The proposed changes to the PHEC Act 2014 have been vehemently opposed by the Vice Chancellors (VCs) of 32 public sector institutions and the previous Chairperson of the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC).
They have issued a warning that if the law is enacted, the standard of higher education in the area would decline. They are dedicated to uphold the greatness and integrity of public sector universities, thus they are speaking out against the negative developments.
Without any protections to guarantee the quality of higher education in the province, the PHEC Act 2014 would encourage the growth of inferior private institutions.
The proposals put forth in the Punjab Assembly have drawn harsh criticism from Dr. Iqrar Ahmad, the chairman of the VC Committee and vice chancellor of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad.
He urged that the government should drop the planned changes to the PHEC Act 2014, which would have turned the PHEC into a division of the Punjab Higher Education Department (HED), since they would threaten the organization’s independence.
The PHEC members opposed the proposed changes to the PHEC Act 2014 during a full house meeting on December 19, voicing worries about how they would affect the PHEC’s capacity to control both public and private institutions in the province.
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