WITH the inception of the HEC, hope arose among the academia and intelligentsia that it would elevate the standard of education. Indeed it did so. The HEC, through their scholar-friendly policies, encouraged scholars to write books and monographs, conduct research, organise and attend conferences, workshops, and symposia at the international level. Scholars of all fields had met a greater chance to interact with scholars of national and international level and exchange their ideas. Scholars were also facilitated to expose themselves internationally by receiving research grants and foreign scholarships.
Thus universities in Pakistan managed to ameliorate their academic status and atmosphere. Apart from that, Pakistan’s tarnished image became somewhat better when Pakistani scholars went abroad and interacted with the international community. The HEC’s services of degree attestation, plagiarism and recognising research journals are highly appreciated by budding faculty members and research scholars in Pakistan. Degrees attested by the HEC are recognised by every institute throughout the world.
In the given situation the government’s decision of devolving the HEC to a provincial level is totally surprising for all in general and for faculty members in particular. To begin with, devolution of the HEC will deteriorate the status of higher education in the country. The decision must be reversed for a variety of reasons.
First, as far as the administration of provinces is concerned they are unable to manage education at even the grassroots level. Provinces generally and Sindh particularly are not in a position to run an institute of high calibre like the HEC.
The existence of thousands of ghost schools in Sindh has been admitted by the Sindh minister for education repeatedly. But no practical initiative has been taken as yet other than paying lip-service only. How can one expect the provincial government to handle the affairs of higher education properly?
Secondly, foreign funding is always dependent on the credibility of an institution. It was all about credibility of the HEC that the World Bank and the US agreed to grant a loan of $250 million to the Higher Education Commission.
The provincial government has lost its trustworthiness because of the level of corruption. Provincial governments will not be in such a position to get even loans, let alone grants, in connection with higher education.
Thirdly, the HEC is run by highly qualified scholars who are in a better position to understand the importance and significance of higher education and the matters pertaining to it. They are well aware of the impact of their decisions.
It is also feared that if the HEC is devolved, provinces might ask some not very qualified member of the provincial assembly to look after matters of universities. As a result, MPAs holding fake degrees will decide the future of academia and intelligentsia. This will be a fatal blow to higher education. MUHAMMAD SIDDIQUE SOOMRO Jamshoro Provinces’ performance THIS is apropos of the proposed devolution of the Higher Education Commission. Along with its size, its autonomy is also intended to be decreased, after which the ‘new HEC’ will be controlled by provincial education departments which have already broken all records of destroying education.
In Sindh alone, there are approximately 1,700 ghost schools, while children, who should have been studying at schools, can be seen cleaning cars at traffic signals or working as labourers. A similar situation can be seen in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. This dismal state of affairs of provincial education is leading the nation to destruction.
A little research on the Internet and a cursory glance at UN reports present eyeopening statistics about the pathetic state of education in Pakistan. I fail to understand what purpose the devolution of the HEC would serve.
The reluctance of the international community to give aid directly to the government is enough evidence to prove their reservations over the credibility of the political leadership.
The fact is that the drama of HEC devolution is being staged by the government to squeeze some British pounds recently announced by British Prime Minister David Cameron as aid for raising education standards in Pakistan.
But the other fact is that it is only the educated youth which can save us all. I must advise the government to realise the negative aspects of its ludicrous proposal of devolution of the HEC before it is too late. If the three per cent highly educated minority of the nation is disturbed and eliminated, there will be no one left to save us all from ultimate collapse. AHSAN RAZA FIRDOUSI University of Karachi Raza Rabbani WHAT is painful is Senator Raza Rabbani’s response to the reaction against the proposal to devolve the HEC. Instead of paying heed and thinking about the logic of opposing the proposal, the senator has reacted by saying that it is nothing but ‘a storm in a teacup.’ I have regards for the senator but he has disappointed me by making such a comment on this sensitive issue.
Having been associated with the HEC for the last two and a half years as a resource person, I would like to share with readers the significance of the HEC.
First, the HEC has given universities a direction. Second, it has been able to develop some really good programmes for professional development and growth of the public university faculty which are offered at various places and universities. I have been working with a committee which has been involved in developing some key areas of focus for the development of higher education faculty members.
As a result of two-and-a-half years of hard work we were able to write eight modules on different subjects, like teaching as a profession, academic planning and management and research. These modules have been developed after marathon discussions. They were finally reviewed by the Michigan State University.
After reviewing these modules, we were told by a foreign professor that even developed countries have not been able to do such an important work.
At the HEC, these efforts were led by able leaders at the innovations division of the National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE). The NAHE has been able to offer around 15 cycles, at least 30 faculty members in each cycle, to universities across Pakistan. It was a great pleasure meeting and engaging these faculty members and discussing national issues at these higher education seminars.
Healthy criticism of the HEC apart, this important institution must not only be allowed to continue to work, but its role should be increased to help it further encourage future generations and disseminate knowledge generated through research. DR JAN-E-ALAM KHAKI Karachi 18th Amendment RECENTLY 71 public and 62 privatesector universities appealed to the president and the prime minister to allow the HEC to continue its function as a central coordinating body.
Scholars, academicians, politicians and students also expressed their serious concerns over the proposed devolution of the HEC. The HEC is playing an important role in providing leadership, vision and credibility in the higher education sector of the country. It is funding research and development projects in universities and research institutions.
Although the 18th Amendment is a positive step, the devolution of the HEC has created confusion in our universities because the commission is an independent body which works under the direct control of the prime minister. Students of small provinces will suffer more if the HEC will go under the control of provinces. It is time we trusted each other but the government should take all stakeholders on board to solve this problem. YASEEN AYAZ SHAHANI Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi
Thus universities in Pakistan managed to ameliorate their academic status and atmosphere. Apart from that, Pakistan’s tarnished image became somewhat better when Pakistani scholars went abroad and interacted with the international community. The HEC’s services of degree attestation, plagiarism and recognising research journals are highly appreciated by budding faculty members and research scholars in Pakistan. Degrees attested by the HEC are recognised by every institute throughout the world.
In the given situation the government’s decision of devolving the HEC to a provincial level is totally surprising for all in general and for faculty members in particular. To begin with, devolution of the HEC will deteriorate the status of higher education in the country. The decision must be reversed for a variety of reasons.
First, as far as the administration of provinces is concerned they are unable to manage education at even the grassroots level. Provinces generally and Sindh particularly are not in a position to run an institute of high calibre like the HEC.
The existence of thousands of ghost schools in Sindh has been admitted by the Sindh minister for education repeatedly. But no practical initiative has been taken as yet other than paying lip-service only. How can one expect the provincial government to handle the affairs of higher education properly?
Secondly, foreign funding is always dependent on the credibility of an institution. It was all about credibility of the HEC that the World Bank and the US agreed to grant a loan of $250 million to the Higher Education Commission.
The provincial government has lost its trustworthiness because of the level of corruption. Provincial governments will not be in such a position to get even loans, let alone grants, in connection with higher education.
Thirdly, the HEC is run by highly qualified scholars who are in a better position to understand the importance and significance of higher education and the matters pertaining to it. They are well aware of the impact of their decisions.
It is also feared that if the HEC is devolved, provinces might ask some not very qualified member of the provincial assembly to look after matters of universities. As a result, MPAs holding fake degrees will decide the future of academia and intelligentsia. This will be a fatal blow to higher education. MUHAMMAD SIDDIQUE SOOMRO Jamshoro Provinces’ performance THIS is apropos of the proposed devolution of the Higher Education Commission. Along with its size, its autonomy is also intended to be decreased, after which the ‘new HEC’ will be controlled by provincial education departments which have already broken all records of destroying education.
In Sindh alone, there are approximately 1,700 ghost schools, while children, who should have been studying at schools, can be seen cleaning cars at traffic signals or working as labourers. A similar situation can be seen in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. This dismal state of affairs of provincial education is leading the nation to destruction.
A little research on the Internet and a cursory glance at UN reports present eyeopening statistics about the pathetic state of education in Pakistan. I fail to understand what purpose the devolution of the HEC would serve.
The reluctance of the international community to give aid directly to the government is enough evidence to prove their reservations over the credibility of the political leadership.
The fact is that the drama of HEC devolution is being staged by the government to squeeze some British pounds recently announced by British Prime Minister David Cameron as aid for raising education standards in Pakistan.
But the other fact is that it is only the educated youth which can save us all. I must advise the government to realise the negative aspects of its ludicrous proposal of devolution of the HEC before it is too late. If the three per cent highly educated minority of the nation is disturbed and eliminated, there will be no one left to save us all from ultimate collapse. AHSAN RAZA FIRDOUSI University of Karachi Raza Rabbani WHAT is painful is Senator Raza Rabbani’s response to the reaction against the proposal to devolve the HEC. Instead of paying heed and thinking about the logic of opposing the proposal, the senator has reacted by saying that it is nothing but ‘a storm in a teacup.’ I have regards for the senator but he has disappointed me by making such a comment on this sensitive issue.
Having been associated with the HEC for the last two and a half years as a resource person, I would like to share with readers the significance of the HEC.
First, the HEC has given universities a direction. Second, it has been able to develop some really good programmes for professional development and growth of the public university faculty which are offered at various places and universities. I have been working with a committee which has been involved in developing some key areas of focus for the development of higher education faculty members.
As a result of two-and-a-half years of hard work we were able to write eight modules on different subjects, like teaching as a profession, academic planning and management and research. These modules have been developed after marathon discussions. They were finally reviewed by the Michigan State University.
After reviewing these modules, we were told by a foreign professor that even developed countries have not been able to do such an important work.
At the HEC, these efforts were led by able leaders at the innovations division of the National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE). The NAHE has been able to offer around 15 cycles, at least 30 faculty members in each cycle, to universities across Pakistan. It was a great pleasure meeting and engaging these faculty members and discussing national issues at these higher education seminars.
Healthy criticism of the HEC apart, this important institution must not only be allowed to continue to work, but its role should be increased to help it further encourage future generations and disseminate knowledge generated through research. DR JAN-E-ALAM KHAKI Karachi 18th Amendment RECENTLY 71 public and 62 privatesector universities appealed to the president and the prime minister to allow the HEC to continue its function as a central coordinating body.
Scholars, academicians, politicians and students also expressed their serious concerns over the proposed devolution of the HEC. The HEC is playing an important role in providing leadership, vision and credibility in the higher education sector of the country. It is funding research and development projects in universities and research institutions.
Although the 18th Amendment is a positive step, the devolution of the HEC has created confusion in our universities because the commission is an independent body which works under the direct control of the prime minister. Students of small provinces will suffer more if the HEC will go under the control of provinces. It is time we trusted each other but the government should take all stakeholders on board to solve this problem. YASEEN AYAZ SHAHANI Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi
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