The Higher Education Commission (HEC) stands on death row. Appeals for reprieve have been rejected by the commission responsible for implementation of the Eighteenth Amendment. That commission’s chairman, Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, declared that “the HEC act will be revisited and reframed to shed its role as a centralised funding authority.”
His logic is that this constitutional amendment requires devolution of several powers to the four provinces. Since education is among them, universities cannot be federally administered. Instead, a brand new commission is to be created under the cabinet division. Other HEC functions would be turned over to various ministries and provincial administrations.
At first glance, disbanding the HEC appears to be a good idea. Its record is less than stellar. From 2002 to 2008, its budget rose by an astounding seven times — a world record. But a good chunk was squandered on various delusional mega-projects that failed spectacularly. Then, although it led to serious degradation of quality, the HEC encouraged the number of universities to double, and then triple. The number of PhD students registered at various universities was also made to explode. When confronted by students and teachers who were unwilling to meet international standards, the HEC backtracked on its quality guidelines.
The maladministration of universities by the HEC makes for a long list. Hyper-inflated salaries, recommended by the HEC, have made higher education more expensive. A full tenure-track professor nowadays can make up to Rs325,000 per month, about 30 to 35 times a schoolteacher’s maximum salary. Many produce only junk research and have poor teaching ability. Even today, the HEC puts out spurious data that mislead the public into believing that there has been some sort of educational revolution.
One might also wish to support the government’s decision from a second angle. After all, self-administration by the provinces is to be welcomed as a general principle. It could be argued, for example, that if a province is now to be in charge of its mineral wealth then it should also run its own universities. But caution should take precedence over legalism and a desire for sweeping changes. The steps to be taken, of which dispensing with the HEC is one part, will have huge consequences for Pakistan’s universities. Therefore, instead of jumping to conclusions, one must take a sober look and discuss the pros and cons.
First, the HEC’s record is not entirely bleak. It sent students to overseas universities, attracted foreign faculty to teach in local universities, created digital library access and took some positive initiatives to encourage research. Although programme implementation was flawed, these represented some progress in a country where good news is preciously short. Moreover, a full balance sheet of the HEC’s good and bad deeds is not essential for answering the question posed in the title. Rather, one must ask: What will be the consequences of the proposed devolution? Will it improve or degrade Pakistan’s higher education system?
Although I have been strongly critical of the shenanigans of the former HEC leadership, in my opinion, the government is headed in the wrong direction.
Instant dismemberment or serious disempowerment of the HEC is a recipe for producing chaos. Creating another bureaucracy or handing over the reins to existing provincial education bureaucracies, which are even more myopic and less competent than those at the federal centre, will negatively impact the quality of university education in Pakistan. This quality is already much lower compared to India, China or Iran.
The few checks and balances that currently exist, and which are actually enforced by the HEC, would disappear. Academic decisions would be made by those who have little understanding of how universities should function. This would push the system towards free fall. A wild policy zigzag is the last thing that Pakistan needs.
Instead, a responsible and nuanced approach is needed.
This means devolving surely, but slowly and carefully. Provincial administrations should be helped to build technical capacity so that they can be properly entrusted with key decisions, such as granting charters to new universities, university admission policies, etc. And while the HEC ought to be slowly downsized, some of its essential functions — such as quality control, foreign scholarships, and donor programmes — must be kept intact under federal control.
Very balanced article actually.
Surprised that Hoodbhoy is not just bashing HEC like he usually does. I think his balanced approach is better.
Why can’t he decide which side he is on. Only haters of democracy support HEC.
Yes, a balanced piece. I agree with Hoodbhoy’s “responsible and nuanced approach”
Specially this:
“This means devolving surely, but slowly and carefully. Provincial administrations should be helped to build technical capacity so that they can be properly entrusted with key decisions, such as granting charters to new universities, university admission policies, etc. And while the HEC ought to be slowly downsized, some of its essential functions — such as quality control, foreign scholarships, and donor programmes — must be kept intact under federal control.”
But there are thousands of scholars who are doing their PhDs who will go waste. Salaries of professors will drop. Everything will become worse. This is really bad decision.
Prices of everything is going up, petrol, food, house and you are worried about universities. What good will they do to anyone!
I like this post very much. HEC had many problems but we are throwing out the good as well as the bad and that is bad policy.
Yes, very balanced article, was not expecting from Hoodbhoy.
First they attack the institution and then they change their tune and start supporting it. What hypocricy.
I support his views that: This means devolving surely, but slowly and carefully. Provincial administrations should be helped to build technical capacity so that they can be properly entrusted with key decisions, such as granting charters to new universities, university admission policies, etc. And while the HEC ought to be slowly downsized, some of its essential functions — such as quality control, foreign scholarships, and donor programmes — must be kept intact under federal control.
in spite of its many shortcomings, hec has done great work on the whole. a process, no matter how flawed, has started and will improve with time. pakistan now has 3 universities (nust, qau, and ku) among top 300 in natural sciences. before hec, it didn’t have any. hec should be kept a federal subject; it should be reformed and strengthened until progress of scholarship takes roots in pakistan.
hoodbhoy’s stance on hec has always been one of sour grapes. this article is no exception even though he attempts to make it look a little more balanced. clearly, there are issues where his ego is inversely proportional to his brain size.
What has become of the other departments handed over to the provinces. Politicians took long long time to agree on one thing and then there was no spade work to at the provincial level to take over the responsibilities of the shifted departments.
Please do not allow this government to make a mess of everything. Can’t we see that this happening to punish and cover up the fake degrees scandal. Come on guys, wake up please. We need to rise and speak up. NOW!!!!
Hoodbhoy is full of it, sorry to say. He was an arch nemesis of Dr. Ata and has accepted that in this article. He has very dubious credentials but is still serving in a public university. One wonders how come a public university ‘professor’ enjoys such liberty even in the western countries. I think he is now afraid of losing his perks if the devolution takes place. He has many other avenues of income so this should not trouble him.
I generally don’t agree with the comments of Prof Hoodbhoy on HEC for years, but I think having another opinion balance out for the right direction, especially for prestigious institutes like HEC. On HEC devolution, his remarks are also extremely important, (and I was desperately waiting to hear from him) looking at the pro and cons of this decision. However, I find contradiction, in his opinion, the government is headed in the wrong direction, and than he said ‘devolving surely, but slowly and carefully’ and ‘some of its essential functions must be kept intact under federal control’.
If this mean finding a mid way between the Government current stance and the people who are against HEC devolution, than I think he is still consistant with his thoughts that HEC is a useless organisation. While the people who want to see HEC in current format have different opinion.
Speaking from a students point of view,as i did my BS and MS from 2002-2009,what HEC has done is nothing short of a revolution ,and what if a 50yrs+ Phd professor gets 325,000 Rs,i think he deserves this sum.
Scholarship,Affiliations with foreign universities,Standardizing the university curriculum along with reating teaching standards at graduate and under grad level is not a small achievement if you look at the environment we live in.yes,some projects might have failed and might have costed some but if you look at the overall picture the tenure of Dr.Ata-Ur-Rehman was a success.I personally know lot of current PHDs who went under the HEC scholarship program to various European universities and now are teaching in various universities in Pakistan.I think writer has been too critical in the first part of his article regarding the HEC.if you look from a neutral view keeping the harsh realities of government sector in Pakistan what HEC has done in last 6-8 years is nothing short of a revolution.
Well Prof Hoodhboy has long been a critic and opponent of Dr. Ata-Ur-Rahman, and I think some of this does spill over into his opinions on the HEC.
However the opinions of 40 University VCs from both public and private sector Universities must count for something. The all opposed the devolution of the HEC.
Some comments from the ATP Facebook Page:
- “I THINK THIS IS VERY UN FAIR ……………………….”
- “i agree with u irfan……it should be live…..HEC should not be finshed.”
- “Devolution of HEC is yet another ploy to introduce corruption to fizzle out millions of $ being donated by the international community to HEC. Devolution will take away both….quality and funds.”
- “politicions r doing dis bec they want to hv ezzy access n procedure for having fack degrees n their aproval for their ferocious n crul aims so that they can ezzzly dig the foundation of pakistan in the name of democracy……”
- ” it will directly be under the chief menisterof province like police so after that any thing can be happend so plzz be aggressive against this thing for ur better future…”
- “at least someone has shown us the other side of the picture; excellent analysis. i agree that HEC should be carefully develouted to the provinces. the provinces!”
It is fake idea that a Ph.D. degree holder becomes a Research Scientist. Einstein developed his Theory of Relativity before his Ph.D.
Increasing the number of Ph. D. is not a guarantee of an increase of quality or quantity of research.
The Ph.D. production does not upgrade the level of education of the nation of Pakistan. Because while running after the Ph.D., the basic education (of the people) has been completely ignored.
The HEC idea making the nation educated starting from the top is a blunder.
Let us start from the bottom without forgetting the top.
When you’ll start from the bottom? It has become our habit to destroy every institution that proves to deliver. Why don’t we investigate the pros and cons of HEC and attempt to make it more fruitful. Here in UK, people in Universities respect HEC and our degrees, just imagine what will be your graduate’s position after its devolution. Those who (Provinces) cannot handle schools and colleges, how come they’ll be able to handle higher education. No doubt our nation has become a chaos in the hands of stupid politicians and generals.
how much gov paid you for this article?
it is a moot point whether einstein punlished his work on special theory before getting his doctorate. afaik, both events happened in 1905, his ph.d completion coming earlier in the same year as the publication of his papers on the special theory and the explanation of the photoelectric effect.
no one is claiming that people without a ph.d cannot do outstanding work; there are many counter-examples. however, in the recent decades it has become a widely accepted practice in all international academia and research organizations. whether we agree with it or not, pakistan has to conform to the norm in order for their institutions to be internationally recognized.
in view of the neglect in the past, pakistan will have to maintain a more than strong push for establishing a culture of scientific progress if it ever wishes to enter the ranks of developed nations. higher education is too important an area to be entrusted to the largely inept provincial governments that exist in pakistan at the present time.
There is important need to look at this dispassionately and without emotionalism. Here is what is happening now:
Devolution debate: HEC to be replaced with new commission
Finance ministry officials deny withholding higher education funding.
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to dissolve the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and replace it with the Commission for Standard Higher Education (CSHE), said Senator Raza Rabbani on Friday, even as finance ministry officials denied suspending Rs7 billion in funding for the HEC.
After the HEC’s devolution to the provinces, a new commission is being created at the federal level to maintain standards for higher education, said Senator Rabbani, who is the chairman of the 18th Amendment Implementation Commission, to a session of the upper house of Parliament.
Meanwhile, senior finance ministry officials denied any steps to withhold funding for the HEC, a rumour that had been circulating earlier in the day in some sections of the media.
The 18th Amendment to the constitution expands the powers of the provinces and makes education a provincial subject.
However, Rabbani, the primary author of the amendment, said that the constitution provides for the establishment of an authority at the federal level to monitor the standards of higher education in the country.
The devolution of the HEC has been met with protests by academics and students. On Thursday, the heads of 131 universities passed a resolution opposing the move to make higher education the domain of provincial governments.
The HEC has been responsible for managing the funding for most public universities, as well as government grants to private universities. It also manages scholarships for students to study at both local and foreign universities. Some students and academics have been worried about the effect that the devolution process would have on the funding of universities and scholarships.
Rabbani addressed those concerns by saying that the existing HEC scholarships would not be affected by the decision and the federal government would continue to fund these till completion of their tenures.
“The government is funding the scholarships,” he said. “Some elements having vested interests created the wrong impression that the ongoing scholarship programmes of HEC would be affected after the devolution.”
“USAID has already given clarification that it was not going to stop its funds,” he said, referring to the United States Agency for International Development, which operates one of its largest scholarship programs in the world for students from Pakistan to study in the US.
The HEC chairman and the vice chancellors of 12 universities were invited to the implementation commission to help address some of their concerns. The commission explained to them that many of the current features of the HEC would be retained in its successor institution.
Rabbani told the delegation that their input would be taken into consideration while creating the framework for the new CSHE. He stated that, after the implementation of the 18th Amendment, the provinces would allocate funds to universities, based on decisions taken at the National Finance Commission.
“The standard of the higher education and accreditation would remain at the same level as of today,” Rabbani added.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2011.
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/pakistan-news/National/07-Apr-2011/HECs-gains-too-good-to-be-true
Pakistan Today
By: Staff Report | Published: April 07, 2011
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HEC’s gains too good to be true
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ISLAMABAD – The Higher Education Commission (HEC), which is going to be axed in the name of implementation of the 18th Amendment, is the only successful education initiative in Pakistan’s history.
Following are the achievements of HEC since its establishment in 2002:
More PhDs have graduated from Pakistani universities in the last nine years than in the first 55 years of the country’s existence. Research output (as measured by published papers) has grown six folds since 2002, from 815 to 5,086 in 2010.
Two Pakistani universities are now ranked among the top 300 science and technology institution of the world. Pakistan has invested more than Rs 97 billon for the development of universities since the formation of HEC, a twelve fold increase over the Rs 7.5 billion spent in the 1978 to 2002 period by the University Grants Commissions.
Projects worth over Rs 35 billion have been approved for support of engineering universities, more than 1,000 foreign PhD scholarships have been awarded in engineering along with more than 500 indigenous PhD scholarships. It was HEC that set up the Pakistan Education and Research Network (PERN), one of the most sophisticated computer networks in the world linking all universities.
Video-Conferencing Equipment is operational in 74 Institutions and expanding rapidly. In Balochistan, four new universities have been developed and made operational, as compared to two that existed in 2002. Fifty seven PhD scholars from the University of Balochistan are currently studying in AIT Bangkok due to the linkage established by HEC.
During the last eight years, HEC not only contributed in the higher education sector but it also earned international credibility, with the World Bank approving a $100 million support programme in 2008. Recently on March 24, the World Bank approved $300 million for HEC. All this investment is likely to be taken away if HEC is devolved.
Also, USAID was finalising a project that would give a $250 million-support to HEC, focusing on establishment of Centres of Excellence in Water, Energy and Agriculture.
Hoodbhoy has some personal animosity with the HEC. He is pointing his baseless arguments against the HEC since the day of its formulation. Its not the people of Pakistan, but the reputable foreign scientific organization are stating the silent revolution of Higher education in Pakistan drive by the HEC. He is comparing salaries of a Professor, but he did not mention the requirement to be appointed as professor, if a scientist is able to satisfy the position demands, he deserve to get that salary. At the same time, he should also count the investigate the salaries of the bureaucrats and the army general. The cumulative cost and benefits is much more than a professor.
In short, dissolution of HEC will be the last nail in the coffin of Pakistan.
Other side of the coin…Apart from the budgets occupied by HEC and the problems faced in terms of producing quality research …the fact cannot be denied that we have no other option or provincial infrastructure to sustain the quality of higher education and promotion of research culture as now done by HEC. Yes i agree with the conclusion that some autonomy may have been given to provinces but there must a progressive change approach to deal with the process of change because change is not a one time event it is envisioned, planned and stepwise alteration that require some wise and far sided decisions which unfortunately are not taken.
A great blog by an Indian:
http://globiansperspective.blogspot.com/
Articles:
1) Higher Education in Pure Science: Challenges for India in 21st Century
2) Can India, having citizens like me, be a moral role model for developing countries?
3) How can we have a riot-proof Gujarat?
4) Changing Orientation of middle 90% to Anti-Corruption (most recent)
The debate over HEC is not over HEC at all. It is really about the fact that no one has any trust in any government institution. This or old ones. Nations need to trust their governments. We do not. Until governments give us performance to trust them this will keep hapenning.
“The Higher Education Commission (HEC),…, is the only successful education initiative in Pakistan’s history.”
Yes true! But, how, this wonderful initiative has helped the illiterate people of the Nation?
“More PhDs have graduated from Pakistani universities in the last nine years than in the first 55 years of the country’s existence.”
A big increase as compared to a small number is not a real BIG achievement. Why do not we compare with the achievement of Indian Scientists?
“Research output (as measured by published papers) has grown six folds since 2002, from 815 to 5,086 in 2010.”
The number of publications is not the indication of research achievement. What is the citation index and impact factor of these publications. Also, what is the h-factor of an individual scientist? The h-factor is a number (n) of the articles which have been cited at least n-times or more.
“Two Pakistani universities are now ranked among the top 300 science and technology institution of the world.”
According to the population of the countries, we are 34th. Where do we stand in a lot of 300 universities? Are we above or close to 34 or close to 300?
It is a shame that the TOP Scientific Organization (HEC) gives such a wage information like:
“Two … among the top 300 ….”. This statement does not give the world position of these two (world renowned!) universities. Their correct position “n” among the “N” universities can be precisely indicated by a factor “n/N”.
Any national policy which benefits only a small group of elites (Ph.D.), while it ignores the interest of the people, (basic education) is useless for the Nation.
I am an asssistant professor at a university in Pakistan and do have a phd. With all the debate going on on HEC, I have been saddened by many of the negative comments being made on this isssue and especially about those teaching at university either in terms of dedication to their profession or their salary. Not has it saddened me but has also made me demotivated to work at Pakistani universities with all the interference and negative comments. I have decided to quit and move abroad. Allah Hafiz.
p.s. hoodhboy, isa daudpota and dr. atta are all grammerians. I can see why the former two are so hyper about hec. I wish they stick to their own expertise.
I think having a commission but with only policy function and not getting in distributing large sums of money will be good for the commission as well as for higher ed in Pakistan
Dear Dr. Hoodbhoy,
You need good, qualified researchers as Professors and scientists at Pakistani Universities. Unfortunately, the current situation is such that the really qualified people are those who have trained in the Western World (I mean in things other than Urdu language, Pakistani studies and Islamic studies) and in many cases, they are nationals of these Western nations. How can you expect, say a Pakistani-American Professor to move back to Pakistan if he is not offered a very good financial incentive.
Dr. Hoodbhoy, you mention PKR 325,000 / month as a salary for a full-tenured position. This sum equals to approximately USD 3,800 – which is nothing as compared to what these researchers/Professors would be getting in Western countries. If you cut this amount, then it will be very hard for any Western trained Scientist to think about relocating to Pakistan.
However, I do agree that doubling/tripling number of Universities is not the best of ideas if quality is not maintained. For this, instead of disbanding a system (i.e. HEC), perhaps it ought to be reformed. I believe you would agree that whatever good work that has been done by HEC needs to be preserved and additional time should not be wasted to come up with a new system.
I hope you see the rationale behind this – you yourself are going to retire in perhaps 10-15 years and Pakistani nation would be well served by you if you can work with HEC and work to improve it instead of trying to pioneer a brand new system and then leaving it with yet another set of shortcomings.
The following is the last paragraph of Dr. Sahib’s article which I received from him by email. The Express Tribune chose not to publish this. Probably (Pakistaniat.com) would want to append it to their article.
It is true that the HEC failed to sufficiently expose parliamentarians with fake degrees. But this is largely because our social milieu treats corruption so lightly. Indeed, irrespective of whether the HEC stays or goes, Pakistan can have better universities only when social and cultural values change for the better. Academic honesty will have to become part of the new values. In particular, faked degrees, plagiarized papers, faked data, and cheating in examinations should evoke the opprobrium reserved for a person who goes inside a mosque with his shoes on.
I just want to reply to Mr. AHsn.
I think you have lost your mind. You don’t consider things you mentioned any achievement. Before HEC, was any Pakistani university at 34th in world? Or was the quality better than India scientists. I think none was even at 1000th. Or your definition for a successful commission is that they should take Pakistan from ditch to stars overnight? You need to study some logic before commenting on such issue. Then you might discover that change comes gradually. You can’t expect that one day you wake-up and see that Pakistan has out-performed USA in development.
1) I cannot agree more with Hoodbhoy on this. He is spot-on: The reform of HEC needs to be a nuanced, delibrate one, instead of buying into the ‘devolution’ idea without thinking of the consequences.
2) Once again some people have found it an opportune moment to criticize Zardari/PPP over the HEC issue. ***They fail to understand that this is part of the 18th Amendment which has broad political support in the current Parliament of Pakistan.*** May be, just may be the Parliament is wrong here but then democratic institutions can self-correct issues. Look at how the Parliament peacefully settled the objections to a few parts of the 18th Amendment raised by the judiciary? Was that not good for Pakistan?
3) I read an article by Prof. Ata ur Rehman from HEC on tribune.com.pk today. His arguments are, of course, very supportive of HEC. ****Perhaps we really need these two gentlemen (Rehman and Hoodbhoy), along with others to hold public debates about this vital issue?***
4) In the said article by Prof. Rehman he has shamefully asked the **** the ARMY CHIEF of Pakistan*** to interfere in this matter! I just hope the Prof. got carried away. He should apologize before too long.
5) There is also an ‘ethnic’ angle to this debate: HEC scholarships are perceived to be mostly gobbled up urban Sindh and Punjab. So, in the name of ‘devolution’, I have seen comments by Pakistan’s ethnic minorities wanting more resources, even if they may not necessarily have the required calibre of candidates.
6) Finally, I think HEC should be reformed. But no exaggerated ‘Affirmative Action’ in the name of ‘devolution’ of power to the provinces. I don’t have much faith in the highly provincial provinces’ capabilities in this matter!
Dear all,
We have been talking about the higher education where basically the scientific research work is concerned. The research achievement is measured by the number of publication and also the impact and importance of these publications.
For this purpose there is a number which is called h-factor. The “h” is number of articles which have been cited at least h times by other scientists.
HOODBHOY P h = 15 : 67 publications
REHMAN A, h = 9 : 102 publications
In case of Hoobhoy, out of his 67 publications 15 articles have been cited by others.
I will let you choose your favourites.
BTW:- I am a retired and unknown Research Scientist with h-factor higher than either of the two.
While we are crying about HEC issue, people in US are not even in favor of higher education and preaching to start business at very early age.
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/business/2011/04/peter-thiel-believes-future-belongs-college-dropouts/36561/
Here is a good debate. This is more about reforming the HEC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScM6tIBt1as
PS. It is in English! So enjoy.
@Adnan
That’s a couple of people, not ALL or even most. And while they might not have bad ideas (I would certainly like to see entreprenuers coming forward in Pak.) the U.S already has one of the best Higher Education systems in the world so making statements like that is a luxury they have, which we don’t.