Financial crisis: Some Khost private universities may be closed

KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): Some private university owners in southern Khost province said due to the shortage of students they may close their universities.

They said due to economic issue and financial hardship the number of students attending private universities declined.

Exact figures in this regard are not available but private universities and higher education associations said there was 40 percent decline in the number of newly enrolled students.

The associations linked decline in the newly enrolled students with curbs on women higher education by the government authorities.

Gul Mohammad Jannatzai, head of the Ahmad Shah Baba Private Education Association, said the number of students had declined which also affected the learning process.

They said: “After the takeover of the IEA the girls section had completely closed, our students have several issues, we are facing financial issue as well and despite all we have to pay tax and other dues to the government.”

Syed Ahmad Saeedi, assistant head of the Pamir Private University, said besides financial crises, some youth have strived to go outside the country thus attention towards higher education had declined.”

“If we make comparison a change had occurred, because most of the students in the past had jobs and now most people had lost their jobs, some students quite their jobs, some students went abroad and their number had declined,” he said.

Meanwhile, some private universities students had complained against the deteriorated financial condition and some had been forced to stop studying due to financial constraints.

Dawod, one of the students told Pajhwok Afghan News, government should provide relaxation to the universities and tax payment and the university owners should decline the students fee in order to coup with the situation.

Sanaullah, another student said: “Most students have stopped going to universities in the middle due to financial constraints. Financial issue is a major obstacle for students and created several issues for the students in private sector. If a practical strategy is formed for this purpose it would be really good.”

Higher Education Ministry did not respond to Pajhwok on this issue.

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