Regulating universities
Only with transparency through a system of checks and balances can a nation weed out the flaws in its systems.
Until the universities that granted affiliation to law colleges offering subpar standard law programmes cooperate, their funding, licensing and accreditation should be suspended. PHOTO: FILE
A keystone of a progressive nation is a system of checks and balances. In this regard, we welcome the move by the Supreme Court to issue notices to nine universities that illegally granted affiliation to law colleges offering subpar standards for their law programmes. These universities are not only hosting law programmes with poor standard of legal education, but are unwilling to disclose information about their affiliations to the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC). It is imperative that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) intervene in the matter because it is a matter of shame and embarrassment to the country that universities and law colleges are supporting low standards of education through an illegal framework of affiliation. The direction of justice is on a downward spiral if we take this example into account, where the very keepers of legal education are involved in unlawful and corrupt practices.
Several of the universities implicated in the case are public universities. As such, they must be required to furnish information regarding all affiliations as this is the business of all citizens of a country, especially those who pay taxes supporting these educational programmes. Only with transparency through a system of checks and balances can a nation weed out the flaws in its systems and processes, and work towards advancement. Thus far, however, stakeholders in the education sector have displayed dishonesty and must be shadowed until they reveal the necessary information to the PBC.
We agree that there are innumerable flaws in the education system in Pakistan but let this case be a start to revamping the system so that we can move on to other problems, such as the facilitated cheating in Matric level exams by teachers and police officials who accept bribes in return. The HEC must diligently respond to the case as it has been called upon as the overseeing authority in all education-related matters. Until these nine universities cooperate, their funding, licensing and accreditation should be suspended.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 30th, 2014.
Several of the universities implicated in the case are public universities. As such, they must be required to furnish information regarding all affiliations as this is the business of all citizens of a country, especially those who pay taxes supporting these educational programmes. Only with transparency through a system of checks and balances can a nation weed out the flaws in its systems and processes, and work towards advancement. Thus far, however, stakeholders in the education sector have displayed dishonesty and must be shadowed until they reveal the necessary information to the PBC.
We agree that there are innumerable flaws in the education system in Pakistan but let this case be a start to revamping the system so that we can move on to other problems, such as the facilitated cheating in Matric level exams by teachers and police officials who accept bribes in return. The HEC must diligently respond to the case as it has been called upon as the overseeing authority in all education-related matters. Until these nine universities cooperate, their funding, licensing and accreditation should be suspended.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 30th, 2014.