Education suffers: Governor House charge-sheets SU’s acting vice-chancellor

Teachers consider it move to place 'favourite' in the seat

HYDERABAD/KARACHI: As the Sindh government delays appointment of a vice-chancellor (VC) in the second largest university of Sindh, the University of Sindh (SU), the charge of the acting VC seems to have caught the eye of powerful quarters.

The Sindh University Teachers Association (Suta) reproved on Monday the charge-sheet issued by the Governor House against the acting VC, Prof Dr Muhammad Siddique Kalhoro.

Suta described it as a move preceding installation of a 'favourite' on the seat. "The university's code allows the Governor, who is chancellor of the university, to appoint a temporary VC if the incumbent VC has died or is out of country," said Suta president Prof Dr Arfana Mallah, pointing out that the Governor House appeared likely to use that provision.

The VC seat fell vacant after the death of Prof Dr Abida Taherani on June 1 and, since then, Kalhoro has continued in the office. The Sindh government, subsequently, advertised the post and aspiring professors submitted their applications by early July. However, the government delayed the constitution of a search committee to vet the applicants.

Signed by the governor's secretary, Naveed Shaikh, the charge-sheet, received on October 15, frames three separate allegations against Kalhoro. He was blamed for holding meetings of statutory bodies, violating Higher Education Commission's guidelines and making appointment of assistant professors and lecturers in violation of a Sindh government ban.

"Through this letter, the Governor House wants to pave way for the removal of Kalhoro so that some blue-eyed one can be given this charge," alleged Mallah.

The VCs in University of Karachi (KU), the biggest university in the province, and Dow Medical University are also working on temporary charge. Although SU has not still issued any press statement over the controversy, Mallah said that Suta felt justified in rebutting the charge-sheet since the recent 90 appointments of assistant professors and lecturers have been challenged.

According to her, despite the ban, SU received permission from the Sindh government for the appointments in early 2015.



The acting VC avoided to interpret the Governor House's letter as some consequential manoeuvre, schemed to set off his removal. "It seems to be based on some complaints. I am happy that they were conveyed to me. I will submit a response and clarify my position," Kalhoro, who is also one of the applicants for the post of SU's VC, told The Express Tribune.

When asked why the objection of calling meetings of statutory bodies has been raised in the letter if the Governor House knew that an acting VC is authorised to do so, he evaded an answer. "I don't find the points highlighted in the letter as a charge-sheet," he said.

Fapuasa supports teachers association

Meanwhile, the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (Fapuasa) deplored the provincial government's temporising in filling the vacant posts of the VCs in Sindh's public sector varsities.

"Education, in effect, doesn't seem to be a priority of the Sindh government," regretted Fapuasa, Sindh chapter, president Prof Shahnawaz Talpur, maintaining that absence of permanent VCs in KU, SU, Dow and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University has resulted in academic and administrative problems.

"Ad hoc officials are brought to serve temporary and personal interests of those in power," said Talpur, adding that Fapuasa will support Suta if another ad hoc decision is imposed on SU.

Fapuasa has already been locked in a dispute against the provincial government over the Sindh Universities Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, that it believes has snatched the autonomy of higher education institutions.

Talpur said that the association is planning a decisive sit-in protest outside the CM House to compel the government to amend the law based on recommendations of the teaching community.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2016.