Sindh opposes HEC's policy to abolish two-year Bachelor's, Master's programmes

• Sindh says two-year programmes to continue in province
  
• Nisar Khuhro terms the move an attack on provincial sovereignty
  
• HEC had directed educational institutes to stop two-year degree programmes

The Sindh government on Wednesday rejected the Higher Education Commission (HEC)'s policy to abolish the two-year Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes.

Adviser to Chief Minister on Universities and Boards Nisar Khuhro, addressing a press conference, termed HEC's move an "attack" on provincial sovereignty and announced the continuation of all two-year degree programs in the province.

"All the universities of Sindh will continue the two-year degree programmes via the provincial autonomy under the universities act," the adviser said.

Read more: HEC advises students to avoid admission in unauthorised 2-year Bachelor's, Master's programmes

The adviser said that at times the federal government robs the right of the students through the Pakistan Medical Commission and sometimes it attacks the provincial autonomy through its tactics.

The adviser said the HEC's recent measures, including the associate degree programme and PhD policy, would deprive the middle and lower-middle-class of higher education on a large scale.

Last year, HEC had issued directives to all educational institutions to stop the two-year bachelor's degree programmes as it will not recognise any such programmes undertaken after the academic year 2018.

Read more: HEC will not recognise 2-year BA/BSc programmes taken after 2018

In this regard, the commission had written a letter to all public and private sector degree awarding institutions directing them to immediately stop such programmes as HEC has decided to phase-out the two-year degree BA/BSc programme.

According to the HEC, these programmes have been "phased out because of quality concerns."

"One or two universities have announced admission to unauthorised BA/BSc and MA/MSc programmes. While this will earn money for the university, it will not be in the interest of the students. These discarded degrees will not enable students to apply for jobs or further education," the notification stated.