Universities in trouble over meeting HEC deadline for abolishing BA & MA programmes

Islamabad: The deadline decided by the Higher Education Commission to end the two-year bachelors as well as masters programmes after the academic years 2018 and 2020, respectively, has put the varsities in difficult situation as they still have to develop a system and stricture  in affiliated educational institutes.

The higher education commission via an official letter issued on March 15^th, 2017 informed all the degree-awarding educational institutes across the country that:

“There shall be no admissions in regular BA/BSc programs after the academic session 2018 and in MA/MSc programme after the academic session 2020”.

The letter furthermore stated that disadvantage of utilizing various titles for bachelor level degrees is creating misperception for the employers, national, international firms and for the community as well.

Read More: Criticism on HEC’s decision to abolish 2 years BA/BSc & MA/MSc programmes

The commission aims to replace the current system of Bachelors and Master’s degree along with BS and 2-year MS programmes that will be equivalent to 16 and 18 years of education, respectively.

As per the given details by HEC, the decision to to abolish two years MA and BA degree programmes was taken earlier in 2004-2005.

Earlier in 2007, an associate degree was added to facilitate the move whereas in 2014, a committee was set up, which suggested issuing a deadline for the stoppage of these two academic programmes.

Read More: Lecturers must have 18 years of education, HEC

Finally in 2015, a commission approved the step.

As per the record of Higher Education Commission, presently approximately 60 government sector universities have granted affiliations to almost 3,528 colleges across the country Whereas in Punjab only, there are 717 colleges in the government sector whereas the number of private sector colleges in more than 1,400.

Now the deadline set by HEC for these programmes has the Sword of Damocles hanging over the head of these varsities as well as colleges as to how they will continue the 4-year BS degree program and 2-year MS degree programme when they are already facing the severe lack of resources and arrangement.

The disturbance of provinces and universities could be assessed from the fact that right after the announcement, Punjab Higher Education Minister Syed Raza Ali Gillani ordered PHEC to look over at the decision of HEC.

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After the meeting along with education authorities as well as shareholders on Thursday, Punjab higher education minister announced that they could not replace the current system within a year.

The Chairperson of Punjab higher education department Dr Nizamuddin while talking to media sources said that the decision was impossible to execute as it was taken rapidly by higher education commission.

 “They have taken this decision individually and no representation was present there from the provinces,” he added, disproving the claim of the chairperson of HEC that representatives of every province were there.