KARACHI, July 19: President General Pervez Musharraf has expressed his commitment to introducing the recommendations of the Task Force on Higher Education.

This was stated by Dr Shams Kassim Lakha, president of the Aga Khan University, at a consultative meeting of the Steering Committee on Higher Education (SCHE) with the principals, teachers and students of the medical colleges, and representatives of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (CPSP) and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), held here at the Aga Khan University.

In his presentation, Dr Lakha explained the salient features of the recommendations of the Task Force on the Improvement of Higher Education and invited suggestions from the participants for assistance in developing modalities for implementation of the reforms.

The reforms, as highlighted by Dr Lakha in his introductory talk, aimed to create a positive environment in the universities and other institutions of higher learning.

“The Steering Committee provides a structure, a framework. It is up to the universities to own the reforms and commit themselves to it,”Dr Lakha said.

Dr Suhail Hashmi, secretary PMDC, in his presentation, supported the recommendations of the Task Force However, he expressed strong concern about the “intrusive nature” of the Higher Education Commission as, he said, it amounted to overstepping into the legal mandate of the PMDC.

Dr Zaman, vice-president of the CPSP, lauding the efforts of the Task Force, highlighted the recent steps taken by the college to promote higher education opportunities in the medical profession, which he described as being consistent with the recommendations of the task force.

Several participants representing higher education stakeholders in Sindh, the Punjab and the NWFP, supported the reforms. Dr Lakha clarified that a scholarship programme would ensure that no deserving student would be deprived of education because of financial reasons.

Emphasising the importance of faculty development, he underlined the need to de-link the university faculty salary structure from the government’s basic pay scales. There was an enthusiastic discussion on several aspects of the reforms. —APP