ISLAMABAD (TDI): A Senate committee has urged for greater transparency and accountability in Pakistan’s higher education sector, with a particular focus on fraudulent activities, and governance issues.
During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training, chaired by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, members discussed several pressing issues, including the completion of candidate reviews for the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) International Research Support Initiative Program (IRSIP).
Senator Butt emphasized that the program’s results should be finalized by the end of December, with 266 out of 515 candidate reviews already completed. She stressed the importance of sticking to the established timeline for the release of results.
A key issue raised at the meeting was the non-payment of pensions and allowances to retired faculty members at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science, and Technology (FUUAST) in Karachi.
Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan highlighted the ongoing delays in addressing these concerns, which led to a hunger strike by affected academic staff.
The committee has directed the Ministry of Education to provide a comprehensive update on the matter at the next meeting.
The meeting also saw continued discussions regarding controversial content in a recent O-Level Urdu textbook, which included derogatory remarks about the Pashtun community.
Senator Bilal Ahmed Khan, who raised the issue in a Senate sitting on October 18, 2024, criticized the book’s continued availability despite a formal ban.
The Education Secretary informed the committee that the author had issued a written apology, but Senator Bilal expressed frustration over the book’s ongoing circulation.
Senator Butt urged the federal government to take a more active role in monitoring educational content and called for the book’s immediate withdrawal from all educational institutions.
The committee recommended that the publisher and author attend the next meeting to answer for the harmful content.
Senator Butt further suggested that the Ministry of Education issue a directive to all provinces, ensuring the book is withdrawn from circulation nationwide, as a warning to other publishers and authors about the consequences of promoting hate speech.
The committee also addressed the severe funding shortages faced by higher education institutions, particularly in B
Senators Aimal Wali Khan and Hidayatullah Khan called for a dedicated allocation of 4% of Pakistan’s GDP to education, noting that the poor state of education in Balochistan requires urgent government intervention.
The issue of governance in universities was another major topic of discussion. Senator Butt pointed to the prevalence of Acting Vice-Chancellors (VCs) in key institutions, arguing that universities suffer from a lack of stability and leadership under interim management.
She proposed a policy change to limit the privileges of Acting VCs and ensure that permanent VCs are appointed within a set timeframe.
The committee also requested a list of universities with interim leadership, specifying expected timelines for permanent appointments.
In a related matter, the Secretary of the Ministry of Education provided updates on the recruitment process for teaching and non-teaching staff in federal educational departments.
The Secretary reported that, for the first time, recruitment had been conducted on a merit-based system with a transparent examination process.
However, no new non-teaching staff had been recruited, and the committee called for greater clarity and transparency in the recruitment process.
Senator Butt suggested that the Ministry share the list of 300 applicants who took the examination to ensure transparency.
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A separate issue of concern was the rising number of fraudulent universities and degree mills.
The HEC Chairman briefed the committee on ongoing efforts to crack down on institutions engaged in fraud, including PIMSAT Karachi and NewPort Institute Karachi, which were referred to the HEC Commission for further investigation.
South Asia University Lahore, which also faces similar allegations, was given until November 19 to provide the necessary data, or it will be referred for further scrutiny.
Senator Butt emphasized the committee’s commitment to protecting genuine students and ensuring that those graduating from accredited institutions are well-prepared for the job market.
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The committee reviewed the case of 137 teachers seeking regularization of their status. Senator Butt shared her efforts to mediate between two groups of teachers, one with exam credentials and the other with years of experience. However, both groups declined to settle out of court.
The committee has asked Rabia Waheed, the representative of the teachers, to attend the next meeting and provide a written statement, with any necessary legal action to be pursued thereafter.
The meeting was attended by Senators Rahat Jamali, Khalida Ateeb, Manzoor Ahsan, Bilal Ahmed Khan, Hidayatullah Khan, Ashraf Ali Jatoi, and Falak Naz, as well as senior officials from the Ministry of Education and the HEC.
The committee is set to meet again on November 19, 2024, to continue discussions on these critical issues.
