Teaching associate: NCA students agitate over ‘unqualified’ appointment
Matriculate apparently hired as teaching associate in violation of rules.
LAHORE:
Some National College of Arts (NCA) students have complained about the appointment of a teaching associate (TA) whose formal education ended at matriculation.
The students said they were planning to protest against the appointment of Shabana Nazir as TA to Ustad Gohar Qalam and another teacher of calligraphy, as she was unqualified, not having done a formal diploma or course in calligraphy either. The teacher argued that Nazir was a skilled artist and that was qualification enough.
“The minimum requirement to get admission in the course in which Shabana has been appointed as TA is intermediate. TAs are supposed to take a few classes and guide students. How can she do that when she herself is a matriculate?” a student of the calligraphy class said.
Another student said that the TA had spent most of her time attending other classes in the college rather than assisting the teachers. “We are concerned about our course. TAs also mark assignments and we are really worried about that,” said the student.
“A teaching associate in NCA used to be a lecturer earlier. Now a TA gets Rs 20,000 per month and is a gazetted officer,” a source in the administration revealed. There are some 20 TAs working at the NCA currently, and all of them except Nazir are degree holders, most of them distinction holders. The source added that it was against the rules for people to sit in any class they liked.
Nazir was appointed TA on the basis of a recommendation letter, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, from Professor Bashir Ahmad, who is head of the Fine Arts Department and the acting principal of the college.
Gohar Qalam defended the appointment, arguing that she was qualified to assist in the class. “Shabana has been trained by Bashir Ahmad Sahib who is a legendary miniaturist. It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t have a degree. Art is more about skill than formal certificates,” he said. He said that he would advise her to complete her formal education as she was quite young.
The NCA registrar said that there set rules for hiring TAs. He said most of them were distinction holders. Asked why the criteria appeared not to have been followed in Nazir’s case, he said: “I cannot comment on this issue. It’s not in my knowledge.”
A member of the NCA Executive Committee, which deals with administrative matters, said he would investigate and find out why a matriculate had been be hired as a TA at one of the most respected institutions in the country.
“I will find out how this happened. The students don’t need to go on strike. This is an administrative matter and will be resolved. They should just concentrate on their studies and we will look into this.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 11th, 2011.
Some National College of Arts (NCA) students have complained about the appointment of a teaching associate (TA) whose formal education ended at matriculation.
The students said they were planning to protest against the appointment of Shabana Nazir as TA to Ustad Gohar Qalam and another teacher of calligraphy, as she was unqualified, not having done a formal diploma or course in calligraphy either. The teacher argued that Nazir was a skilled artist and that was qualification enough.
“The minimum requirement to get admission in the course in which Shabana has been appointed as TA is intermediate. TAs are supposed to take a few classes and guide students. How can she do that when she herself is a matriculate?” a student of the calligraphy class said.
Another student said that the TA had spent most of her time attending other classes in the college rather than assisting the teachers. “We are concerned about our course. TAs also mark assignments and we are really worried about that,” said the student.
“A teaching associate in NCA used to be a lecturer earlier. Now a TA gets Rs 20,000 per month and is a gazetted officer,” a source in the administration revealed. There are some 20 TAs working at the NCA currently, and all of them except Nazir are degree holders, most of them distinction holders. The source added that it was against the rules for people to sit in any class they liked.
Nazir was appointed TA on the basis of a recommendation letter, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, from Professor Bashir Ahmad, who is head of the Fine Arts Department and the acting principal of the college.
Gohar Qalam defended the appointment, arguing that she was qualified to assist in the class. “Shabana has been trained by Bashir Ahmad Sahib who is a legendary miniaturist. It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t have a degree. Art is more about skill than formal certificates,” he said. He said that he would advise her to complete her formal education as she was quite young.
The NCA registrar said that there set rules for hiring TAs. He said most of them were distinction holders. Asked why the criteria appeared not to have been followed in Nazir’s case, he said: “I cannot comment on this issue. It’s not in my knowledge.”
A member of the NCA Executive Committee, which deals with administrative matters, said he would investigate and find out why a matriculate had been be hired as a TA at one of the most respected institutions in the country.
“I will find out how this happened. The students don’t need to go on strike. This is an administrative matter and will be resolved. They should just concentrate on their studies and we will look into this.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 11th, 2011.