KARACHI, April 9: Describing the 18th amendment and the devolution process as a paradigm shift, Federal Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination Mian Raza Rabbani on Saturday allayed the fears expressed in this regard, especially about the Higher Education Commission, by certain quarters.
Speaking at a meet-the-press programme of the Karachi Press Club, Senator Rabbani, who is also chairman of the implementation commission, categorically said that contrary to the claims by certain groups, scholarships given through the HEC would not be affected and the students would get their stipends regularly.
He said the implementation committee, which did not have discretionary powers, had sent the draft law to the government for functioning of the new HEC under the devolution plan and it had been approved by the cabinet.
He said that accordingly the new body would evaluate the performance of institutions, prescribe conditions under which institutions for higher and technical education, including those not part of the state educational system, might be opened and operated.
It also permitted the establishment of national or regional evaluation councils to authorise any existing council or a similar body to carry out accreditation of institutions, faculties of higher education awarded by institutions within the country and abroad.
He said that following the devolution of various ministries and institutions, the chairman of the HEC and vice chancellors were briefed on the interpretation of the process and they were informed that after the 18th amendment it had become imperative to amend the law to enable the HEC or its succeeding institution to function. He said the VCs had been told that they would be taken on board in the formulation of a new law.
Mr Rabbani said the government had deliberately kept quiet on the issue because it was not interested in confrontation. He said the hue and cry was an attempt to create roadblocks by the vested interest groups.
He also dispelled the apprehensions about the status of degrees and funding by the World Bank and the United States and said the cabinet had taken precautionary measures while approving the parameters of the new body.
He said those opposed to the supremacy of parliament had been trying to circumvent its authority because it gave the provinces their right to their resources and removed the imbalance between the presidency and parliament and changed the basic structure of the state.
He regretted that the elite who were opposed to any decline in the hold of Islamabad and the devolution process had been misguiding the people by giving their own interpretation of the constitution.
He warned that parliament would not tolerate this kind of interpretation of the constitution because it would amount to circumventing the constitution. He also referred to the process of devolution of ministries and said that in the third phase environment, sports and women divisions were being devolved.
Responding to questions, he said that due consideration had also been given to the impact of devolution on the employees working in these ministries and institutions.
0 comments:
Post a Comment