Last week, I had ended my article “Marketers or Profiteers, stating that Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, Chairman, HEC, had exposed the names of bogus “institutes and universities” who peddle bogus degrees and PhDs. Unfortunately these “
educational institutes” are still being allowed to function and could end up doing more harm then good to our educational system.

Prof. Dr. Attaur Rahman has admitted that this country does not possess one university, which ranks amongst the first 500 in the world. To address this problem, our enlightened President – General has appointed the good Professor Atta 
to launch an aggressive program to rectify this sad situation.

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But what is surprising is a report that Dr. Rahman, the whistle-blower who raised this important issue of bogus PhDs and highlighted the dangers of uncertified or unapproved universities and colleges, who were churning out bogus degrees, was punished and fired from his job by HEC.

A recent press report has also given the names of some our “educated” legislators, who have bought these bogus degrees from the universities named in the HEC list, to cheat and lie to the Election Commission about their education qualifications. 

In an article, Dr. S. T. Rahim has commented on the wisdom of “commercializing” PhDs and has questioned the quantity and quality of PhDs that HEC hopes to generate in the country through its “money for degrees” campaign. 

In another article, "The rush to produce PhD degrees", Dr. Anis Alam has said “a country that possess a large number of PhDs, but produces very little knowledge, will lag behind and will not be able to overcome problems of economic and 
social underdevelopment. In Pakistan, a PhD degree is not a guarantee that the proud possessor will also be a productive researcher and a problem solver."

HEC scheme involves giving cash awards to university teachers for publishing research papers – and Rs 60,000 per paper published in a foreign journal. But monetary and status benefits to achieve academic credentials do not go well 
and in most Pakistani state-owned universities and various academic institutions, one can see the erosion of basic ethics while seeking a PhD degree, publishing research papers in various journals or seeking an academic position. 

Although these cash incentives are said to have increased the number of papers published in international journals, there is little evidence that this is due to an increase in genuine research activity. HEC incentives seemed to have encouraged 
the art of finding loopholes and how to cover up one's tracks while publishing research journals without doing research.

A similar program had been launched to encourage ISO certifications. Ministry for Science & Technology had offered Rs. 2 lacs to all manufacturers who got themselves ISO certified. There was a wild rush for ISO certification and 
in a period of 2 years, the country claimed that there were over 7000 ISO certified factories in Pakistan. 

However, inquiries have revealed that most of these were bogus companies, mostly from Sialkot and Punjab, who applied for the “reward”. Even those who were genuine, have not bothered to have the mandatory verification of standards, as required by law.

HEC must guard against the unethical methods being used to get a PhD degree and should provide incentives to only those who are genuinely engaged in research and are above the culture of nepotism and dishonest. It must ensure transparency while 
giving a PhD degree and should also make sure that the candidate continues with their original research. 

The Internet is now full of these virtual universities, offering virtual degrees and doctorates, like those trying to sell viagra and other sex stimulating drugs. One can 
understand desperate students succumbing to these tinsel covered, Wallmart degrees. But what is shocking and sad is that even some of our publicity hungry, solid pillars of society seem to have a earning to add a Dr. in front of their name and be photographed, wearing the haloed black robe and hat that go with a degree or a PhD. 

It boosts their egos and they are convinced that it will raise their status or standing in society. To deserve a doctorate, a person has to earn it by putting in years of 
hard work and research. A PhD degree is a symbol of prestige for true scholars. A fake degree or doctorate is an insult to these true scholars, who are engaged in free inquiry and the search and creation for knowledge. 

In 1997, Helpline Trust had launched an “Adopt a School” program, with the help of Lt. Gen. ® Moinuddin Haider, Governor, Sindh, at that time and Prof. Anita Gulamali, DG, Sindh Education Foundation. 

The objectives of the program were to “adopt” primary and secondary government schools and improve the infrastructure and the quality of education of these schools. Helpline had agreed to raise funds to improve the infrastructure, while 
SEF had agreed to improve the quality of education of these schools through crash workshops and training courses for the teachers.

Teachers Resource Center and St. Patrics School were kind enough to draw up these training programs and we managed to raise Rs 4 million from generous contributions, including CIDA, Infaq and Adamjee Foundations and other “Friends of Helpline”.

We had selected 30 primary and secondary schools from various parts of Karachi and provided desks, fans, electric fittings, windows, doors, toilets, water connections, etc., to improve their infrastructure. In the process, we had also helped in exposing the menace of ghost schools in Sindh.

Unfortunately, when we went to inspect the schools, most of the fittings that we had provided, were missing or had been stolen. In spite of Prof. Anita’s best efforts, even as Education Minister, no attempt was made by the education department to improve the quality of education in these schools. As such, we had to apologize to the donors and had to withdraw from the program. 

Even now, eight years later, Dr. Hamida Khuhro has not been able to achieve the desired results in Sindh and the overall situation of the state of education in Pakistan is just as dismal and we have to rely on fake degrees and PhDs to be able to become a minister or a parliamentarian. May Allah save our future generation from enlightened, tinsel Ministers, politicians, professors and doctors of straw.

H. Maker.

A Clarification from Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman

Dear Mr. Hameed Maker,

Your article published in The Citizen has come to my attention. It contains a number of factual errors (which were contained in newspapers articles of other authors and which are now reflected in your article).  Firstly there is no program and has never been any program to give Rs. 60,000/- per paper published in 
international journals.  This is totally incorrect and without any basis. 

Secondly nobody has been fired from the Higher Education Commission for “blowing the whistle about fake degrees”.  The one year contract of Dr. Isa Daudpota expired on 31st December from another organization “COMSTECH”.  A number of contracts are not renewed and he was one of the persons whose contract was not renewed. In fact the actions of the Higher Education Commission 
prove that we are going after illegal universities in a big way (nation-wide "Parents Alert" advertisements etc.). Legally only  the provincial governments can close down such institutions, but I am not sitting still - I am doing what I did in the case of substandard bottled water or ghee - creating public awareness which can be a very powerful weapon to shut down illegal operations!

There are strict quality measures in place for Ph.D. programs. I am enclosing an article by Dr. Rajput which was published in Dawn recently which gives the kind of quality measures which has been brought in place to ensure that the quality of Ph.D. degrees is of an international level. No one before me had introduced such strict measures!

Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman
Chairman [Federal Minister]
Higher Education Commission
Sector H-9, "Islamabad, PAKISTAN