October 29, 2008	Wednesday	Shawwal 29, 1429

KARACHI, Oct 28: Most government colleges in the city whose performance in the 2008 examinations of Higher Secondary Certificate Part-II (Class XII) – in the groups of science (pre-engineering and pre-medical) and general science (computer) – were abysmal have cited a shortage of teachers at the main cause of their students’ poor results.

It is believed that the province is doing without over 2,000 college teachers. With the establishment of four girls colleges and one boys college, the number of government colleges in the city has risen to 123 in this academic year.

The Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi, (BIEK) has issued notices to 89 government and private colleges of the city whose results in the intermediate science (pre-medical and pre-engineering) and general science (computer) annual examinations-2008 was below 10 per cent, asking them to explain the reasons of such a hopeless performance or else they will lose their affiliation with the BIEK. Results of more than 45 of the total 89 colleges was so poor that not a single student of theirs passed the examinations.

BIEK chairman Prof Anwar Ahmed Zai told Dawn that the board had so far received replies from 90 per cent of the government colleges which were told to explain the causes of their dismal performance in the examinations, and 90 per cent of them have mentioned a shortage of teachers as the main cause for the poor results of their students.

“Heads of most such government colleges have stated that they have been experiencing an acute shortage of teachers as posting of teachers in their institutions has not been made in accordance with the approved schedule of new expenditure (SNE),” he said, adding that he had taken up the issue of shortage of teachers with the director-general (colleges), Sindh, and it would be deliberated upon at their next meeting.

Speaking about private colleges whose students’ results in the examinations had also remained below 30 per cent – and in some cases even zero per cent – he said all those colleges had been warned to improve their performance or lose their affiliation with the BIEK.

Meanwhile, sources in the BIEK said that some heads of government colleges, in response to the BIEK’s notices, have also questioned the logic behind posting of teachers in government colleges, pointing out that there were some colleges where one could find as many as five or six teachers of a subject whereas there is either none or only a single teacher of the subject in other colleges.

Some heads of government colleges have also mentioned that there is a dearth of teachers, especially of Urdu, English and Pakistan Studies, and in some cases there is only one physics or chemistry teacher at their disposal for taking classes of different sections and since it is not possible for one teacher to teach the subject to various sections of both first and second year intermediate students, they had set the timetable in such a way that such subjects are taught on alternate days. They said that there should be regular classes of all science subjects – physics, chemistry and mathematics.

Meanwhile, well-placed sources told Dawn that most teachers use their political influence with government circles for posting in reputable colleges as their postings in the so-called prestigious colleges not only give them instant popularity but also help them earn handsome amounts from students seeking private tuition from them.