Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
Parliamentary committee of upper house of parliament on Tuesday rejected the bill for the establishment of the Pak University of Engineering & Technology University Bill, 2022 as passed by the National Assembly. The bill was rejected in the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training and National Heritage and Culture, which met today while Senator Irfan-ul-Haq Siddiqui was on chair.
The committee observed that instead of the establishment of a new university, the prevailing system should be enhanced and improved as an apt utilization of the Budget. The committee was of the view that the new disciplines/subject if any introduced can be incorporated in the existing universities and the financial resources can be utilized to enrich the extant institutions.
The Chairman committee maintained that rejecting the Bill does not have any ill will behind it but only in the larger interest of the education sector. “Political anemic cannot be used for Education” Irfan Siddiqui stated.
The committee also discussed the concerns of security lapses by the establishment of a university in the Premises of the Prime Ministers’ House, which seems impractical and not feasible in an area with high security zone. The bill was rejected by majority members of the committee after due deliberation. Senator Fawzia Arshad abstain from voting on the Bill.
Bill Titled “The Right to free and compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2022 introduced by Senator Fawzia Arshad, was passed unanimously. The Bill seeks to provide maximum flexibility to the disadvantaged children in getting education, so that their constitutionally guaranteed right is protected and upheld.
Senator Fawzia Arshad presented that unfortunately there are many disadvantaged children in the Islamabad Capital Territory who cannot avail education in the formal way due to their weak socio-economic conditions, through this Bill, along with the existing mechanism, an informal way to educate the disadvantaged children is suggested for which government may collaborate with non-governmental organization, corporate bodies, international organizations and individuals.
The committee approved all the PSDP education related projects and projects related to promotion and facilitation of women education were also approved.
