18th Amendment: The last stand for Higher Education Commission

HEC, vice chancellors lobby to prevent changes to the education commission.

ISLAMABAD:

Vice chancellors (VC) of public universities made a strong but futile attempt to push for the  Higher Education Commission (HEC) to retain its current role.

VCs from more than 36 public sector universities along with HEC Chairperson Dr Javed Laghari and Executive Director Dr Sohail Naqvi met with the Commission for Implementation of the 18th Amendment on Saturday.

Dr Laghari, in his presentation to the committee, stated that the 18th Amendment fully supported the current powers and functions of the HEC. He said the provinces and universities had a strong and forceful voice in the HEC.  “They are full participants and decision makers in the development and implementation of all plans for the promotion of higher education in the country. Therefore [there is no need to devolve the HEC],” he argued.

The vice chancellors unanimously agreed that the HEC had done a great job in the past eight years and its existence in its present shape would only ensure the maintainance of high standards of education in the country. They said the commission must continue to perform all its functions in the same manner as it has been doing to date.

The VCs observed that transferring the higher education system to the provinces would complicate education policies and implementation processes. Smaller provinces would be affected due to their lack of capacity to handle matters pertaining to higher education.

However, implementation commission chairperson Senator Raza Rabbani said HEC has no role in the future except setting standards and regulation of higher education, according to the commission’s interpretation of the 18th Amendment.

“The recurring expenses and development funding of universities have already been transferred to the provinces. No further funding will be channelled through the HEC,” the senator said.

The committee accepted that the provinces currently do not have the capacity to perform HEC’s functions. They were however of the opinion that “within due time the provinces would be able to sort out the modalities of managing higher education,” according to an official who attended the meeting.

The committee said it would consult the vice chancellors and stakeholders while drafting the parameters of new laws pertaining to higher education at federal and provincial levels.

Later, a 10-member delegation called upon Rabbani to convince him to retain the HEC in its current shape. However, sources revealed that Rabbani did not accept the idea and said there was no reason to rescind the parliament’s decision to devolve the HEC’s functions to the provinces.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2011.