The federal cabinet’s approval of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Amendment Bill 2023 represents a significant advancement in the educational field.
The federal cabinet’s approval of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Amendment Bill 2023 represents a significant advancement in the educational field.
The prime minister will take on the role of the Higher Education Commission‘s controlling authority under the new amendments, strengthening the government’s control over this area. With this amendment, the premier is now able to remove the HEC chairman before the end of their term.
The amendment also names the HEC as the sole regulatory body in charge of regulating all institutions of higher learning in the country. The goal of this consolidation is to ensure uniform standards and procedures throughout, streamlining the governance of these institutions.
In addition to these changes, the government has removed the clause that equated the HEC chairman’s authority with that of a federal minister. The modification clarifies the chairman’s authority and more clearly defines their function.
These changes were made in response to the 18th Amendment’s implementation, which resulted in a reduction in HEC’s authority. This legislative change aims to improve the HEC’s capacity to effectively regulate and enhance the higher education sector by redefining the relationship between the government and the commission.
An important turning point in the development of higher education governance has been reached with the approval of the HEC Amendment Bill, signaling a concerted effort to raise the caliber and accountability of educational institutions across the nation.
Under the leadership of Atta-ur-Rahman, the Higher Education Commission (also referred to as HEC) was established in 2002 as a statutory body by the Pakistani government. Its primary responsibilities include funding, supervising, regulating, and accrediting the nation’s higher education institutions.
It was first founded in 1974 as the University Grants Commission (UGC), and after Atta-ur-reforms, Rahman’s which won praise from all over the world, it took on its present form on September 11, 2002.
The commission is in charge of developing higher education policies, ensuring that they adhere to international standards, awarding academic degrees, creating new institutions, and improving existing institutions in Pakistan.