Schools likely to hold inter classes

Proposal envisages colleges offering only two-year associate degrees

LAHORE:

Under a scheme under consideration of the government, preparations are reportedly underway to discontinue grade 11 and 12 classes in colleges and include them in school education.

The move by the Punjab higher education authorities will affect about four million students across the province.

After the implementation of the decision, only associate degree programmes will be offered in colleges. According to sources, recommendations in this regard are being formulated by the Punjab Ministry of Higher Education.

The authorities intend to abolish intermediate classes in more than 700 government colleges across Punjab. The 11th and 12th grades will be taught at high schools after raising their status to the higher secondary level.

According to the sources, only two-year associate degree programmes will be offered in colleges under the plan.

When contacted, higher education ministry’s spokesperson Abdul Ahad said the proposal was still under discussion and the final decision would be made after consultation with all stakeholders.

However, the reports have caused concern among students, teachers and parents.

Read HEC split over online exams

An associate professor said while speaking to The Express Tribune that the provincial education department appeared unable to promote higher education in the right direction. “Colleges will be destroyed if intermediate-level education in them is abolished. As far as associate degree programmes are concerned, the availability of teachers for all disciplines has not yet been ensured.

The teacher said that while education in about 50 subjects could be offered, instructors of a few of them would be available for the associate degree in each college.

In response to a question, he said there was a big difference between school and college education.

At present, there are about 50 higher secondary schools in the country and fewer students opt to study there than the colleges, he added.

He said the government should consult the stakeholders before making any final decision in this regard.

A student, Daniel Rafique, said government policies for promoting quality education had lacked consistency. He said the students had to suffer because of flawed policies in the sector in the past. If the higher grades are taught in the schools, their status must be raised, he said.

Another student, Taslim Mushtaq, said that in the current circumstances the integration of intermediate classes with the school system would be counterproductive.

Meanwhile, amid the ongoing policies of the department of higher education, the future of 180 commerce colleges in Punjab is uncertain after the abolition of BCom and MCom degree programmes.

The graduate and postgraduate status of more than 600 government colleges has been abolished and they will now offer associate degrees after discontinuing the higher degree programmes approved by the HEC.

BS Honours programmes will be offered in only 26 selected government colleges in 12 big cities of the province. The colleges have been selected in view of a higher number of students.

Two boys' and two girls' colleges in Lahore will be allowed BS Honours programmes along with one boys’ and one girls’ college in Multan, Rawalpindi, Sahiwal, Sialkot, Okara and Gujranwala.

It is estimated that about four million students from all over Punjab get admission in colleges every year but the institutions have limited educational and research facilities.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2021.