Previous programmes, autonomy main challenges for new HEC chief: Atta Founder Chairman of Higher Education Commission (HEC) and President Pakistan Academy of Sciences Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman has said that the main challenges for new Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairperson will be continuation of previous programmes and preservation of HEC autonomy. As more than 100 academicians have shown interest in taking up this difficult and challenging task and have recently applied for this position, not many might be equipped to deal with matters related to higher education sector of Pakistan comprising of over 150 universities, 258 campuses, 1.2 million students, 32,000 faculty members, including over 7,600 PhD faculty, and administrative-support staff of over 100,000. Currently, HEC is the project implementing body for the US $300 million World Bank Loan for uplift of higher education in Pakistan besides partnering with the USAID to set up three Centres for Advanced Studies in Energy, Food Security and Agriculture and Water at the universities in Pakistan through a $127 million grant. The HEC attests more than 200,000 educational documents each year. Despite continued financial crisis faced by higher education sector in Balochistan, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Special Task Force for Balochistan, established to evaluate and promote higher education in Balochistan, could not pay visit to the province. With next National Finance Commission Award due in 2014, which will bring major changes in the higher education sector, the Task Force, a consultative forum formed in the year 2011 to review HEC Act 2002 in the post 18th Amendment constitutional scenario, is still to be notified by the federal government. After next National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, the provincial universities will be financed by provincial governments. According to the decision announced by Council of Common Interest during May 2011, the financing of provincial universities and population welfare would be the responsibility of federal government till next NFC Award. The transfer of powers will again be a huge task. Another big question will be about international ranking of Pakistani universities. During past few years, the universities from Pakistan were be able to attain global rankings as seven Pakistani universities made it to the top 250 universities of Asia. Keeping pace with the progress made before and improving it will be another challenge for the new leadership. Talking to ‘The News’ about the future challenges, Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman said that PML-N government, in its election manifesto, strongly supported HEC autonomy. “The new HEC chairperson would have to pay special attention towards internal problems within HEC and would have to lead it as strong homogeneous organization,” he said. The HEC faced many challenges with regard to its autonomy during the tenure of last government especially after the commission started degree verification of Parliamentarians under Supreme Court’s orders in 2010. On March 30, 2011 the HEC was devolved through a notification and some of its functions were transferred to different ministries. Petition was filed by Dr Atta-ur-Rahman in the Supreme Court, on April 12, 2011 court declared the notification null and void. “The importance of knowledge economy for Pakistan with special emphasis over university industry linkages, increase in agriculture production would have to be kept into mind along with expanding basic infrastructure of digital library and video conferencing,” suggested Dr. Atta. Other challenges, he said will include revival of faculty development programme, restoration of HEC status, establishment of centre of excellence in specific subjects as well inclusion of Pakistani universities in top world university ranking. The federal government has decided to appoint regular chairman HEC through transparent and merit based mechanism in the light of direction by Islamabad High Court (IHC) regarding appointment of permanent/regular chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) till February 12, 2014 in accordance with law and prescribed process. It was directed that before expiry of term of HEC acting chairman, the regular appointment of chairman may be made till February 12, 2014 in accordance with law and prescribed process. The office of HEC chairman is lying vacant since August 26, 2013 when the first four-year term of Dr. Javaid Laghari ended.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 10:03:14 +0000