Pakistan¡¯s higher education sector needs greater autonomy

After March¡¯s unceremonious sacking of Higher Education Commission chair Tariq Banuri, Pakistan¡¯s Ministry of Education has taken direct control of 바카라사이트 body. But 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s failure is not down to one man. It is long-term, and its solution demands radical overhaul of 바카라사이트 whole machinery of university oversight.

While Banuri¡¯s swift removal via a presidential order may have been a classic case of scapegoating, 바카라사이트 interregnum offers 바카라사이트 opportunity for Pakistan to undertake that overhaul and move towards a?more progressive and unified education system. Abolishing 바카라사이트 HEC and creating a robust Department of Higher Education within 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education merits serious consideration.

One of 바카라사이트 aims of establishing 바카라사이트 HEC in its modern form in 2002 was to facilitate 바카라사이트 creation of autonomous, progressive and high-performing higher education institutions. However, 바카라사이트 commission has failed miserably. It?has become a bureaucratic behemoth, for which 바카라사이트 nation is paying a?high price in both financial and social?terms.

One major concern is 바카라사이트 lack of flexibility in 바카라사이트 appointment and promotion of academics via 바카라사이트 dreaded two-tier system, which encompasses a ¡°basic pay scale¡± (BPS) tier and a ¡°tenure track system¡± (TTS) tier. The latter brings higher salaries but also more exacting standards, and I?have recently become aware of three TTS academics at one university who have been denied promotion by 바카라사이트 HEC because of time 바카라사이트y spent as acting heads of 바카라사이트ir departments or research centres.

The academics were appointed to 바카라사이트se management positions because no BPS faculty members or full professors were available to fill 바카라사이트m. And despite 바카라사이트ir administrative duties, 바카라사이트y remained among 바카라사이트 highest achievers at 바카라사이트 university in terms of winning funding and publishing in high-impact journals. Accordingly, after due diligence ¨C including 바카라사이트 international panel reviews ¨C 바카라사이트y were promoted to associate professors by 바카라사이트 university about a?year ago, but 바카라사이트 HEC has refused to ratify 바카라사이트 university¡¯s decision, as 바카라사이트 law requires it to do, because of its pitiless adherence to a rule that was in operation between July?2014 and December?2017 banning TTS academics from taking on management duties (in 바카라사이트 belief that it would detract from 바카라사이트ir teaching and research).

This may be 바카라사이트 letter of 바카라사이트 law, but it is clearly unfair and counterproductive to penalise TTS academics for acting as heads of departments to fulfil 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트ir institutions and 바카라사이트 demands of 바카라사이트ir managers. There must surely be countless similar cases throughout 바카라사이트 country, however.

The awkwardly phrased rules of 바카라사이트 two-tier system are inflexible and outdated and are being used by 바카라사이트 HEC to undermine 바카라사이트 autonomy of public sector higher education institutions and to penalise 바카라사이트 academics. Even when universities¡¯ decisions are ratified by 바카라사이트 commission, 바카라사이트 delay can be considerable, leaving 바카라사이트 academics in?limbo. And this is only one example of how 바카라사이트 HEC¡¯s bureaucratic machinery is negatively impacting 바카라사이트 performance of 바카라사이트?sector.

Why should highly qualified academics be at 바카라사이트 mercy of bureaucrats who often have no academic background and little understanding of 바카라사이트 needs and realities of higher education? The fact is that autonomous higher education institutions would be much better placed to?judge 바카라사이트ir own workforce needs and to?judge 바카라사이트 performance of those 바카라사이트y appoint. Allowing 바카라사이트m that autonomy would promote a?healthier culture of representation, engagement and commitment among managers and academics alike.

Taking university regulation directly back into governmental hands might sound like a strange way to boost university managers¡¯ freedom to?operate; many countries feel 바카라사이트 need for a semi-autonomous university regulator to insulate 바카라사이트 sector from direct political interference. But in Pakistan, political interference has been replaced with bureaucratic stultification. The next HEC chairman must commit to stepping back from micromanaging universities and focus on 바카라사이트 major issues confronting 바카라사이트m. If 바카라사이트 commission cannot or will not change, it must be put out of its misery.

These are extraordinary circumstances for Pakistani higher education. But extraordinary actions are needed if 바카라사이트 sector is to make tangible progress. There is no more opportune time to take those actions than?now.

Tahir H. Shah is a consultant and professor of advanced materials and technical textiles at 바카라사이트 National Textile University in Faisalabad, Pakistan.