KARACHI, Feb 16: The Sindh Professors and Lecturers’ Association (SPLA) has demanded of the government to introduce a biannual examinations system for students of classes IX to XII and not to execute its plan of introducing one composite examination after two year of SSC or HSC studies from 2007 and 2009 respectively.
They also called for appointment of new teachers and promotion and move-over of college teachers and posting of regular principals at 120 colleges in the province.
Speaking at a press conference office-bearers of SPLA, Sindh, expressed the view that education departments, both at the provincial and districts levels, were badly failing to address the issues related to academics, training and teachers and that’s why chaos prevailed in related circles.
On the occasion, SPLA President Prof Syed Riaz Ahsan said that the federal and provincial education ministers in their last meeting at Karachi had resolved to implement a composite board-examination for students of secondary schools and colleges to test against a two-year education was extremely unconvincing.
The new system in offing is not only outdated but also against the spirit of semester or continuous assessment system which takes place at least twice a year, in addition to conduct of monthly assignment or surprise tests. The new system was not only in contrast to the most practiced system of assessment but was also an attempt to promote dual standards, particularly in a background when the universities, professional education institutions and government colleges depended on semester system, he added.
SPLA vice-president Prof Manzoor Hussain Chishti said that the college teachers’ association of Punjab and one operating as federal body were already working on the issue of “composite examination” and it was likely that in addition to approaching the authorities concerned, a rally on the issue of examinations and other problems of teachers would be brought out at Islamabad in a month time.
Coming on to academic situation in Sindh’s colleges, Prof Ahsan, said that under a scheme over 650 college teachers, including about 200 of Karachi, working on ad-hoc basis were waiting for extension in their contract period after completing first six months of job. Government should take up the issue on priority basis and issue offer letters similar to what had been issued by the NWFP government, so that the unrest among ad-hoc lecturers could be eliminated.
He said that there were 17 colleges, including 10 at Karachi, where teachers were working against no sanctioned posts.
Prof Ahsan also pointed out that some of the teachers belonging to teachers’ association meant for welfare works were being victimized by the authorities unnecessarily.
Unfolding the demands of the SPLA, Prof Ahsan said that the high-powered committee of the association had also decided to launch a campaign from Feb 23 at Sukkur, to press the demands on the government, which would continue in phases till March 16 when the general body meetings of college teachers would be held at Karachi and a rally would be brought out same day.
Demands included extension in service for the teachers who were recruited on ad hoc basis, issuance of move-over and promotion of more than 1,000 teachers, revival and reactivation of Sindh Teachers’ Foundation and College Teachers’ Academy, permanent appointment of principals, establishment of directorate of college education at Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and Larkana, elimination of external and political interference in the affairs of colleges, withdrawal of “illogical” composite examination plan and restoration of students unions at college level.
