NA education panel: NA panel has failed to decide four key private members’ bills

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s education panel, Friday, failed to decide on the fate of four key private members’ bills, and deferred them till the next meeting.

The International Institute of Technology, Culture and Health Sciences Bill 2024, South City University Bill 2024, Nippon Institute of Advanced Sciences (NIAS) Bill 2024, and Pakistan Examination Board Bill 2024, were taken up for review in the meeting of the NA Standing Committee on Federal Education, Professional Training, National Heritage and Culture.

The committee met under the chair of Dr. Azim Uddin Lakhvi.

After discussions, the committee decided to defer these bills for its “subsequent meetings.”

The first three of the four bills provide for the establishment of educational institutes/universities for addressing the educational needs in the related areas. The fourth legislative draft; the Pakistan Examination Board Bill 2024, provides for the establishment of the Pakistan Examination Board having jurisdiction on all schools and colleges located in Pakistan, and those established by Pakistan’s diplomatic missions abroad, for holding the exams “on pattern of international standards.”

Rana Qasim Noon from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) is the mover of this bill.

Furthermore, the committee shared its concern over the schools located in the peripheral areas of the federal capital been deprived of the basic educational amenities. The committee stressed on the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training to take steps to ensure quality education to the students of the schools located not only in urban but also rural areas of Islamabad.

Secretary Education Mohyuddin Wani briefed the committee on the issues concerning the ministry. The committee stressed on enhancing the budgetary allocation to the public sector universities.

The panel also emphasised on the importance of increasing educational opportunities and addressing existing disparities in the education sector. The committee noted that the support provided from sections of the social sector lacked long-term sustainability, recommending to the federal government to address this issue.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024