PESHAWAR: The Higher Education Department (HED) of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has temporarily restricted public sector universities within the province from affiliating with new institutions, colleges, or programmes until the Higher Education Commission (HEC) finalizes a new policy.
In a letter addressed to the public sector universities, the HED clarified that this action is prompted by the universities’ non-compliance with HEC affiliation policies. Universities have been affiliating with colleges that lack adequately qualified teaching faculty and do not meet the required academic and physical standards.
Additionally, it was noted that certain universities in KP disregarded jurisdiction policies, and some colleges were offering BS programs affiliated with universities where such programs were not offered at the main campus.
The recommendation was made for these programs to be relocated to nearby universities, subject to obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC). It was emphasized that degrees awarded in such cases would not be eligible for attestation by the HEC. —APP
