UoP students continue sit-in against fee hike for second day

Ayesha Gulalai joins protesters, urges governor to intervene

PESHAWAR: Hundreds of students from the University of Peshawar for a second day on Wednesday continued their protest against an increase in admission fee and vowed to continue their sit-in until the varsity’s syndicate withdraws the hike during its upcoming meeting on December 7.

Hundreds of students from all departments of the varsity, including female students, staged a sit-in outside the university administration’s office on Wednesday and chanted slogans against the varsity administrators.

The protest, led by the Muttahida Taluba Mahaz (MTM), held aloft banners and placard inscribed with slogans against the university’s administration.

MTM General Secretary Tahirullah Khan told The Express Tribune that their sit-in would continue till their demands are fulfilled.

Asked to explain what their demands were, Tahirullah said that they want the university’s administration to present a written declaration that all their issues will be resolved and that the 10 per cent hike in admission fees will be withdrawn.

In a surprise move, Member of National Assembly Ayesha Gulalai — who is an alumnus of the varsity — also joined the protesting students on Wednesday and asked the university’s administration to withdraw the 10 per cent increase in admission fees.

Addressing to the protesters, Gulalai said that most of the of students enrolled in University of Peshawar (UoP) hail from poor families or were internally displaced from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

She urged Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra — the chancellor of the university — and the provincial government to fulfil the student’s demand from the endowment funds.

The MNA, who has been at odds with her party’s leadership, said that there were some degree programmes being offered by the UoP which do not have any affiliation with the Higher Education Commission and students in these programmes fear for their future.

Noting that a large number of female harassment cases had been reported from the university, she urged the relevant authorities to address these critical issues.

“K-P is among the provinces which have suffered the most from terrorism and natural disasters, education should free for these affected people,” she suggested.

She went on to criticise the provincial government for hiking fees and rejected PTI’s claims of education emergency in the province.

UoP to provide conducive environment

The UoP is committed to providing a conducive educational environment to the students and would take step towards this goal, the varsity’s spokesperson said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The official reiterated that students were the main stakeholders of the institution and that all of their genuine demands would be met.

He added that the students had put forward 14 demands, including withdrawal of the 10 per cent increase in tuition fees, improvement of hostel facilities, transport facility, addressing the drop out of students and providing research grants.

In this regard, the spokesperson said that the transportation will be provided to day scholar students immediately and that the vice chancellor had directed the transport officer to allocate two buses for this purpose.

On the subject of research grants for scholars, the officer said that the matter will be taken up with the Higher Education Commission.

Moreover, a committee will be formed to look into the issue of dropouts and the issue will be dealt with as per the rules on compassionate grounds.

About the withdrawal of fee hike, he said that since it had been notified on the directions of the varsity’s syndicate, the matter will be presented before the syndicate in its upcoming meeting set to be held on December 7.

Meanwhile, he said that if any department was charging more than the allowed 10 per cent fee hike, this practice will be stopped immediately.

Other issues such as an announcement of students’ endowment fund, an election of the students union will be taken up with the provincial government for an amicable resolution. Demands such as registration of Masters and (BS Hons) education vis a vis decision regarding discontinuation of BA and Master’s Degree programmes by HEC will be taken up with the HEC the University.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2017.