Universities amendment bill referred to assembly with ‘minor changes’

KARACHI: In a move akin to a slap in the face of opponents of the Sindh Universities and Institutes Law (Amendment) Bill, 2018, the Sindh Cabinet approved the controversial piece of legislature once again and decided to refer it to the assembly for reconsideration with minor changes.

Recently, Governor Mohammad Zubair returned the bill and objected to its lack conformity to the standards governing the remainder of the country’s institutions of higher learning and the transfer of power from the federal to the provincial Higher Education Commission (HEC).

Since the bill was passed by the assembly on March 9 it has engendered protests and criticism aplenty. Staff and students of public universities in the province have demanded that the law, which they claim snatches varsities’ autonomy, be withdrawn.

The Cabinet meeting chaired on Monday by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed its reservations on the language used by the governor in his observations. “The conduct of the governor cannot be discussed in the assembly. Since the chief minister is an elected representative and is answerable to the assembly, therefore he has been given the powers of appointing vice-chancellors through a search committee.

Bill to regularise teachers to be presented in Sindh Assembly today

Apart from this, proper procedure has been devised in the draft law to remove VCs through an inquiry committee in case serious allegations are proved against them,” said the chief minister’s spokesperson.

Official sources said that most of the cabinet members cried foul over 20 years of bungling, corruption and mismanagement at universities under the control of the governor’s office. The governor previously enjoyed full authority in varsity affairs.

“Despite the ban on contractual employees, around 250 retired employees were hired at Dow University of Health Sciences. We have now fired these people on the court’s orders,” the CM told participants of the meeting, adding that billions of rupees have been embezzled at public universities without proper mechanisms to monitor their affairs.

“There must be a proper watchdog to monitor the activities of VCs, taking action against them if they violate the rules and allegations against them are proven,” said Shah. The cabinet decided to send the draft to the law department where minor changes will be made with regards to inspections and inquiries to be conducted by the CM’s office. “Some senior officials of various departments will be included in the inquiry committee. After the amendment is vetted by the law department, the universities and boards secretary will refer the bill to the assembly,” explained official sources.

The sources added there will be no need for the governor’s assent if the assembly reconsiders the amendment. “After the 18th Amendment, the assembly secretariat is bound to refer all bills to the governor for his signature, which is mandatory for making any bill into an act. If the governor refuses to sign, then the assembly itself has the authority to pass it and make it into an act,” said the Sindh Assembly secretary.

Source: Express Tribune