ISLAMABAD: In what could be dubbed as a praise-worthy move, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has finally appointed a permanent Director General for its Quality Assurance Division (QAD) after a lapse of more than four years.
The announcement was made by a notification issued by HEC Human Resource Management’s assistant director, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today. “Farmanullah Anjum Director General Chairman Secretariat is hereby transferred and posted as director general quality assurance division with immediate effect and till further orders. He will supervise the QA division and will report directly to Executive Director HEC,” the notification said.
QAD collaborates with Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), which is a policy-making and monitoring body for maintenance and enhancement of quality in higher education which was established in 2005 by the federal government through the HEC.
QAA is involved in the systematic implementation of quality enhancement procedures and the criteria to attain improved levels of international compatibility and competitiveness both at institutional and programme levels.
The QAA is working to safeguard public interest by enforcing good practices in education and encouraging continuous improvement in quality in higher education, besides being a monitoring and regulatory body to focus on quality and implementation of policies to improve the standard of higher education in Pakistan.
A senior official wishing anonymity told Pakistan Today that despite being such an important position, no permanent appointment has been made during the recently retired HEC chairman Mukhtar Ahmed’s tenure, however, soon after his retirement, the appointment has been made.
He said that since the QAD director general has to deal with important issues, the move must be widely appreciated, although it should have happened long ago.
