July 26, 2002	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 15,1423

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ISLAMABAD, July 25: Teachers serving in Islamabad public sector universities are not happy with the service conditions and the working environment, which is adversely affecting the profession.

Teachers expressed concern over the low standing of the teaching profession, because of the dignity and respect accorded to the profession and teachers in our cultural milieu.

A visit to a few of the public sector universities in the capital, by this reporter, proved that the teachers of the country were working without any teaching facilities or resources.

Teaching is considered among the noblest of profession and teachers are the architects of future generations. They are provided with most conducive working environment so that they can produce good leaders and visionaries.

Unfortunately, in Pakistan, instead of treating them as nation builders, (teachers) are at the lowest rung of the society because of the pathetic treatment meted out to education itself and the education sector by the ruling clique, be it military or civilian.

It is not therefore surprising, that most of the students do not see themselves opting for teaching as career given the choice.

There was a time when a teacher was a respected member of the society and intelligent cadre of the young lot preferred teaching as a profession.

Imagine, university teachers of grade-20 and 21 are not allowed the use air conditioners but staff of class IV working in federal ministries are provided this facility.

Talking to this reporter, president, Academic Staff Association (ASA) of Quaid-i-Azam University said: “I hardly find any teacher satisfied with the service conditions even at QAU, supposedly the highest seat of learning in the country, what can one say about other academic institutions”.

In the QAU, where a teacher begins his/her career from grade 17 is not provided any facilities, as a result, every new appointment in the teaching staff is on the look out for an opportunity to go abroad for better future prospects.

Another QAU teacher said visiting foreign professors are appalled to see the kind of research facilities available to our students here.

Despite repeated pledges made by the governments to provide best possible working conditions for the researchers, it has failed to elevate teaching standards of the country.

It is always the education sector that suffers when the government is faced with economic difficulties.