Senate body on education urges Chairman HEC to empower educational sector – Pakistan Today

The Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training, Senator Irfan-ul-Haque Siddiqui has urged the Chairman HEC to use his powers in good spirit and faith to empower the educational sector.

The committee meeting held here on Monday also decided to hold a special meeting to discuss finances and funds of the HEC and to evaluate the financial model of the institute.

The Chairman Committee was of the view that the funds and finances of the department should be utilized in providing quality education. He recommended to identify the lacunae in the Higher Education Commission and a work plan to resolve them. He also sought a comprehensive report on the future work plan within 30 days.

The briefing by the HEC on the goals, objectives, targets, responsibility, administrative control, use of funds, and future plans were deferred on the request of the Chairman Committee.

The committee also unanimously passed the Bill titled “The Pakistan Global Institute Bill, 2022” moved by Senator Shahadat Awan. The Committee was informed that the Bill had already been passed by the National Assembly, introduced by Senator Shahadat Awan on behalf of Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training in the senate.

The Chairman HEC said that this will be the only Degree Awarding Institute (DAI) in the private sector. The sponsoring body of the proposed DAI is THMC Education System (Private) Limited.

The committee was briefed that the proposed DAI was the only institute in the private sector with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from South Korea. Its objective was to further strengthen the linkages between Pakistan and South Korea, to improve the quality of education in Pakistan and provide the Pakistani youth with opportunities for research in management, information technology and other areas.

The institute initially intends to commence academic operation in the faculties of Business Management and Information Technology, the officials informed.

The Chairman Committee regretted the absence of the Minister as well as the Secretary, Ministry of Education. The Chairman Committee directed them to ensure presence in the next meeting.

The committee also unanimously endorsed the re-nomination of Senator Nuzhat Sadiq as a member of the Federal Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education (FBISE), Islamabad. The matter was sent to the committee by the Chairman Senate which was ratified unanimously by the committee.

Regarding the matter pertaining to BPS promotion status and its resolution as committed by the HEC, the Chairman HEC apprised the committee that the Academic Committee of the Commission had decided to constitute a sub-committee (comprising vice-chancellors, representative of Ministry of Finance, MOPE&T, APBUTA) to review the existing draft policy.

The officials informed that two meetings of the sub-committee had already been held. The final recommendations of the sub-committee will be placed before the Academic Committee of the Commission. The matter was deferred for further deliberation and report.

Referring to the matter of Public Petition submitted by Mr Din Kalam Khan Wazir regarding the transfer of female teachers from Tribal District North Waziristan to Abbottabad, the Chairman Committee said that matter should be taken at its earliest and be resolved as committed by the Federal Minister for Education. The Additional Secretary assured the committee to look into the matter and resolve the issue in coordination with the Provincial Minister for Education.

Earlier, the committee offered Fateha over the sad demise of Senator Sikandar Mandrol.

The meeting was attended by Senators Fawzia Arshad, Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar, Molvi Faiz Muhammad and Senator Falak Naz.

Chairman Higher Education Commission Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, DG HEC and other officials were also in attendance.

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