Staff Reporter
Peshawar
The Vice-chancellors of the public sector universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in a resolution have demanded further extension in conventional MA/MSc degree programmes in the universities. The meeting held with Gomal University VC Prof Dr Iftikhar Ahmad in the chair also passed unanimous resolution in this regard.
The participants said that replacement of BA/BSc programme and subsequent alignment with post secondary four-year programme was causing a host of problems for the varsities already facing a financial crunch.
Those who attended the meeting included VCs of the University of Peshawar, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, University of Malakand, University of Science and Technology Bannu, Women University Swabi, Pak-Austria University Nowshera, University of Swat, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Kohat University of Science and Technology and University ofHaripur. Higher Education Department secretary Daud Khan, representative of HEC Prof Zulfiqar Gilani and other relevant officials were also present at the meeting.
Prof Iftikhar said they would move syndicate if their suggestion was not considered by the HEC. The meeting demanded extension for conventional MA/MSc degree programmes till 2023. The meeting categorically said that the abolition of BA/BSc and MA/MSc degree programmes was not in line with the United Nations charter of literacy as well as the objective of Education for All. The conventional BA/BSc and MA/MSc degree programmes were being replaced with associatedegree and four-year degree programmes.
