The higher education can play a vital role for the progress of developing countries to administer the social justice. Focus on higher education has become the priority of modern world to facilitate the nation. The highly skilled people of the developing countries are making their contribution in the economy of developed countries through their knowledge and skills. The standardization of higher education require check and balances for the accountability of public sector institutions including universities wherein lot of issues relating to students, academia and institutions need to be redressed through effective manner. For which an establishment of the office of the Higher Education Ombudsman (HEO) is necessary for effective and timely redress of the issues and concerns of the stakeholder of higher education in Pakistan. The mechanism of accountability through HEO in higher education institutions of Pakistan will provide awareness to the people on gross root level that will also strengthen democratic system in the country. The accountability process in higher education will be helpful to build positive relationships and foster effective engagement between government and citizens. The HEO will effectively maintain the standards of institutional education in Pakistan and ensure the advancement of good governance in education sector of Pakistan.
Key words: Higher education; research; accountability; ethical conduct
Introduction
The Office of the Higher Education Ombudsman (OHEO) is a need of the time to resolve complaints, disputes, and problems between higher education institutions, students and institutions, as well as grievances of all stakeholders including employees of the public sectors universities, post-graduate colleges and research institutions in all areas that affect student learning and standards of higher education. The OHEO will function independently from the public sector education system to provide an alternative mechanism for the resolution of disputes and complaints against higher education institutions to save time, costly lawsuits and administrative hearings. The OHEO will provide free and confidential services to students, higher education institutions and their employees without damaging the repute and good will of the institutions.
Our work will contribute to quality public sector higher education, the closing of the achievement gap, and help to the students to involve in research and higher education without any undue hindrance.
The department of education has figured high on the list of the number of complaints that has received during 2010-11. For instance, in 2010, 1,730 complaints have been received against the government of Punjab education department.
Appointment and Function of Higher Education Ombudsmen (HEO)
The HEO shall be education professionals with extensive expertise in higher education, conflict resolution, mediation and research issues in education. They should be appointed by the federal and provincial governments at federal and provincial level to redress the education issues at their respective jurisdiction. Ombudsmen should speak to all parties involved to understand the problem, research applicable laws and policies, facilitate and/or mediate conversations among students, institutions and their officials for the guidance of all parties towards resolution focusing on what is best for the student and institutions. Students of the higher education institutions, their parents, legal guardians or educators as well as their concerned institutions and officials who need to resolve a problem affecting a student and quality of education of the institution.
Ombudsmen will tackle issues such as bullying/harassment, suspension, expulsion, enrollment, transportation, discipline, academic progress, truancy, examination and more. The harassment of female students of higher studies by notorious group of the students, teachers and administrative staff has become a challenging issue in the South Asian Society particularly in Pakistan where parents do not allow their children to continue co-education. Similarly, the inappropriate treatment of administrative staff and academia to fulfill the formalities of enrolment and examination in research studies is extraordinary burdensome for the students. The neglected and irresponsible supervisory behavior of the concerned authorities of the institutions may result suspension or expulsion of research studies. The delaying tactics and inefficient efforts to conduct the examination in time by the authorities resulted in frustration among the research students. Therefore, accountability through Ombudsman can overcome the issues higher studies.
Aims and Objectives of HEO
OHEO's mission is to promote equity in education and support the ability of public sector higher education institutions and their students to fully participate and benefit from public education in Pakistan. It will envision youth of Pakistan, institutions, students, communities, and educators as empowered partners in a responsive, accountable, and equitable public education system, focused on student academic success. The OHEC will be an informal network for academic ombudsmen in Pakistan. The network consists of ombudsmen at higher education institutions and individuals affiliated with institutes of higher learning. The objectives of OHEO are to provide information and counsel, which may involve rights and available options, applicable state laws and regulations, and procedural guidelines to follow when filing a complaint as well as resolve the complaints and issues as per law and prevailing procedure. The OHEO will perform the following tasks: it will deal with complaints about shortcomings in the performance and services of higher education institutions; it will keep direct communication lines with representatives of the universities, the Universities of Applied Sciences (FHS), the teacher training colleges, and with interest groups or representative bodies such as the Higher Education Department of the provinces and Higher Education Commission (HEC); the Federal and provincial Ombudsmen will report directly to the President of Pakistan and Governors of the concerned provinces on inquiries and complaints and the steps and measures taken in response to them.
The inquiries and complaints submitted to the OHEO will examine and make effort, together with the respective institutions, to find solutions to problems or to remedy acute shortcomings.
The OHEO will establish its head office at Islamabad and sub offices at provincial headquarters. The OHEO will also run its own web site where students are informed about the most frequent topics and where a collection of internet links refers them on to other important internet sites. The OHEO's homepage will supply the most current news, e.g. on tuition fees, on study grants, on ongoing reforms in higher education but also on Frequently Asked Questions as they arise in daily student life.
The faculty members, parents and guardian of students can also consult the OHEO. In cases that cannot be directly settled by the concerned institutions, the OHEO will resolve the dispute accordingly. Further important tasks of the OHEO are to report to the parliament, and to come up with position papers and statements on draft laws on higher education. The Ombudsman will work neutrally and objectively with all parties to help make sure that eligible students receive services and supports necessary for them to benefit from public education, as guaranteed under federal and state laws. An Ombudsman should be a neutral party that works to ensure that bureaucracies or institutions' administration function fairly and provide services equitably. OHEO staff members should be dedicated to excellence in professional practice and to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct such as:
1. Independence. OHEO should be an impartial entity, independent of the public education system. OHEO reports its findings and makes recommendations based on review of data and public policy.
2. Neutral Perspective. OHEO should not allow personal views or beliefs about subject matter or the parties involved to affect decisions on casework or outcomes.
3. Impartial process. OHEO should receive and review each concern in an objective and fair manner wherein all parties should be treated equally without any favor or prejudice, and the OHEO shall help disputing parties focusing on the academic success of the student and institution.
4. Confidentiality. OHEO shall treat all matters, including the identities of students, parents/legal guardians, official of the institutions and individuals from whom information is acquired, as private and confidential.
5. Privileged-Communication. All communications by OHEO staff, if reasonably related to OHEO's duties and responsibilities and made in good faith, are privileged. The education ombudsman shall treat all matters, including the identity of students, complainants, and individuals from whom information is acquired, as confidential, except as necessary to enable the education ombudsman to perform the duties of the office. Upon receipt of information that by law is confidential or privileged, the ombudsman shall maintain the confidentiality of such information and shall not further disclose or disseminate the information except as provided by applicable provincial or federal law.
Conclusion
Ombudsman offices are established to enforce accountability in government and to protect citizens from acts of maladministration and misfeasance. However, the concept did not spread until the 20th century but the office of ombudsman is playing a vital role to redress the grievances of citizens. However, the office of ombudsman in higher education is necessary to redress the issues of students, employees and administration. The growth in population and trend towards higher education require to establish the office of ombudsman that will save the time of all stake holders of the institutions of higher education as well as make them accountable.