KARACHI, Nov 23: A lack of coordination between the heads of education departments of the city and provincial governments is adversely affecting the working of ten newly set up boys and girls colleges in the city, sources in the academic circles said.

Despite passage of three months, majority of the new colleges lacked the amenities like electricity, gas, telephone and furniture, besides the teaching and non-teaching staff, which has brought the number of students, placed by the city government’s admission committee, in first year classes at these colleges, down.

According to a source, the state of affairs at these colleges is not at all satisfactory and there are no signs of immediate improvement in the situation, both in regard to academic and administrative matters.

If, somehow, the city government wanted to take some steps towards improving the new colleges, the provincial government came up with the notion that “breach of authority,” on the part of city government, had been observed, he said.

A source in the provincial education department said that the high ups at the department had lately cited the transfers of some senior professors as principals, by the city education authorities, at the new colleges as violation of rules.

The action of EDO (Higher Education), in regard to these transfers, had displeased the Sindh education secretary, who directed the additional secretary of the department to seek explanation from the EDO and also ensure restoration of teachers to their previous postings, a senior education official confided.

It was further claimed that the EDO was not competent enough to issue such circulars and he must have got approval from the Sindh Education department before issuing these.

The EDO had issued an office order on Sept 1, with the approval of the city Nazim, asking ten associate and assistant professors to take the charge of principalship of the newly-established colleges with immediate effect, the official said.

A college teacher said that the copies of EDO’s circular were also forwarded to Education minister and Education secretary, among others, and any action of the competent authority, after a lapse of about three months, would certainly add to the problems of the city government in regard to promotion of education.

The Sindh government had also taken notice of an order by the EDO, assigning additional teaching responsibilities to 33 government college teachers at the new colleges, he said, adding that the Education department had termed the order a breach of jurisdiction by the EDO.

Sources in the city government maintained that city Nazim had already talked to provincial government in regard to teachers’ assignments for making the new colleges fully functional.

The buildings of the colleges were lying unutilized, while the students, particularly female ones, had also been suffering due to the absence of government colleges close to their residences.

In view of the problem, the city government decided to make those buildings functional, despite the fact that a proper handing over and taking over of some of those buildings between different departments of the government was still due, added the source.

The admission committee had placed over 1,500 students for admission to first year classes in different faculties at ten colleges, but many students preferred to change their colleges in view of the prevailing uncertainty.

There is need of about 200 teachers for the new colleges, while the provincial government was failing to take immediate measures for recruiting the teachers, a source observed.

The city government also resorted to hire teachers on voluntary basis, without any honorarium, who would be handed over a letter of appreciation and experience.

In fact, we are missing any meaningful education at the new colleges, maintained the students admitted there, urging the authorities, including the educational board concerned, to look into the matter and ensure a coordinated working to develop the colleges in a proper sense.

Talking about the poor condition of colleges and non-availability of teachers and other staff, a teacher said that the in charge principal of the Government Degree Boys College, Manghopir, visited for the first time his new college in the first week of September, to find only a chowkidar from the building contractor and nothing else.

In the absence of furniture and stationary, as well as security arrangements, the principal maintained his office in his car or on a plastic chair, provided by the contractor, who was yet to deliver the building to the government, the teacher said.

Out of 200 students placed for three faculties at the college, only 25 finalized their admissions, and were still awaiting teaching and training, he said.

At least five teachers were required for one faculty, while not even a single was reporting there and consequently the students had stopped coming to the college, added the teacher, informing that the situation was not different at some other colleges, including one at Surjani Town.

Referring to the zero facilities in a letter to the Education secretary, the principal of Manghopir college, had pointed out that he had allowed admission to students with the understanding that arrangements to start the classes would be made as soon as admission process got completed, but in view of the prevailing situation at the college, he now considered that his services as principal were not further required for proper conduct of theory and practical classes and as such he should be withdrawn from the new college, it was learnt.