KP govt approves criteria for selection of vice-chancellors

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Tuesday approved the criteria for selection of vice-chancellors for all public sector tertiary educational institutions throughout the province.

According to an official handout, the nod was given at a meeting of the select committee on universities (Amendment) Bill, 2016 arranged at the Provincial Assembly Secretariat. Chief Minister Pervez Khattak chaired the meeting.

According to the criteria, the provincial government would recommend a panel of three persons with relevant educational and administrative background. One of them will be selected among the panel of three for a single given university, said the communiqué.

The recommendations suggesting different amendments to different sections and sub-sections of the draft act would be incorporated into the main law to be tabled in the Provincial Assembly. The meeting approved the model statue that defined the jurisdiction of Senate and syndicate.

Provincial Minister for Law Imtiaz Shahid Quershi, Senior Minister for Local Government Inayatullah Khan, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information and Higher Education Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani, Deputy Speaker of the Provincial Assembly Dr Mehar Taj Roghani, others members of the Select Committee and relevant authorities attended the meeting.

The meeting approved certain criteria, identified district and division for the selection of Class-IV and onward employees up to 15 scale, respectively.The chief minister said education was to be a state concern, state monitored and state facilitated.

He said these learning institutions produce scientists, doctors, engineers and other professionals and above all undertake character building of the youth. Pervez Khattak said whimsical decisions in the past deteriorated the standard of education at tertiary level. He said the government had made up its mind to give a proper direction to the education sector that will lead to a better future.

The chief minister said the role and responsibilities of the vice-chancellors could make or break an institution. He sought proposals within 60 days from the participants to make the likely legislation for the tertiary education more beneficial.