November 18, 2007	Sunday	Ziqa’ad 07, 1428

PESHAWAR, Nov 17: The Higher Education Regulatory Authority (HERA) has failed to check the mushroom growth of educational institutions in the private sector, it is learnt.

The authority, formed in 2002 to control the unbridled growth of colleges and universities in the private sector, has taken legal actions against only a few private universities.

But a large number of institutes and colleges affiliated with the University of Peshawar, NWFP Agricultural University, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan and Malakand University continue to function unregistered.

Data from HERA reveals that a total of 115 institutes and colleges, including 76 affiliated with the University of Peshawar, are unregistered.

The Higher Education Regulatory Authority officials say the authority generates funds through registration and renewal fees of educational institutions.

“If the 115 institutes get registered with the HERA, funds of the authority would increase,” HERA chairman Prof Hamayun Zia said.

Prof Zia said that it was mandatory for all private higher education institutions to get registered with the authority under HERA act prior to affiliation with any public university.

Many institutions affiliated with the University of Peshawar were not registered due to lack of cooperation of the university administration, a HERA official said.

However, University of Peshawar Registrar Sherin Zada claimed that the university was following the University Act while affiliating the private colleges.

However, the HERA chairman said that since the authority’s criterion for affiliation and registration was tougher than the university, the HERA Act, which was passed by the NWFP Assembly, should proceed in the matter.

The HERA took only one university, Aryana University, to court for running a campus illegally in Peshawar.

Former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani had taken notice of the authority’s unsatisfactory performance after which a committee was set up to propose recommendations but implementation of the proposal is awaited.

HERA has registered around 90 educational institutions and deferred registration of 20 private institutions, mostly colleges.

The chairman suggested that in order to strengthen and empower the authority in dealing with the illegal educational institution, the higher education department may, in consultation with the law department, take up the matter regarding the introduction of necessary amendments to the HERA Ordinance.