Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan Dr Atta-ur Rehman has warned the 'substandard universities' working in the private sector to acquire minimum level of prescribed requirement till February 2007, and otherwise they would be converted into colleges.
While talking to newsmen after addressing the 37th Annual Convocation of College of Home Economics Lahore, on Wednesday, Dr Atta said that there are about 80 illegal and 45 substandard universities which are providing poor education apart from collecting millions of rupees from students.
The government would not compromise on quality of education and would take action against substandard educational institutions, he added.
He said that HEC has no mandate to close down any university in the private sector; and added that only provincial governments can take action in this regard. As many as three universities have already been closed down in Islamabad.
To a question, Dr Atta said that as many as 32 universities in public sector have adopted Tenure Track System; where salaries of the academic staff have been increased manifold.
Now professors are getting up to Rs 175,000 per month salary under the Tenure Track System, he maintained.
Presently, not a single university of the country is among the top 500 universities of the world but after a period of two-three years, three Pakistani universities would be able to be included in the top 500 universities of the world, he added.
As a result of present government's policies, about 500 highly qualified PhD holders have started returning back to Pakistan which would enhance quality in educational institutions, he maintained.
Earlier, addressing the convocation, HEC chairman said the government has approved Rs 15 billion for sending Pakistani students abroad for higher education.
Presently, only 500 students are going abroad for higher education which would be increased to 1000 per annum in years to come.
The government has increased education budget by 1500 percent during last three years and sending a large number of students abroad for higher education, he maintained.
As many as six engineering universities of international standard would be set up in the country in technical collaboration with Germany, Austria, Japan, Sweden, S Africa and China. In this regard, funds would be arranged from the indigenous resources, he said.
The agriculture sector directly or indirectly contributes 80 percent of the GDP; and we would have to tap other fields like information technology, agri-biotechnology, and engineering etc, he added.
In her welcome address, Principal of the college, Professor Dr Nosheen Saleem briefed the participants about the college's achievement and curriculum being taught to the students.
About the future plan, Dr Nosheen said that college is taking steps to start PhD classes and strengthening faculty for which building and research facilities are direly needed. We also want to strengthen our library and computer section besides setting up our own laboratories because our students have to carry out research work at PCSIR Laboratories, Agriculture University Faisalabad and National Health Laboratories Islamabad.
Later, Dr Atta ur Rehman distributed degrees, diplomas, and gold medals and merit certificates among the passing out students.