NA panel okays bill for first-ever skills university

Committee formed to investigate affairs in 12 KP universities

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Education and Professional Trainings on Thursday passed a bill aimed at establishing Pakistan’s first-ever national skills university.

The committee, in its meeting on Thursday, presided over by its chairman Amirullah Marwat, also called for formation of an investigation panel to look into the alleged illegal appointments in 12 universities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

The meeting was held in the National Institute of Science and Technical Education (NISTE) in the federal capital which will be converted into a full-fledged university after the passage of a bill in parliament.



Since its establishment, the NISTE has been marred with allegation of corruption and misuse of resources. The institute works as a centre for short technical courses. Now it is being transformed it into a university to meet demand for skilled manpower.

According to the National Skills University Bill, the university will establish its campuses, to be determined by its senate. A vice chancellor will head the university while an academic council will determine the courses.

The faculties will include building technology and environment; electro-technology; mechanical and automotive technology; industries and business; computing and information technology; management and communication studies; basic sciences and humanities and teacher education.



K-P varsities

Earlier, committee chairperson Amirullah Marwat recommended formation of a three-member committee to investigate all alleged illegal decisions, recruitments during the past four years in 12 K-P universities where acting heads are holding charge.

“The culture of wrongdoings was rampant when those [vice chancellor] posts were vacant so I recommend a three-member body to probe all such decisions of acting heads in K-P and report back to the committee,” Marwat remarked.

The committee also directed the HEC to investigate the alleged wrongdoings at the University of Sargodha during the tenure of its former vice chancellor.