhelpful attitude of the administration is pushing the institution towards collapse. If the university delegated admissions responsibilities to individual departments instead of centralizing them, we could easily improve enrollment numbers,” said Dr. January
Official data supports these concerns. Some departments have admitted shockingly few students this year, with the Department of Statistics admitting only seven students, the Department of Development Studies admitting two, the Department of Geography three, the Department of History four, Home Studies two, and Logistics and Supply Chain Management admitting only two students. According to Higher Education Commission (HEC) guidelines, each department must enroll at least 15 students to function properly. The University of Peshawar has 54 departments offering 69 subjects, but many of them are now running below capacity.
In response to the crisis, the university administration has issued a re-admission notice to attract more applicants, while maintaining that its fee structure remains lower than that of other public universities. “We provide all possible facilities to students and parents. Even after the recent hike, our fees are still comparatively lower than those charged by other institutions,” said a university spokesperson.
Despite such assurances, dissatisfaction among students and parents continues to grow. Many fear that if immediate measures are not taken to make education more accessible, one of Pakistan’s most prestigious public universities could lose its relevance.
