Higher Education Support Program

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The Higher Education Support Program (HESP) will support the Government of Pakistan (GOP) initiatives to increase participation, enhance quality and relevance, and strengthen the efficiency and sustainability of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). HESP will contribute to the rehabilitation of the higher education sector of Pakistan by helping sustain momentum of the core program and key accompanying reforms being undertaken by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) through the current period of fiscal stress. The country is going through a difficult period on several fronts. For the past year and a half, the political situation has hindered the timely undertaking of corrective actions requested by the deteriorating economy. Efforts were made early 2008 to promote private sector investment, better governance, increased devolution, investment in human capital, and protection of the poor and vulnerable. However, it is only since the fall of 2008 that the new government launched adjustment measures targeted at fiscal and external deficits. The recently adopted Second Poverty Reduction Support Paper (PRSP-II) of the GOP provides a framework for the government's policy agenda for the next three years. The Bank's Poverty Reduction and Economic Support Operation (PRESO) supports Government policies aimed at regaining and maintaining macroeconomic stability, enhancing competitiveness, and protecting the poor and vulnerable through improved targeting of safety nets and cash transfer programs.