Wards take on wardens in NCA hostels

Students boycott classes over poor facilities, wardens’ alleged apathy.

LAHORE:

National College of Arts (NCA) students have gone on strike against two hostel officials, demanding their immediate removal.

On Monday, over 100 boarding students walked from hostels on Sanda Road to the college campus and boycotted classes to press their demands. The students also presented a list of 12 demands for the improvement of the boys’ and girls’ hostels and demanded that the wardens of both hostels be dismissed. On Tuesday, a majority of the students did not attend classes but remained on campus. The students demanded that Girls’ Hostel warden Shahnaz Malhi, Product Design assistant professor Muhammad Anees Khan and Boys’ Hostel warden be removed from their posts immediately.

Shahnaz, who retired as associate professor five years ago has continued to serve as visiting faculty. The college administration has allowed her to continue as warden of the Girls’ Hostel after her retirement. Some students said that the college policy demanded that only a regular faculty member hold the post.

The protesting students have submitted a document listing their demands with the administration. The document lists provision for clean drinking water in the hostels, internet connections, immediate repair of broken windows etc, hygiene issues, redress of insect problems, hostel ground maintenance, eradication of child labour at the Girls’ Hostel, revised gate timings for the Girls’ Hostel, improvement of sports facilities, replacement of old and broken furniture, medical refund facilities, a schedule for hostel trips and events and regular visits by the administrator to check progress.

The administration has told the students to call off the strike and attend classes. They have been assured that their demands would be met. Some students alleged on Tuesday, that both the hostel wardens were involved in misappropriation of maintenance funds.

NCA registrar, Nadeem Hassan Khan said, “None of these problems was brought to our notice before. We are dealing with them now that the issues have been raised,” he said. Khan refused to comment on the demand of the removal of the wardens.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.