ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Wednesday recommended that keeping in view employment problems being faced by PhD students, special provision must be made to accommodate PhD graduates, and that those in government jobs must be given preference while getting promotions.
The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education Professional Training, National History and Literary Heritage was held on Wednesday under the chairpersonship of Senator Engr Rukhsana Zuberi.
The meeting was attended by Senator Mehr Taj Roghani, Senator Seemi Ezdi, Senator Molvi Faiz Muhammad, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Senator Hilalur Rehman, Senator Muhammad Ali Khan Saif, and senior officers of the Ministry of Federal Education Professional Training, National History and Literary Heritage, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) along with all concerned.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Wajiha Akram was present as well.
The meeting conducted detailed discussion on points of public importance regarding B-Tech Equivalence and requirement for service structure for technologists in the country, raised by Senator Muhammad Ali Saif and Senator Mushtaq Ahmed respectively.
The Committee was of the view that drawing a service structure for technologists is imperative to progress.
Regarding the equivalence level of technologists the Committee asserted that technologists must come at par with engineering graduates.
Chairperson Committee, Senator Engr Rukhsana Zuberi asserted that the world is a global village and since Pakistan is a signatory of the Washington Accord it meets international standards.
The National Technology Council informed the committee of the measures being taken to ensure that high quality professional technologists may benefit society and so that technologists may be given preference for engineering jobs.
It was asserted that a process for existing technologists is being formulated such as an assessment test, so that through that they may be sifted and those who qualify may be allowed to complete a Masters degree in Engineering.
It was asserted that decision on this issue must be taken going beyond professional body prejudice as trained human capital was being wasted.
Chairperson Committee Senator Engr Rukhsana Zuberi was of the view that a workable solution must be ensured at the earliest.
She gave the National Technology Council a 90-day deadline.
Taking up the public petition submitted by Shairyar Abid regarding non-accreditation of graduate students from engineering universities, the Committee directed the VC of Bahauddin Zakria University Dr Mansoor Akbar Kundi, against whom the complaint was directed to close such programmes.
The Committee stressed that feasibility of courses must be ascertained and Chairman HEC Tariq Banuri endorsed the same.
The HEC asserted that it had posted alerts against such universities on its website.
Considering the public petition submitted by Dr Sher Afzal regarding employment problems being faced by PhD students, the Committee was of the view that special provision must be made to accommodate PhD graduates and that those in government jobs must be given preference while getting promotions.
While taking up the public petition of deputationist 250 female teachers working under wedlock policy, the Committee asserted that the matter must be expedited and that it must be considered on humanitarian grounds.
Chairperson Committee Engr Rukhsana Zuberi asserted that the Federal Directorate of Education must look into the matter minutely.
Discussing the plight of teachers in educational institutions of Islamabad who have not been given time-scale promotions, the Committee was of the view that the system must be rectified.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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