Pakistan

Education policy: Sindh public universities back HEC devolution

Finance ministry releases Rs7.7b in funds for the higher education regulator.

Hafeez Tunio April 10, 2011

KARACHI:

Public universities in Sindh have backed the devolution of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to provinces after being assured of steady funding by the Sindh government.

“Sindh will establish its own autonomous HEC comprising representatives from all public universities,” said Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at a meeting with vice-chancellors of public-sector universities in the province held at his residence on Saturday. “In case the federal government does not provide funds, the provincial government will step in.”

The chief minister’s assurances come on the day that the finance ministry released Rs7.7 billion in funds for the HEC that had been withheld, while the fate of the federal higher education regulator was being decided.

“The finance division had blocked the funds for HEC for some time and now we have received a letter from the ministry to draw the money to be used from April to June this year,” said an HEC official.

Finance ministry officials had denied withholding any funds from the HEC earlier this week.

The Sindh chief minister was eager to point out the potential benefits of the devolution for students and universities in Sindh. Of the 10,623 scholarships handed out by the HEC to students every year, only 891 go to students from Sindh, which represents an 8.3 per cent share of the scholarships while the province has a 26 per cent share of the country’s population.

The heads of public universities in the province seemed to be supportive of the provincial government’s position that the HEC should be devolved to the provinces, particularly after the chief minister assured the universities that the provincial government would not intrude on their independence.

“We support the government’s stance,” said Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, vice-chancellor of the University of Karachi.

The devolution of the HEC has come under fire from academics and students who feared that the provinces would not be able to sustain funding for universities and scholarships. The HEC was devolved to the provincial level of government after the passage of the 18th Amendment to the constitution, which made education a provincial matter.

Senator Raza Rabbani, the head of the 18th Amendment Implementation Commission, explained that many of the functions of the current HEC will be retained in a new body, to be known as the Commission for Standard Higher Education (CSHE), which would coordinate standards of university education between the provinces.

On Thursday, the heads of 131 universities had passed a resolution opposing the move to make higher education the domain of provincial governments. Former head of the HEC, Dr Ataur Rehman, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the devolution of the institution.

(With additional reporting by Peer Muhammad in Islamabad)

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (9)

Nargis Latif | 13 years ago | Reply After taking control on HEC Sindh government must consider to award the scholarships on mertit basis. No should appose the process of decentrilization and devolving the HEC to provinces is part of it. It will take time to changes the system, but one should have the laws and implementions of the acts take place with due course of time. I wonder to see and hear the news of those political parties and groups who had earlier supported 18 Amendment, but now oppose it to appease some elemements have started opposing it. In every country the state is independent to make decision of their people. this should be applie here.

Rabil | 13 years ago | Reply We welcome the decision of Sindh Public Univeresities as well as Sindh Government, the HEC should be devolved to the provinces withtout any further delay. The provincial level HEC can play bettter role to provide the scholarshiips to the students at local level. The students of Sindh and Balochistan have been ingnored since the HEC came into being. The figures of sindh based studnetn are alaraming. Good decision indeed

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Humayun | 13 years ago | Reply Smaller provinces will face even worse situation if HEC is dissolved or dismantled. Who says HEC is being devolved to provinces?. Read the legislative principles of Pakistani constitution, devolution of primary functions like university grants, international scholarships and research is NOT possible neither honorable Raza Rabani has recommended such devolution. Raza Rabani has himself said that principle functions of HEC shall stay with the federal government. Funding will be brought under Finance division. Is this provincial autonomy? When politicians will deal with the funding, there is an increased risk that universities of the Punjab would receive greater share especially when a center right party will be in power in Islamabad. HEC is a non-political, independent and autonomous entity, so it's funding process is free from political pressures. International academic dealings (scholarships, placements, networking) according to proposed plan will be brought under foreign ministry and other federal institutes. Again, political pressures will never go in favor of smaller provinces. What the hell provinces will get? All the functions of Higher Education will be distributed and dismantled among too many institutes. This will only yield confusion and chaos. This is NOT a matter of provincial autonomy, it's all about corruption and monopoly. Higher education sector had attained transparency. It was uneasy for Zardari regime to get some commission from HEC. Raza Rabani's statement is very significant: ''Abh HEC kee financial chodrahat naheen chalay gee'' So, simply it is an attempt to gain control over resources of universities and international funding for higher institutes. If any major fuction is being devolved to provinces that is attestation of degrees, everybody knows the context. Once this function is transfered to provincial governments, getting fake degrees will be easier as every province will have separate system of standards. That will only bring educational disparity. A graduate of Balochistan University will have gone through a different process as compared to a graduate of University of Karachi. Transparency will be no more in existence as HEC took great time and effort to seek international quality assurance. The students who are currently enrolled in universities will be effected the most as the authenticity of their degrees on global level will be on stake. They will be in problem when applying for international or even national scholarships and seeking placements in foreign countries. Always remember HEC is not being devolved to provinces, it is being dismantled, It is being divided for the sake of corruption and monopoly. The matter is not at all about provincial autonomy. It's just a new tactic to earn 10% or whatever commission on educational grants and funding.

naseem bukhari | 13 years ago | Reply It is really good to learn that HEC is being devolved. It is high time that provinces should be given full autonomy and hegemony of the central government must come to an end. This opportunity will provide more chances to students of the relevant provinces to get the scholarship. The people who have been protesting against the devolution of HEC are no aware about the discriminatory approach of HEC towards to the students of far flung areas (rural area). The specific class has been dominant on HEC and their children get benefit of it.

syed kashif Hassnain rizvi | 13 years ago | Reply I am studing in europe and when i need a visa from embassy in Pakistan they asked me to take stamps from HEC, it means without HEC stamps we are unable to go abroad for education... n its also good for Pakistan economy, lot of Pakistani students they earn good money n send to Pakistan n support their own families and Pakistans economy as well.

Humayun | 13 years ago | Reply Well, the matter is now under the Supreme Court of Pakistan so Qaim Ali Shah and Raza Rabbani should take a break. Secondly, Qaim Ali Shah is not the competent authority to decide for it. If 18th amendment and Pakistan's Legislative Principles does not allow HEC's devolution or dissolution, who is Qaim Ali Shah then.

Shaheena | 13 years ago | Reply Through foreign loans, HEC were doling out scholarships mainly to urban areas of Punjab, Karachi and Peshawar only. Less than 5% scholarships were given to candidates belonging to rural areas of Punjab, Sindh and Balcuhistan. HEC is not handling higher education, HEC only administers foreign scholarships only and some research grants to public sector universities. Higher education was being provided by the public sector colleges universities and private universities. You guys confuses higher education with foreign funded research grants and scholarships. HEC is bunch of babus and chaudaries ruling on the foreign funding. HEC in neither research capacity nor capacity to set standards. How many international publications of repute they have produced and what costs we people of pakistan have to pay when we will repay the loans.

truth speaks | 13 years ago | Reply Chief Ministers will fill their pockets with devolution amount....They should improve primary and secondary education level instead of destroying higher education standards... He should know that all universities have denied devolution, so he should not stay oblivious..

azhar | 13 years ago | Reply Provinces have failed to deliver even the primary education. How can they handle higher education. Shah gey sahib, pls have a pitty on this country. You r interested in transferring and posting of professors of public universities, that's why u need control on their funds. Why only public univ. heads r favouring dissolution?. Think Pakistani. Don't be selfish.

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