Outdated KU science labs in need of upgrade

Students experiment on decades-old equipment if it hasn't malfunctioned

KARACHI:

The University of Karachi is still using laboratory equipment that is decades old and often outdated, resulting in students unable to undertake researches and projects that require modern equipment and technology.

Students say that some of the equipment is four decades old, and a large number of devices are out of order. They said that the administration cited lack of funds for its inability to purchase the latest equipment and apparatus for the labs. “Only four labs are used by students from first year to fourth year.

The X-ray spectrograph costing Rs2 million has been out of order for two-and-a-half years,” said one lecturer who did not want to be named. When they labs were setup, around 250 students used it. Now, around 3,000 students use the same facility and equipment, they said.

“Some of the equipment that we have in our labs is so old that they have been discontinued by the manufacturers and are not available anywhere.” One of the biggest universities in the country, KU has over 43,000 students. Student fees are one of the three main avenues of funds for the university - the other two include grants from the Higher Education Commission and the Sindh government.

The labs are used by students of the following departments: Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Statistics, Applied Physics, Food Science, Chemical Engineering and Marine Science among others. Some of the departments have multiple sections. Zeeshan Iqbal, a physics lecturer at the varsity, said that newer versions of these devices were available in the market.

“Now each experiment is interfaced with computer.” Iqbal said that the four labs used by students were all manual. “There is not even a single such interface at our labs.” Irma Zubair, a botany student, told The Express Tribune that it was difficult for students to do experiments due to inadequacy of equipment. “Although we pay late fee, we can’t even use flask, glass rod and funnel.”

Another lecturer Imran Ahmed said that the equipment available at the labs was inadequate. “All devices must be upgraded.” He added that there was a shortage of staff as well, pointing out there was only one teacher per lab. “The salaries of the temporary teachers are also very low and they have not received their salary for a year, so they have stopped taking interest in teaching,” he remarked.

Ahmed was referring to the delays in the payment of salaries to teaching and non-teaching staff. It has resulted in multiple strikes by teachers, including one going on right now. “This can be resolved if we get our grants on time.” Ahmed pointed out that chemistry lab was out of gas, which had not been restored since last year’s monsoon. “The basement where the equipment is gets waterlogged within twenty minutes.”

Vice Chancellor Dr Khalid Muhammad Iraqi blamed the economic crisis in the country for the financial crunch. He said that the HEC needed to increase the size of its grant. He admitted that the labs suffered from lack of equipment, which was making it difficult for students.