Seminar speakers highlight gaps in BS programme

MARDAN: Participants of a one-day seminar here on Wednesday identified serious gaps in the current BS programme at the universities and college level and stressed the need for early establishment of a provincial higher education commission to overcome the academic, research and innovation issues and other policy matters pertaining to higher education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The seminar titled “Consultation with Stakeholders: Students’ Perspective on BS Programme in Higher Education Institutions - Gaps, Problems and Recommendations” was jointly organized by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Foundation (KPEF) and Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan.

The seminar was attended by principals of various public and private colleges, coordinators of BS programmes, faculty and students. Vice-Chancellor Abdul Wali Khan University Prof Dr Jamil Ahmad was the chief guest at the inaugural session of the event, while Managing Director KPEF Zariful Maani served as the guest of honour at the concluding session of the event.

It was a thorough consultative session wherein the participants were given maximum time to share their views about the BS programme, identify gaps, and come up with recommendations for the betterment of the system.

Zariful Maani lauded the active participation of stakeholders, especially students, in the debate. He said that such debates were necessary for the academic upbringing of students as they promote tolerance and forbearance among them.

He said that education was necessary for gaining knowledge, improving behaviour, and character building. Education, he added, was a wholesome process not limited to classrooms alone. Higher education institutions provide an environment where students learn things beyond the classroom as well, he said.

He stressed the need for career counselling at educational institutions and preparedness for new trends and revolutions. He added that revolutions do happen in societies, for which a futuristic approach should be adopted and preparations should be made.

It was the job of universities and other higher education institutions to produce academic leaders who could make the right planning for the future and put things on the right track. He also stressed the need for the digitalization of various academic disciplines and administrative frameworks of educational institutions.

Zariful Maani said that the higher education ratio in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was alarmingly low as only six percent of students opt for higher studies due to huge expenses. In order to overcome the financial needs of students, there was no proper planning at any level, he said, stressing the need for a huge and robust scholarship regime in the province. Dr Jamil Ahmad spoke about various education systems across the globe.

He said that the education system in Pakistan was confronting a lot of problems. “New experiments are made with the education system quite frequently,” he said.He spoke about the curriculum and disciplines, focusing on the historical background of the introduction of various disciplines and curriculum formulation in different parts of the country.

He highlighted the inception and aim of the Higher Education Commission, which replaced the former University Grants Commission to improve and regulate the quality of university education.

The semester system, he informed, was copied from the US where things were dealt with in a liberal and democratic manner to maintain academic freedom. He identified gaps in the current BS programme which needed to be resolved through such academic discourses.

The participants highlighted problems pertaining to course contents, schemes of studies, evaluation systems and other issues at the college as well as university levels.Saiqa Naaz, principal of a government college, stressed the need for uniformity of courses at college and university levels. “Also, the courses should be designed in correspondence with other provinces,” she added.

Manahil, a BS student, was concerned about delays in the completion of semesters, saying that if a semester was meant to be completed within six months, it should be completed within that stipulated time. She expressed concern over clerical delays in the declaration of results and issuance of degrees.

Ayesha, another student, highlighted the lack of research facilities at both college and university levels. She said that the latest laboratories and equipment should be arranged for the science labs. She pointed out the high fees at the university level, urging university administrations to reduce fees in case of non-availability of scholarships.

Rahmanullah, another student, underlined the need for a centralized laboratory.Dr Jamal, BS coordinator at Government Postgraduate College Mardan, Dr Sajjad of Government College No. 2, and Rani Akbar of Government Girls College Sheikh Maltoon spoke about issues in course content, schemes of studies, faculty hiring, exams and evaluation systems.