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Vice chancellors from various public sector universities have criticised the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Universities (Amendment) Act 2015, saying the recommendations of relevant stakeholders were ignored while the legislation was being devised.
University of Peshawar VC Dr Rasool Jan said the government had made the amendments according to its own wishes and overlooked the suggestions of teachers and VCs – who are the original stakeholders. “Under the amendments, a VC must have 10 years of administrative experience,” he said. “A limited number of people possess this level of experience.”
According to Jan, it will be very difficult for the government to run universities under these rules.
“If vice chancellors are removed from universities, acting vice chancellors will be appointed for these universities who are unlikely to be in favour of development at the institutes,” he added.
Jan said the government should strengthen these institutes and consult all teachers and vice chancellor as they are the original stakeholders who can understand the internal affairs of universities.
Talking to The Express Tribune, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar VC Imtiaz Husain Gillani said government has also ignored the recommendations of the reform committee in this regard.
“The government should have taken all the relevant stakeholders into confidence as they are directly involved and far more informed about these matters,” he added.
Under the shadow
Speaking to The Express Tribune, a VC at a university based in Peshawar, who requested anonymity, said the amendments were made to serve the narrow interest of a specific group of people.
“This amendment is likely to provide an avenue for opportunists at various institutes who have been trying to be appointed VC but are not qualified for the post,” he said. “The amended law will make it easier for them to step in as it gives the government a greater say in appointment.”
The new act stipulates that the minister for education, secretary higher education, secretary establishment, secretary finance and a representative of the assembly will nominate the name for vice chancellor of a university. However, the VC raised concerns about this nomination procedure.
“Under this process, members of a single party will have the authority to nominate a VC,” he said. “Through this procedure, it will become difficult to appoint a suitable candidate.”
The VC voiced reservations about the amended legislation and said it would have little effect beyond providing the provincial government with the opportunity to appoint its own people for the post.
Minister for Higher Education Mushtaq Ghani was not available to comment on the matter.
No retrospective effect
The amended legislation is unlikely to reduce the tenures of current vice chancellors of 19 public sector universities of the province, officials told The Express Tribune. According to Clause 4, sub-section (6) of the act, a VC shall be appointed for a three-year period and on terms and conditions determined by the government.
Higher Education department Deputy Secretary Naeem Khan said current VCs were hired under the Universities Act 2012 and will continue until the end of their tenure. Naeem said the new law will only apply to those hired under it.
However, he denied that VCs were not consulted about the amended legislation.
“The law was finalised after consultation with university teachers, VCs and education experts,” he added.
Meanwhile, the amended legislation has earned the ire of faculty members at various universities. Peshawar University Teachers Association and Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association held an emergency meeting on Saturday to discuss the amended legislation. They urged the chief minister and governor to review the legislation. Moreover, they have threatened to close down all universities and take to the streets if their demands are not met. Members of the association will announce their next course of action at a news conference on Monday (tomorrow).
Published in The Express Tribune, May 10th, 2015.
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