LAHORE, June 6: The Government MAO College senior faculty, in an unprecedented move, on Wednesday resigned en masse from their positions as heads of academic departments and other administrative assignments “in protest against the whimsical and insulting behaviour of the college principal with them.”

College Principal Prof Dr Farhan Ebadat Yar Khan says there is no serious situation and “I do not have any problem.” Punjab Higher Education Department Secretary Dr Ijaz Munir says he will hold a meeting with college’s disgruntled staff and the principal on Thursday (today) and resolve the issue.

As many as 17 senior faculty members have signed a collective resignation and submitted to the principal office.

The situation, it was learnt, had been tense for several days as teachers were offended by the use of derogatory language.

“The college principal has got into the habit of using derogatory language with all the college staff -- from peon to professors,” alleged a faculty member, who had signed the resignation.

It was also learnt that all the 17 faculty members held a meeting to review the situation and then decided to go for en bloc resignation. The teachers also expressed their resentment over frequent shuffling of teachers on different administrative posts. They also resented principal’s behaviour with college students, who visit him, and inform him about their problems.

The teachers told Dawn that the principal was promoting junior teachers and posting them as head with senior faculty working under their control. They claimed that the principal had also replaced psychology department head for the third time. The psychology and chemistry departments’ heads were also replaced. They said the teachers, who were not even heads of departments, were disturbed over `divide and rule policy’ of the principal.

“The principal’s insulting attitude with senior faculty members, who have 25 to 30 years service to their credit, cannot help bring about any improvement in the college,” a departmental head said.

Though the principal wanted to improve the academic and administrative environment of the college, he said, institutions could be improved with teamwork and not by making arbitrary decisions without consulting or even listening to any one’s suggestions.

Another senior teacher, who signed the resignation, however, told Dawn that the teachers should not have taken the decision of collective resignation abruptly and express their resentment politely. He, however, said the principal should also know that now matters could not be resolved by bulldozing others’ opinion but through collective wisdom. “All these teachers and principal will re-unite again in a few days,” he said.

When contacted, Principal Prof Khan said the resignations was not a serious situation. “The assignment as head of department is not an administrative post that can hinder the working of the college,” he said.

Prof Khan said all senior and junior teachers would take their classes. Stating that he would not comment on his colleagues, Prof Khan said, the teachers should go and meet the higher education department secretary.

Higher Education Department Secretary Dr Ijaz Munir told Dawn that he had received the teachers’ resignation note. “I will visit the college and meet all teachers and the principal to resolve the matter.”

Dr Munir, however, acknowledged that Prof Khan had brought discipline to the college and things were improving at the institute, which was considered notorious for violent activities. “The higher education department has no complaints against the principal,” he said.