Afghanistan ministry of higher education

Statement his of H. E Sarwar Danesh Acting Ministry of Higher Education, on Joint Meeting of Donors

Date: 11 Feb 2010

 Statement his of  H. E Sarwar Danesh Acting Minister of Higher Education , on Joint Meeting of Donors and MoHE about Funding the National Higher Education Strategic Plan ,7^th February 2010.

 

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

First of all thank you for accepting Ministry of Higher Education’s invitation to attend this important conference. Today, we are happy that after relentless efforts, MOHE has approved a modern and comprehensive National Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Afghanistan’s higher education. The Strategic Plan has been compiled within the framework of the education sector of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy with 2 main programs and 10 sub-programs, and has been finalized and approved with your helpful cooperation.

 

I deem it necessary to express my thanks and gratitude to all who have been involved in drafting, studying, formulating and finalizing this important process, in particular ex-ministers of higher education Dr. Faez, Dr. Hassanyar and Dr. Dadfar, who promoted the cause of  higher education during the past 8 recent years. We thank these people because human culture and civilization are never made by a single hand but through the efforts of many, brick by brick, by many hands. Therefore, I express my gratitude to all people who have participated in the development of the Ministry’s Strategic Plan, from the Minister to Deputy Ministers, advisors, head of departments and international partners. As the representative of the government of Afghanistan I thank all of you.

 

 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Guests,

 

I came to the Ministry of Higher Education two weeks ago as Acting Minister and spent much time studying the Ministry’s Strategic Plan. I am very pleased that the Ministry has a Strategic Plan. Therefore, in order to prepare the grounds for its implementation I have made the following decisions:

 

1.          The Higher Education Law, whose approval has been postponed since three years ago, has been put on the agenda of the Council of Ministers after review and amendment with the help of our friends in the Ministry of justice. It is hoped that it will come into effect soon through a legislative decree by the President and save us from the current legal vacuum. This law, beside other issues, includes the establishment of two important pillars related to the Strategic Plan. First, a ‘High Council of Higher Education Institutions’ will be formed as the highest decision making authority, comprising 23 members from academic personalities, including 4 members from heads of private higher education institutes and 3 from ex-ministers of higher education. Second, based on this law ‘Academic Accreditation’ will start by a board comprising of 9 members.

2.          In order to improve the administration, management, and the Ministry’s human resources, allowing jobs to be filled by competent individuals chosen through open competition, we have initiated the process of ‘Administrative Reform’ and establishment of a new system of ‘Grades and Salaries’ in the Ministry’s administrative/executive offices and educational institutions, with the help of Independent Commission of Administrative Reforms. The reform will also allow the establishment of the ‘Department of Private higher Education Institutes’, the office related to ‘Academic Accreditation’, the ‘Department of Policy and Plan’, and the establishment of the ‘Directorate of Supervision on Two Main Programs of the Strategic Plan’.

3.          Last week we decided to take the first step toward decentralization and ‘financial independence of universities’, a fact emphasized in out Strategic Plan. We have separated the normal budget of the 4 universities in Kabul from the Ministry’s budget; from 1389 (2010) their budget will be given to them as ‘Independent Budgetary Units’. This proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Finance and it is hoped it will approved. However, universities’ financial independence has a broader meaning which shall be addressed in time, but it is necessary to take this first step.

4.          Last week, we held my first meeting with a number of university chancellors and heads of private higher education institutes. We heard their suggestions and comments in order to have a more fruitful cooperation as well as supervision. It is hoped that interactions with private institutes, based on a transparent and lawful mechanism, will help us improve and develop higher education.

5.          For the purpose of awareness and true understanding of the Strategic Plan, as well as preparing the ground for its implementation, we will have training workshops in Kabul and the provinces to ensure all Ministry branches, universities and private institutes have received and understood the strategy.

6.          We hope to review the 10 proposed programs in the near future and assign the related implementing department within the Ministry.

 

 

Dear Friends,

 

Though the preparation and formulation of policy and plans are pre-requisites for the advancement and development of higher education, the more important task is the implementation and provision of needed facilities and tools. It is mentioned in this plan that by 1393 (2014,) the number of students will increase from 62,000 to 1,115,000 and we shall have one instructors for every 25 students. In order to reach this indicator everything will need to be doubled, in other words our physical and intellectual resources in the next 5 years will have to be two times more than what we currently have. It may be a very ambitious wish but it is not un-reachable; I’m sure with effort and endeavor, cooperation by the people and with the help of Afghanistan’s international friends we can reach this goal.

 

For the implementation and realization of this plan, our requests from the international community, and in particular education sector donors, are the following:

 

1.          Our meeting today should be the starting point for the official formation of a ‘Special Board of Donors’ for better coordination and cooperation toward the implementation of the higher education Plan. The related mechanism, composition and procedure will be prepared in the near future. We are ready to implement the plan and budget in direct coordination and supervision of the board.

2.          The projects need to be funded. As you know the government of Afghanistan cannot afford the estimated amount of USD 564,000,000 for implantation of the program over the next 5 years. We can only secure salaries and parts of services from our normal government budget.

 

Here once again I deem it necessary to thank all international partners who have helped us in the past, in particular the governments of USA, Germany, India, Iran, Pakistan, UK, Japan, South Korea, UAE, Kazakhstan, as well as the World Bank, Asia Development Bank, UNESCO, UNDP, Asia Foundation, and all other partners. I’m especially thankful to the generous help of the government of India for granting 500 scholarships to date, as well as India’s commitment in the recent London conference to grant 100 PhD and Master’s scholarships annually over the next 5 years and 200 Bachelor’s scholarships for agricultural studies. I hope this cooperation continues. I also thank the World Bank SHEP project and USAID HEP project; both projects have been very effective and are currently in their final year. Based on the priorities of the Strategic Plan we request the extension of these projects for another 5 years.

 

 

3.          As it was emphasized last week in the London Conference, at least 50% of the funds should be spent through the budget of the government of Afghanistan. We prefer that donors’ funds for higher education come through the government budget.

4.          In implementation of the Strategic Plan, in addition to funding, we need ‘technical cooperation and support’. In most of the 10 proposed programs, the Ministry of higher education needs national and international experts and advisors. My specific suggestion in this regard is to request UNESCO as a partner, in light of its vast international experience in scientific and cultural areas; we are in great need of their expertise and advice in the implementation of the more specialized programs of the Strategic Plan. I express my thanks for UNESCO’s cooperation to date and invite UNESCO to help us by employing additional education experts and advisors.

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

At the end, I remind you of the demands and priorities of the Afghanistan Government and the international community’s commitments as proposed in the London Conference. In the pillar of Human Recourses Development, the education sector, including Ministries of Education, Higher Education, Work and Social Affairs, and Women Affairs, are prioritized as requiring attention.  The Kabul Conference, due to be held in the spring, will follow up on the commitments made. This will be a very good opportunity for us to present our proposals, programs, demands, priorities, commitments, resources and facilities, and to secure agreement for them. Therefore, if you agree, I propose that today we move to establish a joint committee comprising donor and MoHE representatives, who would meet again to help us prepare for the Kabul Conference.

Once again I sincerely thank all of you, and officially commence today’s conference.

Thank you,

 

 

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