THE recent closure of the University of Peshawar by the teachers’ association has raised concerns among the students as the academic calendar stands disturbed. While the current strike will sooner or later come to an end, the decision-makers need to understand the impact of such closures on academic life.

The problems increase for most of the students who already pay their tuition fee with great difficulty. The university’s closure wasted their valuable time as they are unable to attend classes, take exams, or complete their assignments on time.

Many of the students belong to low-income families, and cannot afford delays and disruptions in the way of their effort to join the job market at the earliest possible opportunity. The closure of the university and the ongoing protests only add to their financial burden, making it increasingly difficult for them to continue their studies.

I am a final-year student of Microbiology at the University of Peshawar who saves each penny to ensure timely payment of semester fee. Due to the current closure, my research work has been disturbed. Other research projects are also facing the risk of being delayed or abandoned, which can have long-term consequences for the academic community.

Moreover, the students have to put up with protests for one reason or the other every semester. This causes significant disruption to the academic calendar. These protests are often related to the demands for the provision of better facilities and working conditions as well as higher salaries and benefits for faculty members. The actual impact of these frequent protests on academic activities simply cannot be overstated.

The closure of Peshwar University is affecting the students seriously, and is jeopardising the progress of research being conducted at the institution. The university administration should resolve the lingering issue, and reopen the university as soon as possible to minimise the impact on the research work being carried out by faculty members and research scholars, and ensure that the students do complete their studies without further disturbance.

Fazal Haq
Peshawar

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2023