Survey on higher education policies

Islamabad : Overwhelming majority of faculty in public-sector universities has expressed dissatisfaction over the current policies in higher education sector of Pakistan.

According to a survey conducted by Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations, 86.7 per cent teachers are not satisfied over higher education policies whereas 9.6% are satisfied. Among university teaching community, 75.7% showed dissatisfaction over the performance of Higher Education Commission Chairperson Dr Tariq Banuri as compared to 14.4% showed satisfaction over HEC chief. To 3rd question of the survey, 63.2% participants said that current Chairperson should not complete his tenure on performance basis while 21.8% were of the view that Dr Banuri should complete his tenure and 15% said that they did not know. The proposal to amend Acts of public sector universities in Punjab to remove Vice-Chancellors as chairs of Syndicates apart from other provisions to reduce academic freedoms and autonomy was rejected by 77.2% respondents. On the other hand, 7.1% strangely supported the proposed amendments in the universities Acts while 15. 7% faculty said that they did not know.

As many as 6,829 faculty across Pakistan participated in an online survey which continued for three days.