In 2017: Higher education marred by crisis

Lack of permanent VCs, student clashes and corruption hit varsities

LAHORE: The higher education sector in Punjab made little to no progress in the current year with issues ranging from appointment of vice chancellors to reining in financial misappropriations at institutes. These problems were not helped, in any part, by violent clashes and mushrooming illegal institutions.

The failure of the Punjab government to appoint permanent vice chancellors in public sector universities kept higher education authorities occupied for the second year in a row. The lack of permanent heads in public sector universities also gave rise to accusations of mismanagement and financial embezzlement.

The problem for higher education authorities started in 2015 and continued into 2017. The appointments, in 2015, by the Punjab government, were challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC). In April of the same year, it ruled in favour of the provincial government.

However, even by the end of 2017, the Punjab government was unable to appoint vice chancellors. Some progress was made in this regard as the Higher Education Department (HED) and the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) were able to define rules for the appointment procedure of vice chancellors. Additionally, a cabinet committee was also constituted to finalise the process.

As of 2017, Punjab University, University of Home Economics, Women University Multan, University of Sahiwal, University of Jhang, Ghazi University in Dera Ghazi Khan, University of Okara and Information Technology University (ITU) remained without permanent heads. The appointments were expected to be made in the next year.

Punjab University was the worst-hit by the crisis as it saw multiple clashes between students, along with cases being reported of teachers getting thrashed by student groups. Multiple allegations were also levelled against the provisional administration for financial misappropriation. As a result, a comprehensive report was sent to the governor and chief minister by Punjab Higher Education Minister Syed Raza Ali Gillani.

However, no decision was made in this regard and the provisional setup continued throughout the year.

Financial misappropriation

According to the Auditor General of Pakistan’s (AGP) report, out of total irregularities worth Rs36.94 billion in the province, the higher education sector accounted for Rs10.936 billion.

The irregularities in the accounts of the higher education sector included non-production of records, irregular payments, investing surplus funds without approval, funds in accounts other than approved banks, procurement without advertisements, irregular expenditure on purchases, illegal appointments and payment of salaries and reemployment of retired officials, among others.

The report pointed out recurring irregularities in the HED over a period of five years and recommended that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) look into the matter and intervene. The report distinguished the two main clusters of irregularities in the accounts. They included irregular appointments and arbitrary increase in pay and allowances, while the second was identified as non-adherence to Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules.

Illegal institutions

Punjab also saw a mushroom growth of illegal higher education institutions in the province. A list of illegal higher education institutions in the country was released by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC). It detailed unrecognised institutions in three categories. Among the 165 non-recognised institutions in the country, Punjab accounted for 102 institutions, a total of 61.81%.

Listed in the second category of institutions opened under the public-private partnership were those without a no-objection certificate (NOC) from HEC. All the identified institutions belonged to Punjab. In the third category, under evaluation of the HEC, five out of the six institutions belonged to the province.

The PHEC, to keep a closer eye on illegal institutions, started developing a higher education database which would detail public and private colleges as well as universities. It would outline numbers of enrolled students, faculties, programmes and teachers. The database was hoped to aid regulatory authorities and policymakers to make informed decisions.

The database, which will be publically accessible in the later stages, is expected to take shape in 2018 and initial work on it has been started by PHEC.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2017.