Establishing new universities President`s directives mere political statements
By Imran Ali Teepu
2013-07-17
ISLAMABAD, July 16: President Asif Ali Zardari`s directions to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) regarding the establishment of two universities and upgradation of educational institutions have turned out to be mere political statements.
An official of the HEC explained that President Zardari had announced the establishment of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto University in Skardu (Gilgit-Baltistan) in March 2013 and of Lyari University, Karachi, in May 2012.
`The upgradation of Madressah School of Nosheroferoz was announced by the president in April, 2010, and the establishment of the Shah Abdul Latif University campus in Shikarpur was an-nounced in June 2010,` he added.
The official said that the president had directed the HEC to establish three universities. However, only one of these, namely the Karak University, KhyberPakhtunkhwa, could be established in October 2012.
Former HEC chairman Dr Attaur Rehman, when approached for comments on the announcements made by the president, told Dawn, `It is just a political stunt. One should now that to establish a university`s basic structure, roughly Rs10 billion are needed.
`To establish a university, one has to purchase land and equipment, construct the university infrastructure and then hire highly qualified faculty. All this isdone by investing money and not by making political announcements,` he maintained.
Dr Atta cited the example of Nust, stating that to date, roughly Rs25 billion had been spent on the university which was now `an internationally recognised university.
`The government`s move to announce new universities will ultimately dent the quality of education as the focus would shift towards establishing new universities. This will also put the HEC`s performance in question,` he added.
Meanwhile, when the executive director of HEC, Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, was approached, he said, `We have worked onthe orders coming from the office of the president and established the Karak University in October 2012.
Furthermore, a university status has been granted to the Sindh Madressahtul-Islam University in December 2012 on the directives of the president.
The executive director added that there was a shortage of funds because of which the president`s directives could not be fulfilled.
`A huge investment is required to establish a university. The president`s directives are in the pipeline and once the necessary funding from the government is received, the HEC will immediately start working on the establishment and upgradation process.However, similar political promises had been made by the outgoing government as well, which had promised to establish 15 universities during their stint in the federal government from 2008 to 2013.
The HEC had received the directives from the office of the prime minister, but according to an official at HEC, `None of the directives of the former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani were ever implemented since the HEC lacked funds.
Mr Gilani had promised establishing universities in Fata, DG Khan, Bahawalpur, Multan, Sukkur, Larkana, Sialkot, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), Jacobabad, Layyah and Jaranwala.