February 26, 2008	Tuesday	Safar 18, 1429

BADIN, Feb 25: The Elementary College, a government teachers’ training centre, remains virtually non-functioning due to shortage of teaching staff, lack of facilities and occupation by district government officers of bungalows and residential quarters for the college staff.

The principal of the college is lodged in a hostel room. He has given the only bungalow he had been allotted to the college staff to help them stay at the college.

The rest of four bungalows and residential quarters for the college staff had been occupied by SP investigation, EDO of works and some district government officials, said Munawar Ali, acting principal of the college.

The college, which is under the Bureau of Curriculum and Extension Wing, started its classes in September 2004. It has four classrooms, principal’s office, clerical office, five bungalows, four residential quarters for the teaching staff as well as a hostel having 24 large rooms.

He said the college faced acute shortage of teaching staff. It had only two lecturers and a principal and two higher secondary teachers and a primary school teacher hired on deputation against the total strength of six lecturers, an assistant professor and a principal, he said.

Only 76 students including a few girls are enrolled in the college, which imparted training to only 235 teachers during last four years. The acting principal blamed residential problem for the low enrolment and shortage of teaching staff.

He accused the DCO of occupying and allotting bungalows to his men. Four bungalows were occupied by SP investigation, one by EDO works and the rest by some government officials, he said.

Recently some female lecturers from Thatta and Hyderabad were posted at the institution but they refused to join due to unavailability of residential facilities, he said.

Ghulam Murtaza Shaikh, a college lecturer, who has to travel more than 100 kilometres daily from Hyderabad to Badin, warned he would be forced to go back if he was not provided accommodation.

Mr Munawar said that another reason for declining number of pre-service students was disappointment in getting job as teacher while the in-service teachers did not take the training course seriously.

Most female students avoided to come to the college for fear of being teased by some of the occupants of the bungalows and quarters.

Now, the district administration was eying even the hostel rooms and District Nazim Ali Anwar Halepoto had already issued directions to the college officials to make four hostel rooms available for Sindh University Laar College.