National Assembly body recommends retaining education as federal subject

The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Education has recommended retaining education as a federal subject for which it will submit its recommendations to the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms. The committee, which met here on Monday with Chaudhary Abid Sher Ali in the chair discussed various education-related matters.
There was unanimity among the members that the devolution of curriculum, syllabus and education policy would have drastic impact on the integrity of the country. Maimmona Hashmi of Pakistan Muslim League PML-N stressed the need for having an unified educational curriculum across the country, saying that at present three different educational curriculum were being practiced in the country ie Madrassah, Urdu Medium and English Medium Schools.
She added that different curriculums were further dividing Pakistani youth and therefore, it is need of the hour that there should be a unified education system in the country. Former Justice Fakhar-un-Nisa Khokher while opposing the idea of transferring education to provinces said that the government should evolve a comprehensive education plan at national level and added that the devolution would create many serious problems for the country as each province would be following its own education polices.
The committee unanimously asked the government to commence technical educational activities at Poly Technique College Islamabad which was built on the directives of the late Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto costing over Rs 800 million. The committee members decided to hold a meeting with the Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani during the upcoming session of National Assembly to request him for issuing directives to the concerned departments for initiating classes at the college.
The committee while showing serious concerns over the media reports saying that the Department of Administrative Sciences (DAS), Quaid-i-Azam University has declared 6 fail students as pass in the examinations. Vice Chancellor, Quaid-i-Azam University Professor Dr Masoom Yasinzai briefing the committee on the issue admitted that 6 fail students of the DAS were declared pass by one of the senior faculty member of the department, however, the university has not awarded degrees to those students.
He said that Assistant Professor DAS Ajmal Waheed was assigned to evaluate the internships of 40 students, out of which 17 failed. According to documents the 6 fail students were declared pass by the DAS in-charge Professor Dr G.S.K Niazi in the absence of Professor Ajmal.
The committee directed the university administration to conduct a proper inquiry into the matter within two weeks and submit its finding to the committee in its next meeting; furthermore the professor who filed the complaint should not be humiliated. The committee further directed the university administration to follow the appropriate procedure while appointing new faculty members.