500 educational programmes shelved for not fulfilling HEC's criteria: Parliamentary panel told

A parliamentary panel was informed on Wednesday that 500 educational programmes, which were not fulfilling the Higher Education Commission (HEC) guidelines, have been closed. This was revealed to the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training, which met here with Raheela Magsi in the chair.
The committee was informed that quality assurance cells have been established in 177 out of the 188 universities of the country. Furthermore, the list of illegal institutions has been placed on HEC website.
The committee recommended for steps to ensure and raise education standard at national level. The committee chairperson said that there is dire need for upgrading the current education standards of the country. The committee expressed annoyance over the absence of secretary law from the meeting.
Senator Muzaffar Hussain Shah presented the Area Study Centre (Amendment) Bill. He said that Area Study Centre was established in 1975 through an act. After the 18th Constitutional Amendment, education is a provincial subject, but Area Study Centre is under the control of the federal government which is against the 18th Amendment, he added.