Devolution of higher education: Formation of Sindh HEC to be decided in CCI

ISLAMABAD:

The Government of Sindh has moved the issue of establishment of the province's higher education commission to the Council of Common Interests (CCI) where the matter will be discussed next month.

The issue of Sindh Higher Education Commission (SHEC) has sparked debate as the provincial body has claimed share in scholarships and funds from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in the centre. The SHEC was established by the outgoing Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government in 2013 in a rush.

After the establishment of the SHEC, matters related to recurring and development funds as well as scholarships have become a bone of contention between the HEC and the former. The issue of establishment of SHEC has been forwarded to the CCI by the Sindh government.

On February 21, 2013, the Sindh Assembly passed the Sindh Higher Education Commission Act, 2013, to set up its own provincial body that will be autonomous and will have the authority to verify degrees awarded by any national or international institute. However, the act was challenged in the Sindh High Court by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Marvi Memon and former HEC chief Dr Attaur Rehman, who argued that the Sindh government was trying to destroy the federal status of the HEC.

According to an SHEC official, "We have the right to seek financial and other powers from the HEC." Meanwhile, the HEC has been of the view that it is not against the formation of provincial higher education bodies but any such attempt in an abrupt manner could harm the transparency and stature of the body. "There are three levels of concerns for us ­— legal, academic and managerial," said HEC chairperson Dr Mukhtar Ahmad. "The CCI was going to discuss the issue on February 24 but, due to the Muslim countries' vice-chancellors meeting, it has been postponed till March."

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th, 2015.