The government would set up Quality Enhancement Cells (QECs) in all the public sector universities to address the crucial issues of quality in higher education sector. These cells will work under Quality Assurance Agency which will be housed at Higher Education Commission (HEC) Islamabad. According to HEC here on Wednesday, the first phase of the programme will be completed in June 2005 and will be extended to rest of the universities during the next two years.

An amount of Rs 29 million has been allocated for the project while HEC will provide Rs one million to each university for setting up the Quality Enhancement Cells.

These will be headed by experienced and qualified professionals who will be directly answerable to the Vice Chancellors and will deal with all aspects of quality control in the university including quality of higher learning.

The QECs will be regulated, guided and monitored by the Quality Assurance Agency to ensure the improvements in quality at all levels of higher education and to ensure a uniform standard throughout the country.

The Quality Assurance Agency will perform major functions under the heads of monitoring and evaluation and capacity building for improving standards of quality in higher education across the board.

The agency will analyse the present state of quality assurance in higher education and will develop a sustainable mechanism of quality assurance and capacity building programme required to meet the challenge of the provision of quality higher education.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2005