FAPSUA Expresses Reservation over Designation of Private Sector as Committee Heads

In the joint statement issued by above mentioned presidents of teaching staff associations and FAPUASA president, they have serious reservation over the deprivation of all the public sector Universities from top management of formation committees. They asked PTI government to issue a statement clarifying these appointments and explain the reason of keeping 34 public Universities heads out from principle positions of committees. They even claimed that the new government has some hidden motive behind it.

The president of FAPSUA Dr Mahboob Hussain, president of FAPUASA Punjab Chapter Dr Hamid Mukhtar, president of UET Lahore Teaching Staff Association (TSA Dr Zafar Noon, the president of, University of Agricultural Faisalabad Academic Staff Association’s (ASA) Dr Amir Jamil and president of Bahauddin Zakria University ASA Dr Abdul Sattar have strongly condemned the domination of private Universities especially faculty members of Lahore University of Management and Sciences (LUMS) as heads of several formation committees of higher education.

The teachers also pointed fingers at the motives of Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) administration which according to them is helping PTI to change higher education system of Pakistan. They demanded Public sector must be given its due position and importance in re construction and reformation committees. Public Universities are greater in number than private Universities.

The strength of students is also larger in public Universities. FAPUASA has called for meeting of executive body to discuss this matter further. It has recorded its protest and demanded solution from Punjab Higher Education minister and Higher Education secretary.

There have been revolutionary measures taken for the reformation of Higher Education System by PTI government. The administration of the oldest and well reputed public Universities like Punjab University fell under investigation for corruption, non-merit job and financial deformities and many other charges. The quality of education in public sector has deteriorated owing to flaws in administrative weaknesses. The private sector Universities like LUMS and Aga Khan University have been able to ranked higher positions in QS rankings of world’s best Universities than public sector Universities of Pakistan.

The role of Universities does not only comprised of awarding degrees, the providence of quality education for greater benefit of Pakistan is needed. Higher education system of Pakistan seems weaker in executing policies. The accreditation and assessment of academic progress of all private and public Universities must be monitored for recognizing problems in the education sector on regular basis. Although HEC, forms reviewing committees for this purpose, but unfortunately these committees have not done their due work.

PTI government which came into being under slogan of “change”, seems active in making changes for reformation of education system at all levels from primary, middle, secondary, intermediate to higher education system. The result of these changes is yet to come though.

According to World Bank Report (2000) Pakistan , the higher education system of Pakistan has set high level accountability policies, but they have not been executed because of influence from high profile ministers and political personalities.