ISLAMABAD May 23: The Ad hoc Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has proposed setting up of Higher Education Commission in place of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

A PAC meeting was held on Thursday at the National Assembly committee room which was presided over by H.U.Baig.

The meeting expressed concern over the education ministry’s failure in utilizing the budget allocations made available and surrendering of huge amounts by the end of every year.

The committee debated the issuance of franchise to a large number of private sector universities. It said the degrees of these institutions had no value and were not accepted any where.

It questioned the value of such varsities and asked the UGC to review these cases on merit so as to guarantee that only quality institutions were allowed to function and issue degrees.

Responding to these observations, the senior officials of the UGC claimed that the criteria fixed for the varsities was observed while issuing the franchise for five years, and the performance and quality of education was monitored during this period.

The provincial governors were advised in writing to ensure that no institution with dubious credentials got franchise or was allowed to issue degrees.

The committee noted with concern the duel system of education — one for the children of the elite and the other for those of the general public — which was against the norms of a welfare society.

The principal accounting officer (PAO) said the provinces had their own criteria for regularization of private sector educational institutions, and they were supposed to monitor their performance according to their fee structures.

While reviewing the audit reports for the year 1999-2000, it was noted that Rs680.535 million was surrendered out of the original grant of Rs1676.755 million in the year 1995-96, and the department continued to surrender huge amounts in the succeeding years.

The committee observed that while the demands were made for doubling the present allocations of two per cent of the GNP to four per cent, it was strange that education system was not able to absorb the available amounts.

An inter-departmental committee (IDC) report, submitted to the committee, said the ministry failed to utilize Rs340.354 million during the year 1996-97.

The amount was provided for promotion of research in universities and grants-in-aid to different universities and institutions.