FAISALABAD: Students of a private medical college staged a protest demonstration on Tuesday against the administration for not sending their admissions for supplementary exams and not arranging online classes for them despite receiving hefty fee.

Carrying banners and placards, the students gathered outside the institute and chanted slogans against the Aziz Fatima Medical and Dental College administration.

Parents of the male and female students were also present.

Talking to reporters, they said the administration had received fourth year fee in advance, promising that online classes would be arranged to avert their educational loss. However, they said despite passage of a considerable time the administration was doing nothing for classes.

It seemed the college administration was wasting their time intentionally, they alleged.

Parents said neither the administration was holding online classes nor sending the students’ credentials for their (third year) supplementary examination.

They said the future of nearly 100 children was at stake due to the indifferent attitude of the administration.

One of the protesters said: “We have submitted applications to the quarters concerned to resolve the issues but to no avail, leaving no option for them except to stage a demonstration.”

He said a protest would also be organised in Islamabad for acceptance of their demands. After registering their protest, the students dispersed peacefully.

College Principal Dr Noor Akbar through a handout claimed that the protest by the students was unjustified as the administration was demanding Rs950,000 as annual tuition fee and Rs50,000 as admission fee following the direction of the Supreme Court and the [defunct] PMDC.

He said [these] students were not paying the fee rather disturbing the college administration and also creating hurdles for other students.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2021