150 unregulated institutions still exist

Is the role of the higher education regulatory body is confined to only publishing public alerts and issuing notices to unregulated educational institutions? If so, who will take action against the mushroom growth of unauthorisd educational institutions which are playing with the future of the students?

According to HEC’s own record, there are currently over 150 unregulated educational institutions in the country. HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed says the commission does not have powers to take action such as closing the unregulated institutions operating in various parts of the country. There are 101 such institutions in Punjab followed by Sindh with 36, KPK 11 and the federal capital three: Islamabad Law College, Modern Institute of Informatics and Management and Islamabad campus of Mohiuddin Islamic University, Nerian Sharif.

The HEC chairman informed a parliamentary committee the other day that the regulatory body could not take “harsh” action against illegal educational institutions. The HEC documents showed that the regulatory body had persistently been publishing advertisements and public alerts on illegal institutions besides displaying a list of the illegal institutions on its website.

“There is no provision in HEC ordinance that empowers it to take forceful strict actions against the unrecognised educational institutions,” read the documents, adding the regulatory body had to seek assistance from provincial higher education departments, FIA and NAB for closure of illegal campuses.

But it seems the regulatory body is helpless in ensuring the closure of unregulated educational institutions, which are exploiting thousands of students.

The federal government and the education ministry should look into the HEC’s ordinance and if there is a need a new legislation should be made to empower the regulatory body to take action against all illegal educational institutions. The HEC - whether central or provincial - cannot absolve itself of the job by issuing letters and alerts.

The HEC chairman wanted to give an in-camera briefing to the standing committee on education as he said several powerful people were involved in operating the illegal educational institutions. He also revealed before the standing committee that fake degrees were being sold in the markets.

Mobile bus libraries handed over to CADD

To mark the International Education Week, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) handed over two mobile libraries to the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) at a ceremony held at a primary school in F-7.

After the transfer agreement was signed, USAID Office Director for Education Dr Christopher Steel presented the bus keys to Minister of State for CADD Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.

“With these mobile libraries, we can make sure that good books are reaching children who want to read and helping them become good readers,” said Dr Steel.

“I am happy that through today’s commitment, we are continuing this tradition of supporting Pakistan in its efforts to promote education,” he said. The CADD minister appreciated the USAID efforts for promoting the book reading culture.

FDE Director General Hasnat Qureshi told Dawn that the mobile libraries were meant for all primary schools in the capital and would play an important role in developing the habit of book reading among the children.

According to USAID, for the last two years the USAID-funded Pakistan Reading Project has been operating the mobile libraries, visiting 338 schools and reaching nearly 65,000 children in Islamabad and Sindh. After each visit, the libraries leave behind a set of books so that the children can continue to read. The project supports Pakistan’s provincial and regional departments of education in improving children’s reading skills.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2017