President Arif Alvi has approved the HEC Amendment Ordinance 2021 that purportedly brings the Higher Education Commission (HEC) under the control of the Ministry of Education.
The president signed the ordinance after it was approved by the federal cabinet. All decisions of the HEC will be subject to the approval of the Ministry of Education, a report added.
Last month, the government removed Dr Tariq Banuri via the same ordinance.
“In terms of sub-section (5), read with sub-section (5A), of Section 6 of Higher Education Commission Ordinance, 2002, as amended vide Higher Education Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, Dr Tariq Banuri has ceased to be the Chairperson, Higher Education Commission forthwith and is accordingly removed from the said post, with immediate effect,” stated a notification issued by cabinet secretariat.
According to the new HEC ordinance, the tenure of the HEC chief is being reduced to two years. The ordinance also transfers the authority to a government-appointed executive director, curtailing the autonomy of the higher education body formed in 2002.
