Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recognizes Associate Degrees equal to Bachelor’s for government jobs, boosting career prospects and easing student financial burdens.
One of the Most Significant Policies in Higher Education
Recently, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has announced a very important policy change, which will positively affect thousands of students with an Associate Degree. To increase the career prospects and to make the education system more adaptable, the provincial government has formally recognized the status of Associate Degrees (ADs) as similar to that of a Bachelor’s Degree in terms of government employment. Higher Education Minister Meena Khan Afridi announced this decision that will transform the educational environment and will help to solve the chronic issues experienced by graduates in the province.
The ruling by the government is the result of a larger reformation of the higher education system in KP, which also included the abolishment of all Bachelor of Science (BS) programs in state colleges. The government has in its turn suggested the two-year, four semester Associate Degree program. This was to counter the issue of low student enrollment and high dropout rates in most of the four year BS programs. The government also seeks to provide a more market-relevant, accessible and streamlined education by transforming 230 BS programs in 128 government colleges into the AD model.
The Reason: Why BS Programs Were Phased Out
Not in a vacuum was the decision to substitute Bachelor of Science (BS) programs in state colleges with Associate Degrees. The move, in turn, was predetermined by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Higher Education Department (HED) conducting a thorough analysis of the existing academic programs. What their data showed, however, was a terrible problem; lots of BS programs were experiencing abysmal enrollment and dismal dropout rates. In other instances, there was a specific impact on subjects such as Political Science, Urdu, Pashto and Pakistan Studies. This was considered a huge waste of resources, to the students and the government too.
The Two-Sidedness of the Policy
The advantage of the policy is that it takes a two-lane approach; it offers immediate employability and at the same time provides a channel to higher education. The Associate Degree is designed to be a full qualification in its own right, providing fourteen years of formal schooling, the minimum prerequisite to several of the lowest level of government jobs. This changes how graduates used to spend money because they were unable to afford a full-four year degree. Nevertheless, the policy does not end at a dead end. Those who may choose to get a higher degree will find the HEC guidelines convenient to the transition. The holders of AD are able to pursue the fifth semester of an undergraduate study of four years in any recognized university and continue to accumulate the credits already earned. This will provide the students with a 2+2 system where they have the option of joining the workforce fast or pursuing an academic program further.
The Economic Impact on Students and Institutions
This change of policy has both great economic consequences to students and to the colleges. Students will have a lower cost load of having a 4-year education which many students may find daunting particularly amongst low-income families. A two-year degree over four-year implies that they join the job market earlier so that they do not need to spend so much time on college fees and accommodation costs. The new policy to the colleges is a chance to renew the academic provisions. They can increase the number of students and enhance their relevance by emphasizing on market-driven disciplines such as Information Technology, Computer Science and Business Management. It also enables the government to devote those resources to high demand programs that will have a higher payoff on investment.
The Broad Context: In Line with HEC and Global Trends
KP is making the right decision according to the national policy of education spearheaded by Higher Education Commission (HEC). The HEC has been phasing out of the old two year Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BSc) programs, and replacing them with the Associate Degree. It is an active KP government policy that has been executed but the move to specifically identify the AD as an eligible applicant in government employment positions is a new ground that can be emulated by other provinces.
Such a shift is also consistent with an emerging trend in the global community of shorter, vocational-oriented degrees that emphasize employability. Associate Degrees Two-year Associate Degrees are offered as an attractive alternative to a full-four year program in many developed countries providing students with the same preparation to work in the workforce and offer a more flexible education system. This choice by the KP government places the province at the center of this educational change in Pakistan.
The Economic and Student Benefits
This policy is a great success to students and their families. It has following major advantages:
Better Career Prospects
The most direct and relevant advantage is that AD holders now have the opportunity of seeking out government employment opportunities which previously could only be applied by the individuals with 4-year degree. This broadly increases the career prospects of the youth and forms a more direct linkage between school and work.
Financial Relief
The policy reduces financial stress to many families by provision of a two-year degree option. Students are now able to graduate and put in to the workplace far faster, without the need to incur the expense of two extra years of schooling. This is in itself a very important move towards ensuring higher education is availed to all students regardless of their socioeconomic status.
Flexibility and Academic Mobility
AD program offers flexibility to the students. Once they have graduated with their associate degree they are not restricted to one route. Depending on their choice, they can choose to join the job market or resume their studies. The HEC policy permits transfer of credits between an AD and a full BS program, i.e. students do not necessarily need to begin afresh. This renders the system of education more flexible to the changing career and life objectives of a student.
Market-Relevant Skills
The new AD programs will be more market-relevant skills-oriented, so that, upon graduation, the AD students are better prepared to meet the needs of the contemporary workforce. Other courses with low enrollments and which are unnecessary have been phased and more focus given to those areas that have high employment opportunities.
Criticism and Future
As much as the decision has received much applause, it has not been without criticism. Other education pundits have expressed worry that abolishing the BS programs in totality will undermine the level of higher education in the province. They claim that four years degree offers a more in-depth and extensive knowledge of something that can not be fully replicated in a two-year program.
Nevertheless, the KP government still insists that the action is based on the realities on the ground, where numerous BS programs were not performing well owing to low enrollment and a high dropout rate. The new policy will offer a more viable and efficient solution that can be compatible with the students and the employment market. The government through the promise it has made to see that graduates of AD can easily proceed with their education to get a BS degree is a promise that goes a long way in alleviating these worries.
Conclusion
It is positive that the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to recognize associate degrees in their governmental jobs. It does not only introduce new employment opportunities; it also promises a desire to establish a more responsive, flexible and inclusive education system. This policy will be able to empower a new generation of graduates, the economic development of the province, by alleviating the financial and academic stress of students.
