K-P mulls uniforms for public varsities

PESHAWAR:

The provincial government is mulling amendments in the law to set up a body to monitor the academic and financial performance of public sector universities while ensuring a uniform for students of these educational institutions.

This was suggested by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Shah Farman during a meeting with journalists at the Governor House late on Monday.

Farman said that the provincial government wants to help universities improve their academic activities, financial management, stability and overall efficiency of these institutions.

He added that public universities are neither ready for an audit nor establishing discipline even though they operate on public money. He further suggested that varsities should be bound to implement the decisions of their respective senates.

In this regard, Farman said that the provincial government could amend the laws to establish an oversight authority.

“I am shocked at the condition of [public sector] universities as their administration are unable to explain their budgets,” he said, adding, “These varsities first take the money and then think where to spend it.”

Reiterating the importance of public sector varsities, Farman said that commercialisation means higher education in the private sector has slipped away from the reach of the common man.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2020.