Following the enforcement of Coronavirus-induced lockdown and subsequent disruption of academic activities countrywide, Higher Education Commission (HEC) has made several attempts to start online education without considering the absence of a proper Learning Management System (LMS) in universities across Pakistan.
In its latest attempt, HEC has sent letters to universities all over the country in a bid to force them into starting online classes from campuses as soon as possible. HEC has allegedly employed this approach so it can prove to the federal government that it has compensated the disruption of physical academic activities through online classes.
HEC has directed both private and public universities to establish extra-statutory bodies, ignoring their current constitutional bodies, for starting online classes.
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Dr. Nadia Tahir, Managing Director at HEC’s Quality Assurance Agency, has reportedly written to all universities to set up online academic councils to manage the process of online education, thus undermining the autonomy of universities.
When contacted by media outlets, HEC Chairman, Dr. Tariq Banuri, claimed that the guidelines issued previously to the universities clearly state that universities must delegate the task of executing online classes to the decision-making body.
We made it clear in the letter that a university, at its discretion, could either assign the task to an existing body or form a special one for the purpose.
In the letter, HEC has further ordered universities to implement HEC’s policies and adopt the SOPs regarding online classes. In this regard, HEC has sent a draft model policy to all universities and directed them to submit the model policy to their decision-making bodies as soon as possible.
As per the draft model policy, each university must establish a decision-making body that will approve the launch of existing courses for online classes. In case of disagreement, universities must submit an online education policy document to HEC’s online accreditation council.
According to the guidelines of the draft model policy, universities have three options to execute the policy. The first option states that universities can form ad hoc committees comprising of faculty deans and headed by the vice-chancellors. The second option states that universities can establish part-time or interim committees of the academic councils. Whereas, the last option states that universities can designate their existing academic councils as online academic councils.
The letter further states that universities must formulate transparent SOPs for transforming existing courses into online education. In case of failure to create SOPs, HEC will take action against teachers. HEC has also tasked HODs to ensure faculty members meet all the HEC requirements for online classes.
In addition to this, HEC has asked faculty deans to obtain assurances from the HODs and send them to HEC’s online accreditation council for approval. The accreditation council will then seek feedback from students regarding the performance.
In case of any issue, HODs and faculty members will be responsible for resolving it. HEC will also take action against HODs and faculty members if they provide fake information regarding students.
President of Karachi University Teachers’ Society, Dr. Anila Amber Malik, has said that the society does not believe in any extra-constitutional bodies proposed by the HEC.
Our members will not follow the suggestions of the HEC in this regard. The universities will only consult their existing constitutional bodies for the execution of online classes if need be. The HEC has exceeded its limits by issuing such letters.
Karachi University’s Director of Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC), Jamil Kazmi, has said HEC’s directives aim to tarnish the autonomy of institutions.
The university does not intend to create any interim committees for the implementation of its Learning Management System. The autonomy of the Karachi University will only be respected when its decisions are taken within the jurisdiction of its statuary bodies.
Via: Tribune
HEC Khud Q Launch Nahi Karta WEBPortal us Main UNI/COLLAGE Ko Kahe Apne Classes Add Kar
Her UNI Apni Alag Alag Link Q Banaye
No one is considering the problems of student either they are understanding the course or not . teachers are uploading bundles of recorded lecture!
Examz are important for university students but not for 9th ,10th,11th and 12th standards WOW!!!
CANCEL EXAMZ OR OPEN UNIVERSITIES!!!!
We are not in favour of online classes if due to this pandemic the Hec has announced for online classes then it must keep in view the problems of the students we had already submitted our full fee to university now we have other problem of internet packages many students can not afford this……..if we set aside all these students issues then we have other problem of online exams.. ??we don’t want to appear in online examination kindly kindly give favour to us and our exams should be held in July or August and in the university ….this online poor examination system will effect our Grades ???we paid this heavy fee not for this plzzz hope so you are getting me.
Thanks
Regards Maria Abbasi
HEC should reopen universities for qualitative education cuz E-learning had been totally flop ..
There is no online classes teachers only send us topics and orders us to make assignments . Either we know about the story or not it is not their concern. They just want their syllabus complete.
Everything has been opened.Why are universities closed?.HEC is not uderstanding problem of students.We only as soon as possible universities reopen as we continue our studies.We have not proper managment of online classes.
Well
For Universities it is quite easy to make a promotion of students on previous academic record or to cancel out the exams , knowing that online system is totally flopped and is no more than a wastage of time , Teachers are sending files randomly without making any sense in groups and too are now avoiding to take online classes on zoomapp or Google classroom because they too now realize that it is totally a wastage to arrange online lecture , who can take this headache?just send PDF files and leave it to students themselves , isn’t it unfair and stupidity . I don’t know why HEC isn’t getting a sense that in our Universities education , online system proved to be totally flopped , Stop getting credit from higher authorities , HEC please , it’s a humble request of mine and every student .Not even our whole class submitts assignments even after of a week or 4,5days deadline because they don’t have access to internet all the time or because they don’t have laptops so still u think you can take online exams too?taking exams of FSC and MATRIC are quite valuable and important than of university students .
Ya Chairman HEC aur wo education officials jo without exams promotion ki mukhafat Kar rahay hai un logo ko corono ho Gaye.
Ameen.
Dear Sir! Please inform us what should be the decosion for those students who are doing masters privately?
Plz stop online examz . Thats not to be good for students .. students faced many problems for online study .. but now u taken be online exms not possible plzz cancel online exms nd open universities.. plzzz