Long overdue: HEC in race against time to set house in order

Issues of vacant posts, delayed promotions, formation of testing service await solution.

ISLAMABAD:

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) is yet to implement the decisions of its governing body.

On May 27, the body had decided on the formation of a consortium of top ranked universities from all provinces and regions and formation of a testing service body for admissions and scholarships. The commission took two months  to compile the meeting’s minutes.

Meanwhile, the situation inside HEC is not welcoming as well as issues like shortage of staff, appointment of deputationists and several vacant posts at the top are being brushed aside for one reason or the other.



Executive director’s post

The post of executive director (ED), considered the second most important one the chairperson’s, is vacant for the last year and a half. Mansoor Akbar Kundi, appointed on deputation from Balochistan, was assigned the acting charge of ED and is retiring soon after getting two extensions.

The post has been vacant since April 15 last year, when then ED Dr Mukhtar Ahmed was appointed the HEC chairperson. Since then no serious effort has been made to fill the post, which many insiders consider a deliberate effort on part of the top management. “The bosses think a new and powerful ED can be a challenge for them in going ahead with decisions taken without going by the book,” confided a senior HEC official.

The commission rejected names finalised by the search committee and suggested to re-advertise the post and also approved to amend the age limit from 55 to 60 years.

The HEC chairperson said the amendment has been made and the post will be advertised in the next few days.

Vacant posts

The posts of directors for academics, quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation and coordination are vacant. Tests for the positions were taken in November 2014 but after that nothing has been done to end the delay.

“We tell universities and degree awarding institutes to follow the rules and be fair while we remain silent about our own violations and delay in taking action,” said an official of the HEC’s human resource section.

The chairperson commented that he is putting his ducks in a row and nobody will be spared who creates troubles for the commission and development of this body.

Deputationists

The body has established a knack for appointing officers at the top level on an ad-hoc basis thus sending a wave of disappointment for those who await promotions.

There is frustration among staffers as dozens of grade 17-19 officers, as direct appointments, block their promotions for many years, said an officer in research and development department.

To sort out the issue, the chairperson has formed a three member committee to review the existing policies about recruitment and give recommendations. The committee submitted its report before Eid.

The chairperson said it was internal re-modelling plan and will soon be implemented. “Appointment of four to five officers on deputation is not a big deal,” said Ahmed, adding that nobody is being deprived of their right to move forward.

A meeting of vice chancellors will be held on August 11 to discuss the establishment of a testing service in detail, Ahmed shared. He added that the issue of dual degree programmes and public-private partnership for new campuses will be discussed along with meeting of accreditation councils like Pakistan Engineering Council and other bodies.

The governing body of the HEC rejected the idea of launching its own testing body, to distance itself from any controversy.

In March 2014, the Lahore High Court had termed the private testing body illegal and directed the HEC to form a new body by May 2014. Since then there has been a lukewarm development to sort out the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28^th, 2015.