Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Tariq Banuri has said that the HEC of Pakistan is ready to work with the provincial higher education commissions if they implement the standards set by the HEC.
While talking to journalists during his visit to Lahore, Dr Banuri said: "If we have confidence that provincial commissions can implement the standards formulated by the HEC, we can delegate powers to them. Otherwise, an HEC committee will supervise them," he said. He said the PHECs should be given complete autonomy so that they can perform their functions independently.
Dr Tariq Banuri said after the 18th amendment in the Constitution, PHECs were established and the only purpose was to create provincial autonomy and secure environment for the concerned commissions. If the HEC and PHECs are used for political management then there is no need of establishing such bodies. He said if the PHECs are autonomous in real sense, only then they will able to bear pressure and sustain in future.
Dr Banuri said the HEC is all time ready to work in cooperation with PHECs and there is no conflict at all between them. They may solve any problem in case they feel the issue falling in the jurisdiction of various commissions.
While answering a question regarding change in plagiarism policy of the commission, the Chairman HEC said he has not issued any directions in this regard; however, he will never be hesitant in taking action against the HEC executive director for being involved in plagiarism as he has already refereed his case to the commission members. He further added that he is also thinking to establish a judicial commission for deciding the cases of plagiarism.
Dr Banuri said he is in favour of giving full autonomy to the universities having no political or bureaucratic interference. He said vice chancellors always complain about financial constraints but it happens mostly due to over staffing. "There is a need to achieve the goal of quality and autonomy together."
He termed the universities' autonomy a kind of social contract. He said: "If we convince the government that universities will work properly after the autonomy, there will be no political interference in their internal matters." He said the HEC will take steps to strengthen the internal audit system of the universities.
About private sector universities, he said, some of them are imparting quality education while some needs to improve their standard. He said the HEC has closed the a number of programs of universities whose standards were not up to the mark and issued warning to others failing which they may face closure of various programs initiated without proper faculty and infrastructure.
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