Daily Times

Unfortunately, several faculty members in our universities have a psychological disease ultimately victimising students who don’t have another choice to accomplish degrees except to bear all odds of such mental ailments of their teachers.

This was stated by senator Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif while briefing to the senate standing committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Thursday which was chaired by Senator Rahila Magsi.

The Senator Saif expressed serious concerns over the futile rules of the universities for PhD students. He also regretted that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) also could not formulate some sort of comprehensive policy, despite the fact that the commission has responsibility to give guideline for higher education sector, in order to facilitate students, especially doctoral and post-doctoral students.

“I taught in many universities in the country and personally witnessed that if any teacher doesn’t like any of his/her students by any reason, he/she would fail that student in the exams”, he shocked adding the students are compelled to face all such kinds of odds because our education system puts no compensation for them in provided legislations/rules.

The senator added that he knows many incidents wherein the students committed suicides after being depressed by such academic difficulties.

While citing the example of useless research in obtaining PhD degrees, the senator said, the doctoral students are also forced to study lengthy courses which have no relevance with their chosen subjects for the degree. For instance, he added, it’s mandatory for students of Human Rights Law to also study Corporate Law. “It’s quite illogical”, he recalled.

Other lawmakers including secretary federal education ministry Arshad Mirza endorsed the points raised by the senator. “Not being a secretary but as father I completely agreed that said loopholes in our higher education system exist and need to be rectified directly”, he admitted adding that our children are seriously suffering from such agonies because they have no alternate option to accomplish their academic career.

The secretary, however, assured the committee to make possible policy level change in this regard. He sought little time to chase this task.

The lawmakers recalled that the all existing perimeters are copied from contemporary educational model of America. “Our HEC has constituted nothing of its own”, they said.

While responding to the Senators’ reservations, an official of the HEC said that as per prescribed criteria set by the commission, the varsities are bound for 18 credit hours course work by PhD students and after the evaluation, the research work is assigned to the students. “To devise and introduce contents and all other aspects of courses is exclusive and internal mandate of each varsity”, he reaffirmed.

The official admitted that there are many deficiencies in the system which needed to be addressed. However, he defended that the US education system is the best system in the world which the entire world is following. The HEC official cited many other barriers including funds.

The secretary education said that many highlighted flaws can be mended very easily. “Many measures required no any significant funding, much time or other abundant resources”, he stated claiming that the ministry will conduct its all-out efforts in this regard and implement such measures in a short span of time.

Another agenda regarding acquisition of land for construction and expansion of three public sector varsities in Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhaw also come under discussion. The said piece of land for Abdul Wali University, Bacha Khan Medical College and Agriculture University has had remained under litigation for the last 11 years. Currently, the land is under possession of locals and the district home department has failed to get that land. The Senators termed this failure “mere stubborn approach of the authorities”. It was discussed in the committee that when the controversy was started 10 years ago, the said land’s price was Rs 20,000 per Marla while now it became Rs 125,000 per Marla.

Now, the matter of land is pending in courts waiting for decision in district courts of Mardan. The committee directed the local government representatives of the districts to take back the case while submit an undertaking in the court for mutual settlements with the other party. “To sit with these locals is the only solution to the issue and you should do so”, suggested a senator who also hails from KP.

Published in Daily Times, February 8^th 2019.