Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training Senator Irfan Siddiqui, while discussing the matter of fake institutions, directed HEC to take stern action against fake institutions and ensure the quality of education across the country.
He also directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to submit a report before the committee in this regard. He was chairing the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training here at Parliament House on Tuesday.
During the meeting, the senate body unanimously passed the Bill titled “The Federal University (Amendment) Bill, 2022”. Senator Seemee Ezdi, the mover of the bill, apprised the committee that the primary aim is to make internship mandatory part of the curriculum for all Public and Private Universities located in Federal territory. Furthermore, the committee deliberated on the matter raised by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi regarding the issue of examination faced by students of Law at Bahauddin Zakariya University.
Mansoor Akbar Kundi, VC of BZU, apprised the committee that the matter is subjudice and the university is unable to provide any date until the matter is adjudicated. Officials of the Law ministry told that there is no such bar for examinations of students in the 2nd and 3rd year and the bar is only limited to 1st-year supplementary students. Senator Irfan Siddiqui with the consent of all members gave a ruling to conduct an examination of Law students, which is not restricted by the Supreme Court, by the 15th December of 2022.
In addition, the senate committee was also briefed by the Vice Chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University regarding the responsibilities, administrative control, faculty, and fee structure of the university. Dr. Zia ul Qayyum apprised the committee that the university is self-sufficient despite the closure of two year BA program by HEC in which the university enrolls 1.5 lac students annually.
Chairman Committee Senator Irfan Siddiqui was of the opinion that the Policy should not be implemented in a jiff but instead, should be implemented gradually.
He further added that the policy which rules 1.5 lac students out of the spectrum is not even a policy and advised the ministry to coordinate with HEC and AIOU in this regard and submit a report within 15 days. The Chair also directed the HEC officials to submit a report as to why the funds are not being provided to AIOU. He also asked the Vice Chancellor to satisfy the committee about the sudden increase in the fee of the BA program from Rs 9,000 to Rs.19000 in the next meeting.
The meeting was attended by Senator Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhary, Senator Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar, Senator Engr. Rukhsana Zuberi, Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad, Senator Molvi Faiz Muhammad, Senator Seemee Ezdi, Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, Senator Prof. Dr. Mehr Taj Roghani, Aamir Ashraf Khawaja Secretary of Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Vice Chancellor of BZU Mansoor Akbar Kundi, Vice Chancellor of AIOU Dr. Zia ul Qayyum and other concerned officers were also in attendance.
