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Insaf Research Wing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
Tehreek
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IRW
Insaf
nsaf Research Wing
Central Secretariat

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Finding solutions
olutions for a better Pakistan
Street No. 84,
84
Sector G-6/4,
G
Islamabad, Pakistan.
hwinginsafresearchwinginsafrese Tel: 92-51-2270744
92
Fax: 92-51-2873893
92
archwinginsafresearchwinginsafr irw@insaf.pk
irw@

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Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army – Edward Everett

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Proposed Plan for the Reforms in the Higher Education

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researchwinginsafresearc
hwinginsafresearchwinginsafrese 22 February, 2012

archwinginsafresearchwinginsafr Author: Dr M S Shamshad

Committee: Education

esearchwinginsafresearchwingins Dossier # 001

Version # 001

afresearchwinginsafresearchwingi Nature of Document: Proposal

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justicehumanity
ticehumanityequalityfaithpiety
equalityfaithpiety
Insaf Research Wing (IRW) is a part of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) reporting to the secretary general. IRW was
created in 2009 to carry out research in order to find solutions for problems in Pakistan. The foremost goal of IRW
is to keep people of Pakistan and PTI informed and prepared.

The wing is composed of 10 committees. Each committee addresses issues related to its field of expertise. The
committees defined as of yet are (i) Socio-Political (ii) Information & Technology (iii) Economic (iv) Energy
(v) Healthcare (vi) Corruption (vii) Foreign Affairs (viii) Education (ix) Environment (x) Strategic Thinking.

The research reports/papers are either commissioned by the central executive committee of PTI or committee
members of IRW. PTI members can also suggest IRW to consider researching on a matter they find important. IRW
welcomes any contributions in the form of scholarly work addressing important issues. Nevertheless, after the
author(s) sends the document it is peer reviewed before getting published. In the process of peer review the
document is technically analyzed and scrutinized. The procedure is necessary to maintain quality control. However,
varying opinions and ideas are not penalized.

Apart from working on research reports/papers which shed light on problems and provide basic solutions, IRW
aims to act as a conduit to the shadow cabinet and/or spokespersons aiding them with the task of preparing
extensive policies for PTI. These inputs are from several professionals who are well versed in the subject. IRW also
serves as a check on the reigning government’s policies.

The Wing does not follow a preset ideology while carrying out research. IRW does not endorse any opinion
presented in a published report/paper as an official position. Likewise, several research reports/paper on a
similar subject published by IRW can have contradictory recommendations though it should be noted that these
point of views are sole responsibility of the author(s). Very rarely when there is a complete consensus on a
certain research report/paper within IRW only then it is recommended to PTI for official perusal. Any published
document by the wing does not constitute it as an official position of PTI unless otherwise stated.

Insaf Research Wing works at a national level but its members are located throughout the world bringing in the
much needed international experience. IRW practices an open membership policy valid for all Pakistanis regardless
of religion or race. Nevertheless, members of other nationalities from international organizations interested in
helping Pakistan are always welcome to join IRW.

Published reports of IRW can be accessed on the website. The headquarter of IRW is located at PTI’s Central
Secretariat, Street No. 84, Sector G-6/4, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Copyright © 2012 by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf All rights reserved.

 Committee on Education  Reforms in Higher Education

Table of Contents

1.0) Institutional Objectives 04

2.0) Internal Institutional Reforms 06

3.0) Good Educational Governance 08

4.0) National Testing Service 09

5.0) Teaching and Evaluation 10-11

6.0) Academic Audit 11

7.0) Integrated Education for All 12

8.0) International Linkages 13

9.0) Research and Development 14

10) Medium of Education/Instruction 18

11) Course Duration 20

12) Technical and Engineering Education 21

13) Systemic Institutional Development 22

14) Students’ Code 23

15) Student Services and Career Placement 24

Conclusion 25

References 25

Insaf Research Wing  Page 3

Committee on Education
Proposed Plan for the Reforms
in the Higher Education
1.0 Institutional Objectives
Institutions of higher learning play a pivotal
role in the development of human resources
that are needed by the nation to fulfill its
aspirations for social, economic, cultural,
political and technological progress. It is,
therefore, important for educational
institutions to serve not only as repositories
of learning that have the capability of
imparting the requisite knowledge, values
and skills to their clientele, they must also
serve as instruments for national
development. The prime function of such
institutions as seats of Higher Education is to
safeguard academic excellence, and
continually fortify it through advancement
into the ever-expanding frontiers of
knowledge. Academic institutions should,
thus, ensure educational delivery systems
that are geared to the unceasing pursuit of
the foregoing objectives. Distinguished
creative teachers as scholars, researchers
and writers, research libraries and
laboratories are the hall-marks of Higher
Education.
University education in Pakistan is
committed to the aforementioned
objectives. However, due to forces within
and outside the universities working against
these commitments, erosion has set in
Higher Education. The relaxation of efforts
can be ascribed to a variety of causes, of
which political interference may not be the
Insaf Research Wing
 Reforms in Higher Education
least active. Internal forces have, likewise,
affected the smooth operation of these
institutions, and made them victims of
problems and crises. Of course, study
groups and action forces have been tasked,
from time to time, to look into the causes of
the malfunctioning educational services, for
appropriate corrective measures. However,
no scientific study has yet been conducted
on the actual operation of the various
components of the internal environments of
these institutions. 1
The frequency of adversarial occurrences
and other disturbances in university settings,
is a strong indication that something is amiss
in these systems, which has rendered them
incapable of grappling with the emerging
demands and issues of Higher Education.
The university is an equilateral triangle
whose three sides consist of students, the
academia and administration. All these three
are equally important to the smooth
operation and survival of the institution.
Overlooking the importance of any one, will
result in disharmony.
Nothing, however, is more important to the
stability and survival of a university, than
harmony.
Hence, the question: Is there any formulaic
way of bringing about this harmony? Can
harmony be achieved through an
administrative decree? The answer to such
questions is obviously ‘No’.
Harmony can be achieved only through
mutual trust and confidence, which can
prevail only by means of free, forthright and
 Page 4
 Committee on Education  Reforms in Higher Education

continuing communication between and scholars bound together by a deep and

among the students, the faculty and mutual concern for the problems that the
administration, in a self-disciplined manner Pakistani population is faced with. The
and a scholarly environment dedicated to universities should accept the challenge and
learning. function in the aforesaid manner to (a) help
to actively engineer the desired social
A university is believed to be the most vital
change in the country, and to (b) seek and
institution, if not the only institution, that cultivate new knowledge in the pursuit of
can possibly interpret and help to attain
truth, and interpret old knowledge and
society’s goals and aspirations. The great
beliefs in the light of the country’s changing
number of diverse social tasks which the
needs and new research/discoveries.
university is called upon to perform gives it
the breadth of vision and depth of insight
into the multitude of human problems, even
as it works towards the solidarity, strength
and integrity of its students, academia and
administration. The university is society’s
vital instrument that bridges the generation
gap through mutually conceived goals and
aspirations for a high quality of human life.

Given society’s vital development tasks, the

university should be capable of adapting
more effective governance styles with the
right persons in right positions, and
strategies that can give balanced attention to
administration, the faculty and students as
individual and collective components of the
institution.

The prime function of the faculty is to teach,

that of the student is to learn, and that of
the administration is to facilitate and serve
them, by providing the atmosphere and
physical conditions most conducive to
effective teaching and learning. The students,
faculty and administration are bound to one
another, not hierarchically, but equilaterally.
Universities in Pakistan have not functioned
and performed as a disciplined community of

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Committee on Education  Reforms in Higher Education

2.0 Internal Institutional Reforms on university education, to distance

themselves from university affairs and stop
interfering in its policies, operations and
Institutions of Higher Education are other matters that are purely educational in
operating in Pakistan under constraints and nature.
pressures due to political, social, cultural and
This is necessary, in order to generate
economic factors beyond their control.
educational services of a high quality, and to
Institutional autonomy is meant to be a
make the system work efficiently. Ultimately,
bulwark precisely against such pressures, and
the fine quality of men and women, the
should be genuinely practiced as such by the
product of politics-free universities will help
institutions.
to contribute optimally to the realization of
While exercising the option of institutional the development aspirations of the nation.
autonomy and academic freedom, due care
should be taken that it is not used (a) to
operate as a narrow minded corporatist
attitude for the abuse of power, or (b) as a
cover for professional negligence and/or
organizational incompetence.

In fact it implies increased responsibility in

academic work, including its ethical context.
If the vicious circle of perennially inadequate
resources and incompetent management
resulting in poor educational delivery
services, is to be broken, the motivation for
reform has to start from within institutions
of higher learning, themselves. The solution
consists of three strategies.

First, improvement in the management of

available resources for optimum effective
use. Second, a massive effort to increase
their utility, by strictly adhering to a
prioritized system in the expenditure of
available revenues, using cost-benefit analysis
measures. Third, which seems difficult to
achieve, but is possible with pooled efforts:
the evolution of consensus in society,
particularly among social groups that impinge

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 Committee on Education
3.0 Good Educational Governance
In Pakistan, the state controls educational
institutions, in violation of principles of
academic freedom. To add to this sorry
state of affairs, it has appointed non-
professional, ordinary bureaucrats/retired
senior officers of the armed forces as Vice-
Chancellors/Rectors of some Universities,
Principles and heads of other important
academic institutions. In the private sector,
universities and academic institutions are
being governed by the owners, and non-
educationist administrators appointed by
them. This makes Education the only big
institution in Pakistan in which its
administration does not rest with the most
qualified and the most suitable functionary.
Education in Pakistan, unfortunately, is
wrongly assumed, by and large, to be an area
in which academic policy making does not
require relevant professional knowledge and
practical experience. In so assuming, anyone
can be fixed into any position in academic
institutions. But one who has not gone
through the rigors of university education
and research, cannot really know and
understand what policy is required for
teaching and research in a university.
Institutions of higher education/university
cannot possibly be run as professional
schools or military academies.
The government should take immediate
steps to ensure that educational institutions
are run and managed by self-governing
bodies of scholars and students, and that no
non-professional is appointed as their Vice-
Insaf Research Wing
 Reforms in Higher Education
Chancellor/Rector or head. Since so many
powerful individuals are likely to lose their
jobs with the implementation of this action,
it is sure to meet resistance even at the
highest possible level. The government will
have to take a really bold decision in this
regard, and then to stand by it.
It is also considered well within to
decentralize the management of academic
institutions, as an administrative reform
measure, in order to effect improvement in
Higher Education and its supervision. This
will lie in line with the government policy of
devolution of power.
Decentralization of management and
planning is also necessary on two accounts:
(a) to encourage grass-roots participation in
the affairs of Education, and (b) to accord
academic respect and institutional autonomy
to institutions of Higher Education for
efficient and healthy growth.
While taking such action, due account
should be taken of resource limitations, and
the antagonistic efforts of political forces and
other vested interests that would be
working against it. Any step taken in
isolation will prove to be futile. There is also
the danger of handing over the charge of
institutions of higher learning to some odd
individual who is not trained for the job. It is,
therefore, essential that educational
administrators at all levels, from the school
to the university, should undergo
management training. Among other inputs, it
should include project planning and
implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
and man-management, as essential
 Page 7
Committee on Education  Reforms in Higher Education

components. This can be subsequently

followed, on an as-required basis, by further
in-service training/courses related to job
specification. Individuals appointed in higher
positions should preferably do the NIPA
(National Institute of Public Administration)
or Administrative Staff College course, prior
to assuming charge.

Decentralization in the government’s

devolution of power plan is not just the
transfer of responsibility from the national
or provincial level to the district level, it is
also the transfer of decision making
authority to a district unit that can act
independently and take required decisions
on its own.

The plan is to evolve a district-based

management supported by appropriate,
responsive and flexible resources. However,
there is a need to examine and determine
where in the education system specific
responsibility and authority can be assigned.
In the existing setting, where people are
used to working for ages in a centralized
system, the success of decentralization and
improvement in education service delivery
would require a mind-shift, shift in attitudes,
and concerted efforts towards building trust
at the national level.

Devolution of authority, in comparison to

delegation of authority, has a better chance
for the long-term success of the continuity
of the change process.

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 Committee on Education
4.0 National Testing Service
Evaluation makes an important link in the
teaching-learning process. Apart from being
a weak delivery system, the examination
system in the country is excessively flawed
on account of a variety of malpractices.
Neither the semester system nor the annual
system has been able to stand up to
widespread corruption in examinations.
Under a variety of circumstances, the
examiners, paper setters, invigilators, and
examination departments, themselves,
appear to be equal partners in maintaining
the vicious circle of corruption around
public examinations. Even the Boards of
Intermediate and Secondary Education have
vied with one another in the award of
unjustifiably inflated grades to their students.
Also, in their anxiety to bring their wards to
professional colleges, parents have joined
the rat race of nefarious practices. This state
of affairs has caused two types of damage (a)
lack of confidence in the results of public
examinations, and (b) distortion in
admissions to professional colleges.
The imposition of inflexible entry
requirements for students, based on the
previous examination performance, alone, in
the past, has allowed students to pursue
studies for which they did not have aptitude
and genuine interest. Hence, there is an
obligatory need for re-examination of the
interface between Secondary Education and
Higher Education. This will greatly
discourage the unethical race for scoring
high marks in the Matriculation and
Insaf Research Wing
 Reforms in Higher Education
Intermediate examinations. It will also
obviate, to a great extent, the practice of
resorting to unfair means/cheating in
examinations, and will gradually eliminate
this scourge.
It is proposed to establish a National Testing
Board on the lines of the American National
Testing Service for TOEFL (Testing of
English as a Foreign Language), under the
Ministry of Education at the federal level.
The Board, in the execution of its functions,
can then acquire/utilise the services of
suitably qualified persons/educationists in
devising entry tests. For the last two years,
the IBA, Karachi, is managing an entry test in
the Punjab and Sindh for admission to the
MBBS, while the NWFP government is
conducting an entry test for its own Medical
Colleges. Admission to Engineering
Universities is being administered through an
entry test by the universities, themselves.
A few other universities/colleges conduct
entry tests for admission to Computer
Science and Business Administration classes,
more as a formality rather than actual
testing. No entry test is being conducted for
admission to other disciplines than those
mentioned above. For standardisation, it is
essential that one test per discipline is
conducted by a single body throughout the
country. It will ensure that the right students
are admitted for the right studies, purely on
merit. This measure, alone, will reduce to a
great extent the problem of student
indiscipline in public examinations.
 Page 9
Committee on Education
5.0 Teaching and Evaluation
One of the most important reforms needed
in Higher Education is to improve teaching
and evaluation. The existing conditions in
this regard are extremely undesirable. Most
of the teaching, till recently, has been
dominated by syllabi which are outdated
and/or are a carbon copy of some other
non-relevant universities. In fact, the position
in many universities still remains unchanged.
As the performance of students is assessed
by examination based on the prescribed
syllabi, an undue emphasis is placed on
unintelligent and selective cramming. The
situation is further aggravated by the
inordinate time that both students and
teachers spend in formal classroom contacts,
with the resulting lack of opportunity for
independent study by students, and of
adequate time for preparation by teachers.
If university teaching is to be radicalized,
vitalized, changes are needed on the
following lines:
a. Ensure more flexibility in the course
structure and more freedom of choice to
students.
b. A marked reduction in formal
instruction, and a corresponding increase in
tutorial work, discussion groups, seminars
and independent study.
c. A change in the character of
teaching, to discourage cramming, drastically,
and to stimulate curiosity, the problem-
solving ability and originality.
Insaf Research Wing
 Reforms in Higher Education
d. Introduction of more frequent
periodical assessment, so that undue
emphasis on the final examination, as the
sole determinant of success, is reduced. In
that, relative grading of assessment is
suggested in place of the present absolute
assessment system.
e. Introduction of modern training aids
and teaching practices, to vitalise the existing
monologic and least dynamic learning
process.
f. Utilisation of the services of final year
postgraduate students to impart some
teaching at the undergraduate level. This
way, postgraduate students would be able to
gain teaching experience, the university will
have more teachers or teaching
assistants/aids, enabling senior teachers to
devote more time to research; and above all,
the university will be able to judge the new
incumbents’ teaching ability/suitability for
appointment.
g. Introduction of accountability, checks
and balances of teachers through an Annual
Confidential Report (ACR).
h. An Instructional Technique (IT)
course of suitable duration for new teachers,
to improve their teaching skills. This is being
successfully followed and practiced in the
armed forces of Pakistan and abroad.
i. Inspiring creativity, and training in the
Basic Life Skills (BLSs), especially Thinking
Skills: Learning to Live Creatively: Education
as Enlightenment. 2
 Page 10
 Committee on Education  Reforms in Higher Education

The learning process and teaching methods
need a new orientation to interrelate
learning, teaching and evaluation as one. In
the new environment of today and
tomorrow, this should be interpreted and
practised by educational institutions, most
responsible.
6.0 Academic Audit
potent weapon of the ISO-9000 standard is
‘Continuous Improvement’, which is its
bedrock. Assessment of Faculty Performance
through the Annual Confidential Report
(ACR) is also equally essential. Academic
audit, ISO-9000 standards and Faculty
Annual Confidential Reports will promote a
sense of responsibility in institutions and
professionalism in the faculty, through these
checks and balances.

To make the working of the universities

transparent, their academic audit every
three years by a team of experts, and of
their affiliated institutes by the universities
themselves, should be held, utilising the
Rapid Qualitative Appraisal methodology.
Qualitative audit and research methodology
have long been favoured by research
organisations in Europe and America.

In comparison to quantitative assessment,

qualitative survey tends to be more
encompassing, and does not require any
interpretation. As of late, socio-economic
development organisations and non-
governmental organisations have adopted
this methodology with great enthusiasm and
fervour, as it provides a realistic on-ground
picture of the situation being examined.

Universities are further proposed to be

subjected to ISO-9000 quality standards.
These standards are primarily industry
based, but quite generic in form, and can be
transformed to suit educational
environments. Despite their differences,
when properly adapted, quality management
can make a significant improvement in the
educational system as a whole. The most

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Committee on Education  Reforms in Higher Education

7.0 Integrated Education for All Higher Educational institutions to education

for all, and establishment of new types of
relations between them and their social
Searching for solutions aimed at greater partners. It would imply continuous analysis
relevance, quality and internationalisation in of the need for study programmes, training
Higher Education, requires a renewed and re-training, and establishment of
convergence of thinking about the centrality methods for adequate recognition of work
of human resource development, and of the experience related to students’ academic
role played by all levels and forms of agenda.
Education. In this respect, it is crucial that
international and national development
funding agencies, non-governmental
organizations/ foundations and the academic
community at large extend full support to
Higher Education institutions in developing
countries. This is essential for the overall
development of the education system, as
well as for the enhancement of indigenous
capacity-building. Pakistan should strive for
this cause, and muster moral support and
funds from the relevant national and
international agencies.

Institutions of Higher Education should re-

evaluate the place of teaching in their overall
mission to improve conditions of access and
participation in new inter-disciplinary forms
of Education. Such institutions, side by side
with regular courses, should encompass
advanced programmes of vocational training
for those unable to follow the traditional
system of admission. For instance, more
flexible arrangements of studies and
certification, as well as development of
external programmes with the help of the
new Communication and Information
Technology, would facilitate access to
individuals and communities in rural areas.
This would mean a de facto commitment by

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 Committee on Education  Reforms in Higher Education

8.0 International Linkages Education and Research by expanding

educational links/contact programmes at
home and abroad. It will be commendable if
It is increasingly evident that under the Pakistan plays a leadership role in this
combined impact of software and hardware regard, and works on expansion in
development in the Communication and educational linkage/contact programmes
Information Technology, avenues have now between Muslim countries and others of
been opened to facilitate new types of interest. Pakistan, of late, has signed a
educational services. This technology-based Memorandum of Understanding with Egypt
learning environment calls for rethinking and China, to mutually cooperate in
teaching practices, as well as the overall identified fields. On similar lines, Pakistan
functions of academic institutions’ campus- should enter into agreement with Turkey
wide information systems. There is a need and other countries of concern.
to judiciously place the use of information
technology on the institutional agenda of
commitment aimed at improving information
services, so as to make it fully beneficial to
learning and teaching. Further development
of these technologies in Higher Education
depends on finding satisfactory solutions to
reconcile the academic community’s needs
for access to information, and the interests
of the owners’ intellectual property rights
involved in commercial publishing and
information exchanges.

Education is the corner-stone of

development, as it entails a significant and
positive impact on employment, earning,
productivity, health and control over
population growth. Developed nations like
Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and
Taiwan have all made considerable
investment in Education, with the result that
they have achieved rapid economic growth.
If the Muslim World wishes to join the ranks
of developed countries, it must benefit from
the opportunities of the globalisation
process, and coordinate in the fields of

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Committee on Education
9.0 Research and Development
Western universities, because of their
mission oriented research projects, long
term strategic planning and well-coordinated
efforts have become international in
character as great instrumental institutions
for the development of the human resource.
Pakistan, on the other hand, due to intrinsic
problems of lack of funds and facilities, the
brain drain syndrome, inordinate criteria for
promotion in research and teaching
institutions, and indifferent attitude of
society towards the scientific community,
has witnessed a steady decline in research
standards.
Pakistani universities are, by and large,
glorified colleges, where very little research
is conducted. They can hardly be classified as
universities by international standards. India,
eight times the size of Pakistan in population
and with a lower per capita income, is
producing over 2000 Ph. Ds annually in
Physics, alone. In contrast to this, Pakistan
with its premier University of the Punjab, in
its hundred years of existence produced
upto 1983 only three Ph. Ds in Physics and
none in Mathematics. Engineering
Universities, in the 54 years’ history of
Pakistan, have been able to produce only
two Ph. Ds, as confirmed by the Minister of
Science and Technology, Dr Ata-ur-Rehman,
in one of his recent speeches. Pakistan, on
the whole, is producing less than 50 Science
Ph. Ds, annually, and falls in the lowest
category in terms of number of scientists
and engineers per million population. This
Insaf Research Wing
 Reforms in Higher Education
also applies to its equally poor performance
in the Human and Social Sciences. The main
reason is that the necessary research culture
and work ethic are lacking. Students are only
interested in degrees, not research for
knowledge, discovery, invention or
innovation.
Teachers feel threatened to produce
potential rivals. Supervisors get demotivated
by indifferent researchers. Pakistani
universities need to remedy this sad
situation on an emergency basis.
To add to it, Pakistan is one of the few
countries in the Third World which is
presently registering a net decline in terms
of research publications, at a time when the
average for developing countries has
increased by 40 percent. Research and
writing go hand-in-hand. At the back of both
are the creative Thinking and Language Skills.
The situation should be reformed without
compromising quality. The stress should be
on standards, not numbers. There can be no
crash programme to produce scholars, by
compromising quality and standards. That
would be disastrous and the Pakistani Ph. Ds
would be reduced to the level of ordinary
international graduates.
In order to meet the dictates of the new
millennium and put Pakistan on the digitised
world map, there is the immediate need to
take appropriate steps to promote research
and development in the country, capitalizing
on the existing and upcoming opportunities
of globalisation.
 Page 14
 Committee on Education
The following need serious consideration
and implementation:
a. The DIBB: The University Grants
Commission should immediately proceed to
establish a Digital Integrated Broadband
Backbone (DIBB), linking the universities at
home and with the outside world through
satellite, as conceptually proposed in
Chapter VII. The University Grants
Commission will thus become the national
centre of real time scientific and
technological development and functional
hub of research activities in Pakistan. In the
process, it will be able to provide advisory
services to public/private organisations, and
coordinate/oversee all research activities, in
order to avoid any duplication. At the same
time, it will be able to generate handsome
revenue from the project, and thereby
finance projects of vital importance to the
country, thus lessening the burden on the
government exchequer.
b. Information Technology: The advent of
information technology has resulted in the
growing internationalisation of Higher
Education, reflecting the global character of
learning and research. The success of
Pakistan lies in maximising the use of the
Internet, e-Mail and World Wide Web.
Pakistan can move from vision to reality with
the use of these latest tools, to implement e-
Commerce, e-Business and e-Government
concepts. Failing that, there is the danger of
the digital divide of Pakistan, within, and with
the rest of the world. There is enormous
potential in the country, but it will require a
committed leadership and a clear strategy to
overcome the barriers to change. Once the
Insaf Research Wing
 Reforms in Higher Education
technology comes in the hands of the
common man, he will have lesser worries,
and so will Pakistan. Pakistan is a late starter
in the field of information technology.
Countries like Ireland, Israel and India, acting
as the hub of software development, have a
history of 20 years through which they have
evolved to their present position. Lately,
steps taken by Pakistan to significantly
reduce the bandwidth rates, enhance the tax
rebate for the IT sector up to 15 years, and
provide the internet facility to about 80% of
the cities, have served as major incentives
for international investors to view it as a
strong contender for the positionting of the
IT hub in the region. The danger, however,
is that of the low literacy rate, which may
impede the growth of information
technology in the country. Pakistan
government should declare literacy a
national security issue to be tackled on war
footing. The media of mass communication,
especially electronic, should be geared to
the purpose, instead of being frittered away
on frivolous apish entertainment.
c. Educational Creativity: Creativity and
innovation are becoming the driving force
for success in the global knowledge
economy. Creativity is the application of
knowledge and skills in new ways to achieve
a valued goal. To realise the creative
potential of people and to boost their
competitiveness, Pakistan must make radical
changes in its education policy and delivery
system. In that, it should re-design the
curricula and re-engineer the institution of
the school, to incorporate forms of learning
which could develop innate creative ability.
The focus needs to be on the Basic Life Skills
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(BLSs), especially Thinking and Language e. An Indigenous Ph. D. Programme:

Skills, which are the main means of Presently Pakistani universities all combined
Creativity for creation, invention and together are producing annually less than 50
innovation. Ph. Ds. Therefore, it is important to start
Ph. D. programmes within the country in
d. Technology Triangle: Out of a pool of
major subjects, and to encourage the
about 2000 science Ph.Ds in the country, existing programmes. This is necessary
there are only 5 in textile technology, which
because (a) the widspread practice of
accounts for almost 60% of Pakistan’s export
sending the brightest students overseas to
earnings, one in leather technology, and do Ph. D., makes it difficult to develop local
none in sports export promotion. 4
research facilities and promote research,
Therefore, there is a need to provide due to lack of an adequate number of
expertise in these fields, and others, also, to students (b) the students who go abroad,
boost world class production. Universities
generally do not return home, thus causing a
are the main source for development of
resource loss of highly trained persons to
scientific knowledge, leading to industrial
the nation (c) overseas’ education causes a
application. In advanced countries, there is a
drain on foreign exchange. Therefore,
close liaison between the university and
besides the national requirement of
industry. It has two-fold impact. On the one
expertise, there is the financial reason to
hand, the university receives new projects
undertake Ph. D programmes at home. Split
from industry and is financially supported for
Ph. D programmes in collaboration with
creative work, as a part of its academic
foreign universities of repute, are worth the
pursuits, and on the other, the results
option, whereby researchers carry out a
achieved are directly applied in industrial
part of the programme abroad, and a part
product development. This concept of a
thereof in Pakistan. This will help to develop
technology triangle is based on linking
local research according to the needs of the
research laboratories/equipment with the
country. It is further recommended that
technology imperatives of the country’s
selected departments at major institutions
economy. The universities/research
should be transformed into ‘Centres or
institutes, industry and government are
Faculties of Advanced Integrated Studies and
three partners sharing responsibility for
Research’, by pooling their limited
nurturing research, growth and world class
resources, manpower and infrastructure.
competitiveness, in industries which are its
These centres will then function as growth
strong point, like textiles, leather, sports,
points for quality education and research;
ceramics, etc. The government may consider
and breeding ground for trained manpower.
to implement the proposal under federal Such a pioneer project has already been
law, because of its national coverage, impact
launched in 2001 at the NUML: National
and importance.
University of Modern Languages, Islamabad,
under its Faculty of Advanced Integrated

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 Committee on Education  Reforms in Higher Education

Studies. Its overriding concerns should be

quality control and standardization, in terms
of a distinguished scholarly Faculty, student
enrollment and facilities for research, like an
international level Research Library.

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10. Medium of Education/Instruction be. It is a constraint of historical continuity

and a cultural compulsion, which has
become integral to the Pakistani people’s
The problem of teaching and evaluation in collective unconscious, and cannot be
Higher Education is inextricably linked with ignored.
the Medium of Education. For the
The government should make concerted
development of Education, Pakistan was to
efforts at the national level to develop Urdu
move energetically to foster Urdu to replace
also as a language of sciences and
English over a period of 15 years. Pakistan
technology; and initiate practical steps to
has failed in its efforts; and the Urdu
translate text and reference books and
development graph has shown no
relevant documents into Urdu. That would
improvement either, rather it has gone
require careful futuristic foresight, vision and
down. There is no denying that Education
advance planning or Strategic Futurization on
can be best imparted in one’s native
the part of the government and the agencies
language, which carries its own specific
concerned, leaving both the manner and
culture and values with it.
period of transition at the discretion of the
However, adoption of Urdu as the national national system – so as to secure the switch-
and official language does not involve the over in the minimal time of 10-20 years.
elimination of English as an international
The position can well be reviewed
language. In fact, English as the leading
periodically, as the linguistic situation
international language should lend a helping
develops. The switching over to Urdu within
role in Higher Education.
the frame-work of Vision 2025, will surely
While both Pakistan and Urdu have lagged cause some tangible and intangible problems
behind, English has risen further and spread at the start, but will provide the needed
world-wide, having been strengthened by the advantage of better assimilating the
recent phenomenon of globalisation and education and development of regional
information technology. Under the research.
circumstances, Pakistan has the pragmatic
All developed nations are imparting
option to use English as the medium of
education and training in their own
Higher Education, Science and Technology.
languages. Countries which have neglected
At the same time, respect for linguistic
their regional and national culture, language,
nationalism may cause it to ultimately switch
literature, ideology and philosophy, and
over to Urdu as the medium of instruction.
adopted alienating foreign concepts and
There can be no denying the fact that Urdu,
values, have suffered in the long run.
both as language and literature, is a vital
Institutions of Higher Education need to
ingredient of Pakistan’s national identity, and
maintain bonds of loyalty with their own
this identity cannot find expression in any
country, as the first priority, and then with
other language, howsoever developed it may

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 Committee on Education  Reforms in Higher Education

the international community in the context

of the internationalisation of Education.
Under the existing circumstances, this can
be best achieved with Urdu as the medium
of instruction, supplemented by English as a
compulsory international language, as
proposed above. History has shown that the
most viable system of Higher Education is
the one which exhibits the right balance
between unity and diversity, a reflection of
the universality of knowledge and specificity
to indigenous socio-political, economic and
cultural needs.

No student should be considered as qualified

for a higher degree, unless he has acquired
reasonable fluency, if not proficiency in
English. The implications of this will be
twofold: all teachers will have to be bilingual
in the sense that they should be able to
teach with ease in the national language as
well as in English; and all students should be
able to follow teaching and use reading
material in both the languages, conveniently.

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11. Course Duration

A student in Pakistan completes the FA/F.Sc

and BA/B.Sc after 12 years, and 14 years of
studies, respectively. In England, Australia,
New Zealand and India, students complete
the ‘A’ Level studies (equivalent to the
Intermediate) after 13 years of studies, and
the Bachelor’s Degree after 15 years, while
in the rest of the world, the Bachelor’s
Degree is awarded after 16 years of studies.

One of the main reasons for Pakistan’s low

standard of education and non-recognition
of its degrees abroad, is its short duration of
studies. In order to come to terms with
international standards, and more, to
improve the quality of education, the
duration needs to be increased by one year
in the intermediate, two years in the
Bachelor’s Degree courses and so on along
with the necessary adjustment in the
academic structure.

It is further considered to have one National

System of Education, instead of the existing
three and to start and conclude the
academic session and examination schedule
of all the regular study courses at one time.
The minimum duration of the M. Phil.
programme should be two years and of the
PhD three years.

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12. Technical and Engineering Education

Pakistan, though a nuclear power, lags far

behind developed countries, and even most
of the Asian countries, in the field of
technical and engineering education. Only
two Ph. Ds in Engineering have been
produced by Pakistan in its 54 years of
history.

The enrolment ratio of students in Science

education is only 30% as compared to 70%
in Arts. Pakistan being a developing country
can ill-afford to continue to be a silent
spectator and neglect this sector, so vital to
its existence and economic health.

Therefore, there is an immediate need on

the part of the government to initiate
measures to increase the induction ratio of
students in Science, in order to restore
parity with the Arts, if not more, and carry
out a reappraisal of Science education as a
whole, in the light of the country’s needs
and global advancements.

The government may consider incentives

like the award of scholarships to students
for doing Ph. D, provide free computers,
create a separate cadre of, and allow
freedom of work to scientists, technologists
and engineers. While emphasising Natural
Sciences, care should be taken that the
Social Sciences are not neglected, as they are
essential for balanced human resource
development.

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Committee on Education
13. Systemic Institutional Development
One of the important contributions which
major universities can make towards the
development of other universities and
affiliated colleges is to provide them with
teachers of quality.
The following steps are proposed for
Internal Integrated Institutional
Development:
a. Every effort should be made and
incentives offered to induce talented
students from universities to join the
teaching profession, and to appoint a
majority of them in universities/colleges
other than their own, so that they can help
to raise the standards of other institutions.
The University Grants Commission should
perform the role of a central clearing house
in this regard, and supply data about such
suitable young scholars to
universities/colleges, and about the available
jobs to the youth.
b. With a view to facilitating the
recruitment of outstanding persons to the
teaching profession, the University Grants
Commission should sponsor a scheme for
instituting fellowships for the purpose.
Outstanding persons, who may otherwise be
lost to the profession, should be granted
these fellowships and seconded to work in
universities, care being taken to see that
they are afforded permanent appointment as
early as possible.
c. Universities and affiliated colleges
should be encouraged, as far as possible, to
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 Reforms in Higher Education
pre-select their new teachers and attach
them to major universities for some time,
during which period they are facilitated to
develop close contact with outstanding
teachers and receive seasoned guidance
from them in their chosen profession, study
schemes and techniques of research.
In the course of time, the students as
graduates of major universities and centres
of advanced study will find appointments in
other universities/colleges and carry over
their traditions of work and scholarship to
these new places. Universities will thus pass
their traditions and systems to other sectors
of higher education and help in raising their
standards.
This process of extending standards of major
universities, should prove a shrewd move to
be fostered by the University Grants
Commission, through strong inter-university
links among members and departments,
particularly in the fields of research.
Much of the strength of higher study
programmes and quality of research lies in
the quality of the faculty. The faculty is the
central figure of the whole process. It is,
therefore, important that faculty position is
strengthened through advanced
education/training. In order to develop the
faculty, the government needs to evolve a
strategy on the above lines, which could
simultaneously develop the institutions as
well as the faculty by implementing Ph. D
programmes and institutionalising the
proposed scholarships/ fellow-ships scheme.
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 Committee on Education  Reforms in Higher Education

14. Student Code b. Damage or deface any property of

One reason why so many university and
college students do not take their studies
seriously and indulge in disruptive actions, is
that they do not have a clear idea of what
exactly is expected of them, and if they
falter, what legal action can be taken against
them by the institution.
Though the University
Acts/Statutes/Ordinances often provide for
the framing of rules regarding discipline and
proper conduct of students, practically
nothing is done in action. It is high time that
a set of model rules for students be framed
by educational institutions, and enforced in
letter and spirit as the Students Code of
Conduct.
Students at the time of admission can be
made to give an undertaking that they would
abide by the stipulated rules. Such discipline
should be strongly backed by the Student
Discipline Committee, Parents-Teachers
Association, imposition of prohibitive
penalty, and withdrawal of permission to
take the examination if class attendance is
less than 80%.
the university, or do any act likely to cause
such damage or defacing.
c. Engage in any conduct which is, or is
likely to be, detrimental to the university
rules of business.
The Code of Conduct may well also include
a clause to the effect that: “I (the student)
will pursue my studies regularly, and in case
of unsatisfactory performance or disciplinary
reason, will stand ineligible to continue
further studies or sit in the examination”.
Universities abroad have their own system
of policing. But posting of Rangers to infuse
discipline on campus, as is being done by the
University of Karachi, is not recommended.
The arrangements must come from within
the institutions, and the above measures,
properly enforced, will surely be able to
restore the lost sanctity of the institution.

The rules of the Code of Conduct may

include, among others that no student of the
university/college shall:

a. Disrupt teaching, study, research or

administrative work, or prevent any member
of the university and its staff from carrying
on his work, or do any act likely to cause
such disruption or prevention.

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15. Student Services and Career business in the world. Many times one may
Placement feel down and out and start questioning
one’s ability. Students should be mentally
prepared by universities as a part of
The concept of student services and career education to fight all negative thoughts and
placement does not exist in the present feelings; and to maintain a positive attitude,
system of education in Pakistan. These are while going through the exercise of looking
not merely a welfare activity but an integral for a job. Here again, the Basic Life Skills,
part of Education. This system is generously especially People skills and Communicative
and successfully practiced in foreign skills are of immense value.
universities.
Along with career planning and placement,
Students, towards the conclusion of their students should be provided health services,
higher studies, spend a lot of time, resource book bank facilities, text book loans,
and energy working and worrying about opportunities to earn while they learn, and
what lies ahead for them. A fortunate few financial aid in the form of scholarships/fee
may have a clear idea of what they want to concessions, etc. Universities/Institutions of
do in life, and how to achieve it. The Higher studies should be directed by the
majority flounder for varying lengths of time, government to incorporate such provisions
muttering ‘I have no clue what to do’. in their rules of business and make
Making decisions is difficult for everyone, arrangements for them, as a matter of
and in particular, making that ‘first career institutional commitment. If need be,
decision’ is certainly very difficult. For an University Acts may also be amended to
individual of 21-23 years of age, it is often cover the foregoing.
the first key decision that matters in his life,
so far characterised by successes at
educational snakes and ladders. It is,
therefore, necessary to provide some
guidelines to students, preparing them to be
able to market themselves in the real world
of business, towards the completion of
studies. Counseling and guidance services
should offer general advice on: factors to
consider while choosing a career,
preparation of personal product manual
known as the Biodata Brief, Resume or
Curriculum Vitae; how to conduct oneself at
an interview, etc. Looking for a job in an
employment interview is one of the
loneliest, most difficult and most frustrating

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Conclusion References

The points highlighted in this paper are 1. Haque, Anjum Riyazul, An Assessment of The
Educational Delivery System of Selected Institutions of
considered as criteria for an efficient
Higher Learning in Pakistan, University of Santo Tomas
educational institution of higher learning. Graduate School, March, 1992 (Ph. D. Thesis).
The research can help universities in
Pakistan to take a serious look at and into 2. Azam, Dr. Ikram, Learning to Live Creatively:
Education as Enlightenment, The PFI, Islamabad, 2001.
the quality of their Educational systems, thus
identifying their strengths and weaknesses. 3. Qadir, Zafar Iqbal, Educating Social Change for
Results of the research could be utilised by Community Development in Pakistan, The NUML, 2001
(Unpublished Ph. D. Thesis).
university administrators in bringing together
adversarial sectors to enable them to analyse 4. Iqbal, Ahsan, Challenges of Knowledge
their problems and issues from a common Economy, The Dawn, May 25, 2001.
view-point. The research could, likewise,
Source: Prof. Dr. M. S. Shamshad. Higher
provide the basis for future planning by
Education In Pakistan. The PFI; 2012.
universities with regard to their services and
(A PFI Silver Jubilee Publication: 1986-
administration, with emphasis on key issues
2011/2012).
and the optimum utilisation of resources. If
heeded, it could help to reform the system
of Higher Education in Pakistan, creatively
and futuristically in the real sense.

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