The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has convened a meeting of all Vice-Chancellors (VCs) of the public sector and private universities on Thursday to discuss the government's plan to dissolve HEC, it is learnt. Sources in HEC told Business Recorder on Wednesday that 40 vice chancellors of public sector universities have confirmed their availability for the meeting.
In Pakistan, total 132 public and private universities are functioning, out of which 70 universities are in the public sector. Chairman of Implementation Commission on 18th Amendment, Raza Rabbani, has said that HEC would be devolved under 18th Amendment and the ongoing scholarships programmes would be completed.
"The Commission's Act would be amended in the light of the 18th Amendment, after consultation with HEC, Raza said while talking to newsmen after inauguration of the Parliament's refurbished cafeteria. According to sources in HEC, about $650 million educational aid for Pakistan would also cease after the devolution of HEC, and devolution plan of the HEC threatens students' academic future, especially of those studying abroad on scholarships.
HEC is an internationally recognised partner institution. The World Bank and other international organisations have agreed to give more than $750 million for investment in higher education in Pakistan, sources said. Dispelling the impression that HEC devolution plan would also affect foreign funding for the Commission, Rabbani said that foreign funds are always released to a government and it disburses the funds to the executing agency.
"Let me make it clear yet again that those students who have been studying under the existing HEC scholarships would continue their studies abroad," Raza said. Leading political parties, including PML-N, MQM and JI have strongly opposed the idea of devolving HEC. Students and university teachers have also started protest against the devolution of the HEC.
But, on the other hand, Rabbani claimed that the issue of HEC "is being politicised" and some forces want to block the road of devolution process and provincial autonomy. Sources said that the federal government wants to destroy HEC, precisely because it is legally independent. They said what expertise otherwise does the Cabinet Division have in determining whether the degrees are fake or genuine?
Raza said that according to Article 142 of the constitution, these subjects did not exist either on concurrent list or federal legislative list. "The provinces have the constitutional rights to decide on the items that did not exist on current or federal legislative list and the federal government shall not legislate on such things," he said, adding that employees of the HEC would not be affected. He said, "We have provided full protection to the employees of ten ministries, which have been devolved to the provinces."
But, he added, the landmark piece of legislation of 18th Amendment was successfully done and now these elements were criticising the HEC devolution. Ahsan Iqbal of PML-N who was also member of the 27-member parliamentary committee which recommended 18th Amendment, said the PML-N had submitted a dissent note on the issue of devolution of education ministry to the provinces. He said that in all federations of the world, education remains a centralised department. During a recent news conference, Ahsan Iqbal demanded of the government to reconsider its decision of HEC`s devolution to the provinces. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has also urged the government not to devolve HEC. MQM members said the HEC has played an important role in improving education standards in the country and devolution of the commission will affect education greatly throughout the country.
Opposition leader in the Senate of Pakistan, Wasim Sajjad of the PML-Q had also moved a bill for the amendment to bring back education ministry under the federal control. "If we have made a mistake in devolving education ministry to the provinces, it can definitely be rectified," he said. Ex-Chairman of Higher Education Commission Dr Atta-ur-Rehman has said that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) should not go to the provinces and it should remain a federal subject.