Private educational institutes violating MoHE rules

KABUL (SW): Findings by Salam Watandar indicate a number of private educational institutes lacking official endorsement by the Ministry of Higher Education have enrolled students in various faculties.

Documents obtained reveal institutes such as ‘Rah-e-Saadat’ has committed this illegal act in Takhar and Balkh provinces while ‘Tolo-e-Aaftab, Idraak and Azhar’ insitutes have enrolled students for fresh batches in Kabul without the approval of the MoHE. The Directorate for Private Universities at the MoHE has vowed to take stern actions against such institutes.

Letter number 160 dated 22-04-2017 by the Directorate for Private Universities to private institutes has noted that some private universities started enrolling students after the official date for entrance exams. It adds that the university entrance exams ‘Kankoor’ takes place on a certain date, hence those selected [at these private universities] after these exams and admissions, would not be approved. In an another letter number 262 dated 23-05-2017, the Directorate for Private Universities has raised concerns over the academic system of the week-end classes at some private higher education institutions. It has warned that the certificates of students at these institutes would not be approved.

Mohammad Ameer, director at the Directorate for Private Universities at the MoHE, told Salam Watandar that those individuals who have taken exclusive admissions after the ‘Kankoor’ exams and admissions, would not be acknowledged as students. He added those institutes offering week-end-only classes would be closed down this year.

Responding to this, Mateen Idrak, director of ‘Idrak Higher Education Institute’ said he has not received any such letter from the MoHE. He went on to say private education sector should be backed and supported by the government. Jamaludin Seena, deputy director Khusheed University, argued that the Article 10 of the Constitution binds the government to support private sector in the free market economy. Aakif Jehad, director for ‘Rah-e-Saadat’, defending the week-end classes said many busy students who have jobs or are teachers can only manage their own studies in the week-ends.

The director at the Directorate for Private Universities at the MoHE, however, does not buy this argument. Mohammad Ameer underlined that Afghanistan is a developing country unlike many developed countries in the world, and cannot grant certificates of approval to students who have only studied in the week-end institutes.

Article 4 of the Directorate for Private Universities binds private universities to follow the curiculam approved by the MoHE. Official statistics suggest up to 137 private institutes for higher education have obtained licenses. 68 of them are in the capital Kabul while the rest of 69 are in various provinces. Some 70, 000 students are enrolled in these institutes.

In line with the Presidential Decree no. 45, some 65 private institutes have been assessed, and the results are pending at the Council of Ministers that would announce the elevation of some of these institutes to the level of universities while some others would be granted the approval to teach up to the Masters level.

ENDS