Questions exorbitant raise in B.A programme fee by AIOU
Zubair Qureshi
Chairman Senate’s Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training Senator Irfan Siddiqui on Tuesday sought strict action against fake educational institutions and directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to submit a report in the next meeting of the Senate’s standing committee.
While chairing the meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training at the Parliament House on Tuesday Senator Irfan Siddiqui also expressed his concerns over sudden increase in the AIOU’s B.A.
programme fee fromm Rs9,000 to Rs19,000 and sought a report in this regard in the next meeting.
The senate body unanimously passed the Bill titled “The Federal University (Amendment) Bill, 2022”.
Senator Seemee Ezdi, mover of the bill, apprised the committee that the primary aim was to make internship mandatory part of curriculum for all Public and Private Universities located in Federal territory.
Furthermore, the committee deliberated on the matter raised by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi regarding issue of examination faced by students of Law in Bahauddin Zakariya University. Mansoor Akbar Kundi, VC of BZU, apprised the committee that matter is subjudice and the university is unable to provide any date till the matter is adjudicated.
Officials of Law ministry told that there is no such bar as to examinations of students of 2nd and 3rd year and bar is only limited to 1st year supplementary students.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui with the consent of all members gave ruling to conduct examination of Law students, which is not restricted by Supreme Court, by the 15th December of 2022. In addition, the senate committee was also briefed by Vice Chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University regarding the responsibilities, administrative control, and faculty and fee structure of the university.
Dr. Zia ul Qayyum apprised the committee that university is self-sufficient despite the closure of two year BA programme by HEC in which university enrolls 150,000 students annually.
Chairman Committee Senator Irfan Siddiqui was of the opinion that a policy should not be implemented in a jiff but instead it should be implemented gradually.
He further added that policy which rules out 150,000 students out of spectrum is not even a policy and advised the ministry to coordinate with HEC and AIOU in this regard and submit report within 15 days.
The Chairman also directed the HEC officials to submit report as to why the funds are not being provided to AIOU.
He also asked the Vice Chancellor to satisfy the committee about the sudden increase in fee of BA programme from Rs 9,000 to Rs.19000 in the next meeting of the committee.
Discussing the matter of fake institutions, Senator Irfan Siddiqui remarked that it is duty of HEC to take stern action against fake institutions and ensure quality of education across the country. He also directed the HEC to submit report before the committee in this regard.
The meeting was attended by Senator Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhary, Senator Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar, Senator Engr. Rukhsana Zuberi, Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad, Senator Molvi Faiz Muhammad, Senator Seemee Ezdi, Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, Senator Prof. Dr. Mehr Taj Roghani, Aamir Ashraf Khawaja Secretary of Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Vuce Chancellor of BZU Mansoor Akbar Kundi, Vice Chancellor of AIOU Dr. Zia ul Qayyum and other concerned officers were also in attendance.
