ISLAMABAD – Following local students, civil society and intellectuals’ opposition to the devolution of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to provinces, PhD scholars studying at the Oxford University have initiated efforts to avert the proposed devolution and expressed concern in their letter addressed to the Pakistan’s High Commission in London.
Seventeen HEC PhD scholars at Oxford and Oxford Pakistan Society on Monday wrote a letter to High Commissioner Syed Wajid Shamsul Hasan, urging the government of Pakistan to reverse its decision to devolve the HEC.
The letter states, “The many indirect benefits of HEC projects to Pakistan’s knowledge economy cannot even be accurately quantified. We are befuddled on why there are moves to fix what isn’t broken. But it seems the decision has been made and will be implemented with swiftness. We are therefore, deeply concerned about the future of higher education in Pakistan,” the letter said.
In their calling attention letter to Pakistani high commissioner, the scholars stated that they were disconcerted that there was no information on the nature of transition or the continuation of support for the HEC scholars currently studying in the UK and elsewhere in the world.
They said that they were in the grip of shock as if measures were not taken by the government to continue supporting them. Also, country’s top scientist Dr NM Butt (Sitara-i-Imtiaz) wrote a letter to the prime minister and president, appealing them to intervene and reverse any step taken by the Implementation Commission to devolve HEC and maintain the federal status of the commission for the sake of national security.
Dr Butt said that all progressive and advanced nations were strong in economy and defence because of strong higher science and technology education and research and high quality human resource.
