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NCE again, this time in a meeting of the subcommittee of the National Assembly`s Standing Committee on Federal Education held on Wednesday, the question of restoring student unions has been raised. Federal Education Minister Shafgat Mahmood reiterated the stance expressed by Prime Minister Imran Khan last December in support of reviving these representative bodies, following student solidarity marches organised in cities across the country, with the caveat that care must be taken to draft a `comprehensive and enforceable code of conduct` under which they should operate. The pace at which the issue has so far been deliberated on, however, has not indicated much enthusiasm judging by the mixed responses of the MNAs as well as earlier statements by other policymakers such as the HEC, which in January expressed its opposition to such a move. Nonetheless, it appears that a consensus may finally be forming.
Now, the subcommittee members have decided to hold meetings with university vice chancellors to glean their input. This indeed appears to be the next logical step if one is to get a clearer picture of the need for and expedience of campus politics. No less valuable, however, is the insight of those student organizers who have been advocating on lifting the ban on student unions. The reality is that practically every political party has a student or youth wing active on campus. But a common misconception is to equate these with genuine elected representative bodies which can help the youth channel their civic and political impulses responsibly and productively the absence of which has created a vacuum that has given rise to illegitimate activities, including violence. Given how the pandemic has upended so much of the education sector, it is even more urgent that students are able to effectively raise their voices and express demands through democratic forums. An inclusive framework for student unions, based on meaningful consultations with all stakeholders (including students), must be devised soon to allow room for healthy debate on issues important to our youth.