Islamabad: A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training addressed key issues surrounding higher education reforms, student grievances, and accessibility for specially-abled individuals. Chaired by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, the session was marked by a protest against the continuous absence of the Minister and Secretary from committee meetings.

According to Senate of Pakistan, the meeting featured a comprehensive briefing by the Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), who discussed the degree attestation process, issues with Al-Khair University, and the implementation of a paperless attestation system. HEC had previously limited admissions at Al-Khair University due to academic irregularities and later suspended admissions entirely. The Supreme Court upheld HEC’s requirement for certain graduates to pass a test for degree recognition, a stance reaffirmed in HEC’s recent commission meeting.

The committee also addressed a complaint about a student allegedly using a pseudonym to file grievances, finding no evidence to support the claims. Operational challenges at the Federal Urdu University were discussed, with concerns about missing appointments affecting governance and decision-making processes.

Additionally, the committee examined academic equivalencies for Diploma of Associate Engineer holders and transport facilities for specially-abled students. The Capital Development Authority was directed to reassess bus routes to better accommodate wheelchair users and provide a compliance report to the committee. The session included representatives from various educational institutions and government bodies.