LAHORE, Oct 26: The federal government has introduced several amendments to the University Model Ordinance in consultation with provincial governments, removing apprehensions of the university teachers.
This was stated by Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool and Sindh Governor Mohammadmian Soomro, at a news conference here at the Governor’s House on Saturday.
The amended ordinance disallowed any direct appointment of vice- chancellors who would be selected by the chancellors out of a panel to be suggested by the senates, they said.
The ordinance is being opposed by the university teachers all over the country. They have joined a protest campaign by college teachers and doctors opposing the boards of governors in educational institutions and teaching hospitals.
The Punjab governor said the model ordinance was approved by the cabinet and it was Dr Ataur Rehman who consulted all the provincial governments for removing objections to it.
Dr Ata said after the creation of doubts about laws framed to improve universities and give them independence, all university teachers’ associations were consulted on the directive of the president. Amendments in the ordinance had been made in view of the suggestions by teachers’ associations, he said.
The minister said now the condition of compulsorily adopting this ordinance within two years had been deleted, allowing every university to formulate its own rules and regulations to fit its local conditions.
He said the senate of a university would comprise of 21 members, including four teachers instead of the two. Two members would be taken from among different professions.
The minister said the teachers would have full job protection and their right to appeal in the courts of law had been restored. They could not also be transferred to other institutions.
He said new teachers would be recruited separately on contract basis and the universities have full financial autonomy. All universities would be given funds for their basic expenditure but additional funds would be subject to their performance and research in their different departments. In this connection 28 out of 230 departments had been marked and the process was still going on.
The minister said a method had also been adopted for the appointment of a vice-chancellor. According to the new system the chancellor would appoint a vice-chancellor from a panel of candidates to be forwarded by the senate. Now, no one could be directly appointed against the post.
He said under the amended law, now the universities could not increase fees by more than 10 per cent annually. Again, they would have to seek an approval of the senate for the purpose.
The minister said the basic aim of the ordinance was to grant autonomy to the universities and there had been no change in it. Nevertheless, the provinces would introduce amendments in the ordinance in consultation with the vice-chancellors of their universities in order to address to their local conditions.
