KARACHI, Feb 14: The Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association has urged the government to appoint 200 teachers with MCS degrees in colleges throughout the province for the enforcement of its much-emphasised information technology courses at the intermediate level.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the senior office-bearers of the association maintained that some hasty decisions regarding the implementation of the IT course in colleges had created doubts in minds, while on the other hand the Sindh education department was unable to ensure the teaching of the new course in a befitting manner, maintaining any uniformity in that regard.

They demanded delay the implementation of IT courses at the intermediate level in colleges as compulsory subject unless enquiry into the alleged bungling in the purchase of computers was completed, computer laboratories were established at about 207 colleges, competent teachers were appointed and posted and the relevant curriculum duly approved by the federal government was received.

President SPLA Sindh, Sirajuddin Qazi, and president SPLA Karachi, Athar Hussain, expressed the association’s reservations on certain decisions and actions taken by the authorities concerned in academic affairs. They also gave details of a protest campaign to be undertaken by college teachers in the major cities of the province.

The SPLA expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of any coordination between the city government and the Sindh education department regarding educational affairs and working of teachers, which, according to the teachers body, was ultimately affecting the government teachers and other employees.

The association demanded of the government to review the decision pertaining to the denationalisation of educational institutions in the province, and immediately order completion of different development schemes pending for the last many years.

It further demanded that government do away with the policy of merging the seniority lists of government and nationalised cadres teachers. The SPLA also demanded immediate orders regarding promotions and move-overs of teachers, librarians and physical education teachers.

The teacher body also expressed concern over the attack on the principal of the Superior Science College and demanded arrest of the persons involved in the incident.

Arrangements should also be made for the security of educational institutions, said Sirajuddin Qazi.