LAHORE: The accreditation committee chairman and a member have tendered their resignations citing increasing interference of the private sector educational institutions.
Dr Khalid Aftab, a former vice chancellor of the Government College University (GCU), was serving as chairman of the accreditation committee while Dr Naazish Ataullah, ex-principal of the National College of Arts, was a member of the committee. Both have resigned from their positions.
Dr Aftab has sent his resignation letter to Punjab Minister for Higher Education Raja Yasir Humayun Sarfraz.
The letter under the subject “Resignation as the chairman, accreditation committee of the government of Punjab available with Dawn states, “ I wish to step down as the chairman of accreditation committee on account of prevailing toxic culture in the Higher Education Department and increasing interference of the private sector educational institutions for maximizing their undue benefits with the support of officials and courts. Kindly accept my request.”
Dr Aftab had reservations about allowing sub-campuses of some private universities. The Punjab government had bypassed accreditation committee’s findings and approved three private universities.
Earlier, the committee had conducted an inquiry into six private universities sub-campuses working in different areas of the province and submitted its report to Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar.
The committee declared these higher educational institutions (HEIs) ineligible to enroll students for violating regulations. The Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) had also advised these HEIs to fulfil certain preconditions in case they desired to attain the status of a recognised institution. However, these HEIs continued to operate under different shady arrangements and ignored the advisory of the PHEC.
The HED had declared 23 sub-campuses of six private universities as illegal on January 10, 2020 and asked their management to stop further intake of students and also shift the enrolled students to the main campuses to complete their degrees.
Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2021