Higher Education: Current Status and Future Possibilities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka

Abstract

 

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries have common features, such as geographic and climatic conditions, and share issues concerning the socioeconomic, cultural, and educational advancement of their people. Higher education affects every area of national development and deserves requisite attention. This paper assesses higher education systems of SAARC countries in terms of structure, access, quality, equity, resources, and contribution of private enterprise. Such an assessment might help in promoting interstate cooperation and planning better strategies.

All SAARC countries have a similar higher education structure, including entry qualifications and age, duration of courses, and instructional management system. The pressing demand for higher education and a strong desire for foreign qualification by youth are common issues. Opportunities are limited, with gross enrollment ratios varying among SAARC countries from less than 5 percent to 10 percent. The participation of women is not more than 40 percent in any SAARC country, and the quality of education is substandard. Spending on education ranges from 2 percent to 4 percent of the gross national product (GNP), which is less than UNESCO standards for developing nations. Private enterprise, a recent phenomenon, limits its role market-oriented, professional, and technical education. It is high time for SAARC countries to evolve common educational forums and collaborative strategies to deal with the situation.