KARACHI, April 9: In what appears to be an attempt to dissuade the vice chancellors of public sector universities of the province from participating in the ongoing protest against the devolution of the Higher Education Commission, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah met the VCs on Saturday and informed them that a provincial HEC would be set up soon and funds would be provided to every university.
The VCs of the public sector universities supported the government’s plan to set up the provincial HEC and hoped that the new commission would have representation of professionals.
Later, speaking at a news conference Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq said that the provincial HEC would be set up in Sindh as part of the devolution process under the 18th Amendment to the Constitution.
Accompanied by most VCs of the public sector universities of Sindh, the education minister said that the CM had assured the VCs that there would be no hurdle in the funding of their universities and if there was any delay from the federal government, the provincial government would arrange the funding from its own resources.
The minister said that no objection was raised when the 18th Amendment was passed. It all started with the devolution of the federal education ministry and some employees of the HEC deliberately started creating confusion.
He was critical of the HEC chairman, Javed Leghari, and some of its employees for allegedly creating misunderstandings.He said that the universities had been given charter by the provincial assemblies and they had nothing to do with the HEC.
Pir Mazhar claimed that the VCs, who were present at the meeting, had expressed confidence in the government’s stand and said that they were misinformed on the issue.
He also released a document according to which Sindh was not given due consideration by the HEC in scholarships.
According to the document, Sindh was given 891 scholarships since the HEC’s inception whereas Punjab got 5,925; Balochistan 865; Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa 1,752; Azad Kashmir 213; FATA 581 and the federal capital got 393 scholarships.
Replying to a question, Pir Mazhar said there was no political motive in expediting the devolution process and claimed that other provinces had made significant progress.
He said the HEC devolution would generate a healthy competition among universities of the country.
In response to another question, he said that equivalence of educational degrees would remain in the federal realm.
Speaking on the occasion, Karachi University Vice Chancellor Dr Pirzada Qasim said that the meeting was important because it addressed many of the teachers’ concerns about legal and financial implications of the devolution plan.
He said that one of the major concerns of the universities was their autonomy and funding.
He said that the CM had assured the VCs that if there was any delay in the funding it would be provided by the province.
He said that when the provincial HEC would be set up it should be on the same lines and professionals should be represented on that.
Earlier, the CM told the meeting that education was a provincial subject and the authority, powers and autonomy of universities fell within the ambit of the provincial government.
He said that the Constitution was a supreme document with fundamental rights, which could not be overwritten except any amendment by parliament.
Regarding autonomy of universities, he added that the universities possessed full autonomy under the Constitution.
He said that the Pakistan People’s Party was fully committed with its manifesto that clearly stated that universities were fully autonomous and their matters and problems were to be looked after by their respective senates and syndicates.
He said that the federal government would be responsible for the provision of funds up to two years till the devolution process completed.
He stressed upon the VCs that there should be no apprehension about funds.
He said that as provincial chief executive, he took the responsibility that the provincial government would provide funds to universities in case the federal government did not provide funds.
He added that he would ensure that the funds were provided as soon as possible and the VCs should work with zeal and enthusiasm, as the federal government was legally, morally and constitutionally bound to provide funds to universities.
He said that there should be no anxiety from any side, as the federal government had agreed that this year and next year, funding would be provided.
The vice chancellors of the University of Sindh, the Mehran Engineering University Jamshoro, the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, the University of Karachi, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Lyari, and others attended the meeting.
The VCs of the public sector universities supported the government’s plan to set up the provincial HEC and hoped that the new commission would have representation of professionals.
Later, speaking at a news conference Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq said that the provincial HEC would be set up in Sindh as part of the devolution process under the 18th Amendment to the Constitution.
Accompanied by most VCs of the public sector universities of Sindh, the education minister said that the CM had assured the VCs that there would be no hurdle in the funding of their universities and if there was any delay from the federal government, the provincial government would arrange the funding from its own resources.
The minister said that no objection was raised when the 18th Amendment was passed. It all started with the devolution of the federal education ministry and some employees of the HEC deliberately started creating confusion.
He was critical of the HEC chairman, Javed Leghari, and some of its employees for allegedly creating misunderstandings.He said that the universities had been given charter by the provincial assemblies and they had nothing to do with the HEC.
Pir Mazhar claimed that the VCs, who were present at the meeting, had expressed confidence in the government’s stand and said that they were misinformed on the issue.
He also released a document according to which Sindh was not given due consideration by the HEC in scholarships.
According to the document, Sindh was given 891 scholarships since the HEC’s inception whereas Punjab got 5,925; Balochistan 865; Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa 1,752; Azad Kashmir 213; FATA 581 and the federal capital got 393 scholarships.
Replying to a question, Pir Mazhar said there was no political motive in expediting the devolution process and claimed that other provinces had made significant progress.
He said the HEC devolution would generate a healthy competition among universities of the country.
In response to another question, he said that equivalence of educational degrees would remain in the federal realm.
Speaking on the occasion, Karachi University Vice Chancellor Dr Pirzada Qasim said that the meeting was important because it addressed many of the teachers’ concerns about legal and financial implications of the devolution plan.
He said that one of the major concerns of the universities was their autonomy and funding.
He said that the CM had assured the VCs that if there was any delay in the funding it would be provided by the province.
He said that when the provincial HEC would be set up it should be on the same lines and professionals should be represented on that.
Earlier, the CM told the meeting that education was a provincial subject and the authority, powers and autonomy of universities fell within the ambit of the provincial government.
He said that the Constitution was a supreme document with fundamental rights, which could not be overwritten except any amendment by parliament.
Regarding autonomy of universities, he added that the universities possessed full autonomy under the Constitution.
He said that the Pakistan People’s Party was fully committed with its manifesto that clearly stated that universities were fully autonomous and their matters and problems were to be looked after by their respective senates and syndicates.
He said that the federal government would be responsible for the provision of funds up to two years till the devolution process completed.
He stressed upon the VCs that there should be no apprehension about funds.
He said that as provincial chief executive, he took the responsibility that the provincial government would provide funds to universities in case the federal government did not provide funds.
He added that he would ensure that the funds were provided as soon as possible and the VCs should work with zeal and enthusiasm, as the federal government was legally, morally and constitutionally bound to provide funds to universities.
He said that there should be no anxiety from any side, as the federal government had agreed that this year and next year, funding would be provided.
The vice chancellors of the University of Sindh, the Mehran Engineering University Jamshoro, the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, the University of Karachi, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Lyari, and others attended the meeting.
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