VC-teachers row jeopardises KU students’ future

Students in the evening program at Karachi University (KU) are facing disruptions in their education due to an ongoing week-long boycott by the teachers' association. While the association insists on continuing the boycott until their dues are paid, the university's administration has dismissed their demands as baseless and instead challenged them to an open debate.

The dispute revolves around outstanding payments of Rs70 million, putting the future of 10,000 evening program students in jeopardy. The boycott by the Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS) has led to the closure of Natural and Social Science Departments at KU.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Faizan Naqvi, secretary of KUTS, highlighted that regular and visiting faculty members have not received their evening program salaries for over a year and a half, and the total outstanding amount has now exceeded Rs70 million. The evening program is operating at a loss, and while a meeting with the vice chancellor (VC) promised payment of pending dues within two months, no official notification has been issued. All university employees are receiving their salaries except for the teachers, who have been waiting for a resolution for a long time. About 250 permanent teachers are engaged part-time in the evening program, while visiting faculty members handle the rest.

KUTS President Dr Saleha Rehman criticised the VC's stance and emphasised that teachers are also denied increments. "If 70% of evening program students have not paid their fees, the administration should address the system's shortcomings," she added. "Despite teaching three semesters spanning six months, dues remain unpaid."

On the contrary, KU VC Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi dismissed the KUTS demands as baseless. He pointed out that 70% of students have not paid fees over the last three years, and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has not increased its grant since 2018 despite inflation.

He clarified that the evening program is self-financed and relies on student fees. "It receives no support from the HEC, and the allocation of leave encashment to morning teachers has led to losses in the evening program," he said. "Of the Rs180 million owed, Rs110 million have been paid, and the remaining will be settled within two and a half months."

Dr Iraqi further noted that some evening programs were initiated with as few as 25 students, below the required departmental enrollment threshold of 35 students. While the morning program has over 45,000 students, the evening program caters to more than 10,000 students. He expressed a desire to focus on evening programs that have genuine demand and invited protesting teachers to hold a press conference alongside him to present the facts.

The students affected by the ongoing conflict between KUTS and the VC expressed their distress, emphasising that their future is being jeopardised due to personal disputes.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2023.