HEC devolution: Rabbani says problems being created deliberately
Senator dispels impression that HEC is being ‘targeted’ over the fake degrees issue.
ISLAMABAD:
Chairperson of the 18th Amendment Implementation Commission Senator Raza Rabbani said certain political actors are trying to create issues out of the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) devolution.
Refusing to take any names, he said that the coalition government is not targeting the HEC over the fake degrees cases. “Let’s not confuse the two issues,” he said, “the decision to devolve the education ministry and with it the HEC through a possible constitutional amendment was taken way before the fake degrees episode.” The commission’s job, he said, was to merely convey information as degrees are verified by concerned universities.
He was speaking at a joint press conference with members of the commission on Wednesday. He was accompanied by Senator Ishaq Dar, of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
Rabbani said that the HEC is not much different from its predecessor, the Universities Grants Commission, which was funded by the federal government. Under the devolution plan, each province will be responsible for funding its own universities, he explained. However, he assured that the federal government will continue funding universities for a period of time decided under the finalised devolution plan before provinces take complete charge.
Dar said that no province can afford to deny funds to its universities thus there was no chance that university funding will be included in general funds.
But he was lost for a response when some reporters pointed out that certain members of his own party had expressed reservations over the issue.
Rabbani reiterated that the HEC’s devolution will not affect existing scholarships and denied that the federal government had stopped any funds.
According to the implementation commission’s members, a decision is yet to be taken whether the existing Higher Education Commission Ordinance 2002 will be amended or a new law is required.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 14th, 2011.
Chairperson of the 18th Amendment Implementation Commission Senator Raza Rabbani said certain political actors are trying to create issues out of the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) devolution.
Refusing to take any names, he said that the coalition government is not targeting the HEC over the fake degrees cases. “Let’s not confuse the two issues,” he said, “the decision to devolve the education ministry and with it the HEC through a possible constitutional amendment was taken way before the fake degrees episode.” The commission’s job, he said, was to merely convey information as degrees are verified by concerned universities.
He was speaking at a joint press conference with members of the commission on Wednesday. He was accompanied by Senator Ishaq Dar, of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
Rabbani said that the HEC is not much different from its predecessor, the Universities Grants Commission, which was funded by the federal government. Under the devolution plan, each province will be responsible for funding its own universities, he explained. However, he assured that the federal government will continue funding universities for a period of time decided under the finalised devolution plan before provinces take complete charge.
Dar said that no province can afford to deny funds to its universities thus there was no chance that university funding will be included in general funds.
But he was lost for a response when some reporters pointed out that certain members of his own party had expressed reservations over the issue.
Rabbani reiterated that the HEC’s devolution will not affect existing scholarships and denied that the federal government had stopped any funds.
According to the implementation commission’s members, a decision is yet to be taken whether the existing Higher Education Commission Ordinance 2002 will be amended or a new law is required.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 14th, 2011.