LAHORE: The University of Engineering and Technology’s (UET) Teachers Staff Association (TSA) has written to its vice chancellor (VC) asking him to immediately form departmental tenure revenue committees so that teachers working on administrative and academic posts are awarded tenure and legalised.

TSA President Prof Dr Suhail Aftab Qureshi and General Secretary Muhammad Rashid in a letter to the VC drew his attention towards the issues varsity teachers have been facing for over a year.

“In order to reduce the salary difference between basic pay scale and TTS (tenure track system) teachers, it has been suggested that computer and technical teaching allowances be restored to their original proportion and incentive given for paper writing,” the letter stated.

“We had also requested for increasing several other allowances such as resident tutors’ allowance, POL facility, etc but these were not discussed in the finance and planning committee meeting.”

It further stated that teachers’ evaluation for 2014 was still pending due to unidentified reasons. Academic year 2015-16 has passed and evaluation for 2016 was due too.

The association claimed no provision had been made regarding accommodation of teachers by constructing new housing units; there was no improvement in maintenance and utilities network as well.

The letter said the remaining positions of various cadres and departments would have to be advertised anew.

“In advertisement the varsity always focused on teachers’ appointment on contract/TTS. It seems the varsity wants to convert UET Lahore into a centre of ad hocism,” it stated, and demanded that all eligible candidates be promoted to the BPS unless they opted for TTS themselves.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2016