In an exclusive interview with Dawn.com, Fauzia Qureshi, principal, National College of Arts, Lahore, discusses the anticipated impact of Higher Education Commission's devolution on Pakistan's premier arts institute.

Q. What has been the National College of Arts' (NCA) stance on the matter of the devolution of HEC?

A. When we found out about the HEC's devolution, we were very concerned. HEC is an institution that understood education unlike the ministry of education under which we fall.

Educational institutions require funds for research and development, teacher training programmes and so on, which generally government institutions do not consider. Even the budget we get from the ministry is a one-line budget and even that is far less than our actual demands.

HEC has been very proactive and supportive of NCA over the last ten years. It understands our needs – unlike the ministry which is a regular government institution – whether that means providing us the expensive equipment needed to set up the film and television department, or the upkeep of the hostels. A number of students and faculty members expressed their concern about the devolution of the HEC as well.

Q. Is it fair of the provinces to demand control of the HEC budget and spending priorities?

A. I'm really not sure how the provinces will be operating when they take charge of institutions. I'll be specific about NCA, we got funding for development projects and setting up new programmes from HEC, I can't say how sympathetic the provincial government will be.

The HEC was looking into the demands of institutions at a federal level. At a provincial level the priorities will be different and they will be the priorities of the province. For instance, in Punjab other institutions besides NCA also offer an architecture degree – how is the province going to decide which one to prioritise? HEC was looking at the institutions at the national level. There is an overall vision when you are looking at things at that level. The provinces have not been able to manage the primary school system, how do they expect them to take care of higher education? With HEC, higher education was focused and it was proceeding in the right direction.

Q. Do you expect NCA's funding to be affected by the devolution?

A. Hopefully NCA has now not been devolved. NCA is currently under the Inter Provincial Coordination Committee (IPCC). We hope the IPCC will be forthcoming in helping NCA maintain its federal status. It is important considering we are a provincial institution operating on a quota basis. Just because we are located in the Punjab doesn't mean we are a Punjab institution.

Q. Do you think it would have made sense to make structural changes in the HEC instead of opting for devolution?

A. HEC, from what we've gathered, is being converted into a commission for higher education – CHE. I am not privy to what its responsibilities are. However what I do know is that all the development funds that were being given to HEC will now be given to the provinces.

The fact that the HEC was providing so many other services, such as a uniform curriculum for higher education, meant that there was a certain standard in place. If every province is going to be doing its own thing I don't know how we are going to assess institutions. The courses taught in every province should be at par, there should not be any difference in the courses being taught in Baluchistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Sindh.

Q. Do you think a hasty devolution might result in a crisis of sorts as the provinces are not prepared with the requisite capacities to manage institutions?

A. I think that the writing is on the wall. We might just fall flat on our faces, because now we'll spend the next five years planning it out, looking for infrastructure, organisational structure. I don't know if the provinces are actually prepared to take this on. You plan something and then you implement it. The devolution has taken place and now they'll think of how to implement it. This is not how developed nations operate. It is a total ad hoc decision.

Q. How much or to what extent do you think NCA's curriculum will be affected?

A. We will continue to be with the federal government. Until now the HEC is present and hopefully it should stay in some form.  HEC has been a good watchdog. Also, as an academic body we are also very self-critical and keep assessing and re-assessing our courses.

Q. Do you foresee a significant impact of the devolution on the administration of the college?

A. It’s a bit premature to give my comments on that. From the Ministry of Education we've gone to the IPCC. And as far as funding goes it will probably come from the IPCC. HEC has been supporting us for the development projects going on at present. So if it gets devolved I don't know what’s going to happen to our funding.

Q. What about any impact on the standard of education after devolution?

A. We will continue to be under the federal government, so I don't know what will happen. I mean will the provinces individually assess us? It's a big question mark. One thing is for certain: we're an autonomous body, we have our own board of governors and academic committee, and HEC did give us flexibility, so hopefully we shall continue to have that autonomy.

Q. Do you think there is a possibility that NCA's autonomy might be curbed after devolution?

A. We were operating under an ordinance which is now going to be revised and it will probably become an act of parliament. Right now we are operating in a void because we don't have our controlling authority who is the minister of education, since there is no ministry of education. We have been devolved to the IPCC but the ordinance is not operative right now.

Q. A petition has been moved in the supreme court against the devolution of the HEC, and there is a lot of public opposition as well, do you think there is a possibility the move might be recalled?

A. They really need to think it through. There could be certain things that could be devolved to the provinces, but in higher education, HEC was doing a very good job. I hope that the sensitivity and understanding of institutional needs that the HEC had will remain when it comes to the provinces being the controlling authority.

The writer is a senior journalist based In Lahore. She was formerly associated with The News on Sunday and Herald magazine.