http://www.dawn.com/2011/04/17/hec-decentralisation-opposed.html

HEC: decentralisation opposed

THIS is apropos of the proposed devolution of the HEC and reaction over it. If one takes a cursory glance over performance of universities before the formation of the HEC, one finds that there was no research culture and there were very few PhDs.

But with the establishment of the HEC in 2002 the educational and research culture in universities was promoted. The HEC organised seminars and lecture programmes to replace archaic methods of teaching.
I remember that when I was a final year student of the Institute of English, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, there was only one PhD and the degree was obtained from abroad. But during that period about seven lecturers of the institute were in Britain on HEC scholarships.
Moreover, the HEC has proved a blessing for improving deteriorating educational standards of Pakistani universities. The number of HEC-produced scholars has been over 3,000 so far. Most of the scholars belong to impoverished families. Had the HEC been part of provincial administrations, as it has been planned now, the scholarships would have been awarded not on the basis of merit and there would have been a mess in our universities.
There is also a digital library connected with all universities. It is also one of the achievements of the HEC. It provides free access to 23,000 international journals and 45,000 textbooks from 220 international publishers.
Our government should let the HEC be independent and free of political intervention. Instead, the government should take measures to improve the deteriorating educational standards at our primary and secondary levels. At these educational levels, there are myriads of problems. For example, obsolete curriculum, shortage of teaching staff, non-availability of computer facility, poor infrastructure, absence of washrooms and drinking water coolers.
Sadly, our country spends less than two per cent of GDP on education against Unesco’s prescribed four per cent. The HEC has been working efficiently and its devolution plan is unjustified on the grounds that the capability of provincial administrations is known to all. If the government opts for to go ahead with the devolution of the HEC, it will sound the death knell for the higher education in Pakistan.
I request the president and the prime minister to stick to the HEC instead of putting it in the incapable hands of the provincial administrations.
INAYATULLAH RUSTAMANI
Wahi Pandhi, Johi,