ISLAMABAD: A senate panel on Thursday directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to address issues faced by students who earned degrees from institutions which were later declared unauthorised by HEC.

The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training, chaired by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt discussed various issues including non attestation of degrees of thousands of students from institutions that were declared unauthorised by HEC. The committee decided to convene a detailed meeting on this issue at HEC secretariat soon.

Committee chairperson emphasised the need to collectively resolve these issues, stressing that politics should not be played at the stake of the youth’s future.

Speaking to Dawn, Chairman HEC Dr Mukhtar said that few higher education institutions without having approval through main campuses and affiliated colleges had issued thousands of degrees, whose holders are now facing attestation issues. Although HEC showed willingness to hold special tests for these degree holders, neither the students nor their institutions accepted the offer.

He also expressed similar views during the meeting.

Senator Butt acknowledged these concerns and proposed a separate meeting at the HEC secretariat, likely on July 31 to outline a way forward.

The committee resolved to handle each case individually and suggest a checklist on the HEC website outlining mandatory attestation and equivalency document requirements from universities.

The committee chairperson reiterated that rigorous monitoring is required to prevent issuance of fraudulent degrees along the process, safeguarding the nation’s integrity. Additionally, universities facing issues were invited to an upcoming meeting to discuss their challenges. The committee members unanimously prioritised student welfare, emphasising swift resolution of the students’ cases.

Addressing concerns about fraudulent degrees and attestation, Senator Butt highlighted the HEC’s responsibility to identify and mark universities issuing fake degrees, advocating for clear public messaging and awareness campaigns.

She stressed accountability for failing to identify and penalise such universities, proposing measures to support affected students. The committee decided that universities found issuing fraudulent degrees would face bans, and students would undergo testing for future admissions, with universities required to compensate the students financially. The committee urged HEC to take decisive actions against fraudulent universities and encouraged genuine universities to collaborate closely.

The debate originated from issues concerning New Port Institute of Communication and Economics Karachi, South Asia University Lahore, and Preston Institute of Management

Science and Technology Karachi, Lahore, and their affiliated campuses.

The HEC Chairman briefed the committee on ongoing efforts to address these challenges and requested for an in-camera meeting to discuss evidence of fraudulence by the universities. Additionally, the committee ratified Ms. Butt’s membership at Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design Lahore and welcomed Senator Kazim Ali Shah and Gurdeep Singh as members of the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education.

Earlier, the committee unanimously passed the “WAPDA University Islamabad Bill, 2024” proposed by Senators Fawzia Arshad, Rana Mahmood-Ul-Hassan, and Umer Farooq, endorsed by both the ministry and committee members.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2024