HEC told to respect autonomy of varsities

Universities, through their governing bodies, should have the right to formulate their policies rather than HEC

ISLAMABAD:

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) should stop interfering in the internal affairs of universities, said teachers protesting outside the commission’s office.

They were also demonstrating against favouritism in release of funds for research projects, besides the issue of teachers appointed under time tenure system (TTS) and the basic pay scale (BPS). Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) President Dr Suhail Yousuf addressing the protesting teachers outside HEC said they will not budge until their demands are met.

HEC is interfering in matters of universities which are totally irrelevant to the commission, Yousuf said. He said more teachers from across the country will arrive to participate in the protest. Later speaking at a press conference, FAPUASA president said that their sit-in against the policy of HEC would continue, “until our demands for reforms is the policies for higher education sector are not met.”

The representative of university faculty said that they have not come together for personal issues, “we have discord on the independent status of the universities."

Universities, through their board of directors, board of trustees and syndicates should have the right to formulate their own policies rather than HEC. Unfortunately HEC is interfering in matters which are not its domain, Yousuf said. He said that instead of “cut, copy and paste of polices picked up from documents of the UK and the USA,” HEC should devise polices based on Pakistan.