KARACHI, Dec 16: The Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association on Friday demanded government to restore student unions at educational institutions to end political interference into their affairs and curb growing incidents of manhandling teachers by student activists.

Addressing a press conference at Govt S.M. Arts College, SPLA office-bearers Prof Mirza Athar Hussain and Prof Mohsin Raza Bhatti termed restoration of student unions at educational institutions the only solution to end such kind of behaviour by the student political organizations and said it would improve student-teacher relationship at educational institutes.

They also criticized the authorities for making teaching of Sindhi Salees at colleges as a political issue and deplored that instead of recruitment of teachers, Sindhi teachers were being transferred to Karachi from the interior of Sindh to overcome the shortage.

The SPLA demanded appointment of on-duty officials as heads of educational boards and cancellation of transfers of Sindhi teachers from interior of Sindh.

It criticized the provincial and federal education authorities for their decisions without taking educational experts into confidence for holding composite exams of class 9th and 10th as well as 11th and 12th.

Condemning the incidents of manhandling teachers at the hands of rogue elements, the office-bearers demanded stern action against culprits, particularly in the case of Prof Sajid Munir of the JPMC.

They said if such incidents were not curbed, sincere and dedicated teachers and knowledge-seeking students would prefer to remain at their homes.

SPLA office-bearers called for taking steps to curb corruption in Sindh Education Department; deployment of new teachers at newly established colleges; appointment of permanent principals at 50 colleges in Karachi; and provision of funds at colleges for hiring cooperative teachers.

They, however, welcomed the decision of giving colleges under the administrative control of provinces by taking them back from city governments and said it would help improving educational standards of colleges. —PPI