Zardari to personally look into HEC devolution

President assures Sindh governor that the issue will be resolved in the best interest of the country and masses.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has assured Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan that he will personally look into the HEC devolution issue and try to solve the problem.

The Sindh governor telephoned the president to discuss the HEC devolution conundrum.

Ibad informed the president about the stance adopted by the Vice Chancellors of universities in Sindh. President Zardari assured the governor that the issue will be resolved in the best interest of the country and the masses.

The federal government’s decision to devolve the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) duties pertaining to funding and controlling the higher education system has drawn a fierce reaction from educationists, students and other members of the public who will be affected by the decision.

The HEC is presently battling for its survival after the implementation commission of the 18th Amendment categorically said that the education system, including higher education, was no more “a subject of the federal government”.

The decision to devolve the HEC will put the future of over 5,000 students presently studying at various foreign universities at stake and affect public sector universities in the country.

Vice Chancellors conference

Vice Chancellors (VCs) of various universities will be holding a joint conference to oppose the devolution of the HEC.

Sources said that more than 36 Vice Chancellors are participating in the conference and will decide the course of action to be taken with regard to the HEC devolution.

The members are discussing the matter of preventing the devolution of HEC which they believe may reverse the progress made in the higher education sector in the past few years.

VCs are also discussing the new rules and regulations in the educational sector if HEC remains the regulatory authority.