Unanimous decision: Govt advised against devolving education
‘Ministry’s decentralisation will impede national integration efforts’.
ISLAMABAD:
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Education formally recommended the authorities on Monday not to devolve the ministry to the provinces.
The committee’s recommendation was forwarded to the commission for the implementation of the 18th amendment, head of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Education Abid Sher Ali said.
According to him, the education ministry “is a vital ministry and its devolution will impede national integration efforts”.
Members of the committee were unanimous on this issue, he said. In its previous meeting, the committee had asked the ministry of education to submit a draft policy to the implementation commission, urging it not to hand over the ministry to the provinces “keeping in view its importance”.
Ali said that the committee would present its recommendations to the chairman of the implementation commission, Raza Rabbani, soon.
Besides, the committee also discussed the issue of six Quaid-i-Azam University students, who allegedly managed to get degrees without passing exams after hacking into a teacher’s database.
The university’s vice-chancellor, Prof Dr Masoom Yasinzai, admitted that the result sheet had been altered. However, he said that the students were not issued degrees and the matter was being investigated.
Prof Ajmal Waheed, the teacher concerned, accused the dean of the public administration department of hacking his password and said that all the students involved in the affair had failed the exams and were also involved in plagiarism.
He also expressed his dissatisfaction over a committee probing the matter which is headed by Prof Naveed-e-Rahat, saying that she was biased as she was also involved in this matter.
He also requested the standing committee to constitute a neutral committee to probe the issue. The vice-chancellor said that he has so far constituted three committees, but the complainant (Ajmal Waheed) was still not satisfied, adding that he would welcome any committee comprising HEC representative and parliamentarians.
The standing committee, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the committees’ performance, and directed the vice-chancellor to submit a detailed report within 15 days. The members also sought serious action against teachers involved in such illegal practices.
Responding to allegations of illegal appointments at the university, the vice-chancellor said that he had made some temporary appointments, adding that it was his prerogative.
Moreover, the secretary education informed the committee that only four per cent A-level students could get admissions to medical colleges.
He said that in the absence of proper marks equivalence system, students had to lose a precious year after passing A-level examinations.
Abid Sher Ali directed a sub-committee to submit a detailed report within three weeks. There was a consensus that the committee would send its recommendations to the prime minister for starting classes in the Islamabad Polytechnic College, which has not become operational despite an expenditure of Rs800 million.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2011.
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Education formally recommended the authorities on Monday not to devolve the ministry to the provinces.
The committee’s recommendation was forwarded to the commission for the implementation of the 18th amendment, head of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Education Abid Sher Ali said.
According to him, the education ministry “is a vital ministry and its devolution will impede national integration efforts”.
Members of the committee were unanimous on this issue, he said. In its previous meeting, the committee had asked the ministry of education to submit a draft policy to the implementation commission, urging it not to hand over the ministry to the provinces “keeping in view its importance”.
Ali said that the committee would present its recommendations to the chairman of the implementation commission, Raza Rabbani, soon.
Besides, the committee also discussed the issue of six Quaid-i-Azam University students, who allegedly managed to get degrees without passing exams after hacking into a teacher’s database.
The university’s vice-chancellor, Prof Dr Masoom Yasinzai, admitted that the result sheet had been altered. However, he said that the students were not issued degrees and the matter was being investigated.
Prof Ajmal Waheed, the teacher concerned, accused the dean of the public administration department of hacking his password and said that all the students involved in the affair had failed the exams and were also involved in plagiarism.
He also expressed his dissatisfaction over a committee probing the matter which is headed by Prof Naveed-e-Rahat, saying that she was biased as she was also involved in this matter.
He also requested the standing committee to constitute a neutral committee to probe the issue. The vice-chancellor said that he has so far constituted three committees, but the complainant (Ajmal Waheed) was still not satisfied, adding that he would welcome any committee comprising HEC representative and parliamentarians.
The standing committee, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the committees’ performance, and directed the vice-chancellor to submit a detailed report within 15 days. The members also sought serious action against teachers involved in such illegal practices.
Responding to allegations of illegal appointments at the university, the vice-chancellor said that he had made some temporary appointments, adding that it was his prerogative.
Moreover, the secretary education informed the committee that only four per cent A-level students could get admissions to medical colleges.
He said that in the absence of proper marks equivalence system, students had to lose a precious year after passing A-level examinations.
Abid Sher Ali directed a sub-committee to submit a detailed report within three weeks. There was a consensus that the committee would send its recommendations to the prime minister for starting classes in the Islamabad Polytechnic College, which has not become operational despite an expenditure of Rs800 million.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2011.