Martial matters: NUML makes ‘preference’ clear
Advertisement for posts gives retired army men the edge; civilian teachers unhappy with the management.
ISLAMABAD:
A recent advertisement in the newspapers inviting applications for the posts of regional directors at National University of Modern Languages (Numl) is causing resentment among the disgruntled higher officials of the university. Some are unhappy over the “lack of” requirements for the post, while others are detesting induction of a new crop of retired army officials in the university.
The announcement of the vacancies is completely silent about the qualification and age limit of the applicants, meaning that any undergraduate or superannuated person could be eligible for the posts. Moreover, the advertisement clearly mentions that retired army officers will be given preference over civilian candidates.
The top administration of the university recently removed three directors of its regional campuses, including director libraries, who had been appointed by the previous rectors without proper procedure.
A dinner was organised for the regional directors last week, which turned out to be a ‘farewell party’ as the top administration told the three officials that their services were no more required, said an official who also attended the event.
Regional Director Multan Brigadier (retd) Abdul Razaq, Regional Director Hyderabad Col (retd) Nisar Ahmed Khan and Col (retd) Tanveer Zia Khan of Karachi campus were removed. All of them were retired army officers, who were considered to be closed aides of the former Rector Brigadier Aziz Ahmed Khan. Their appointments had stirred a controversy since the day they took charge and was continuing to be a thorn in the administration’s side.
The positions for regional directors were then re-advertised on Tuesday and applications were sought from the candidates.
The university administration, if it wants, can give priority to retired army officers again without violating the advertisements.
A senior faculty member resented the fact that the mismanagement of the previous army administration had resulted in huge financial losses for the university.
“The army officers have nothing to do with academic development as they do not have any academic experience. The universities must be headed by educationists,” said the professor. “We feared that the university would be filed with army officers even at lower levels in the coming years,” the teacher added.
A source in the university said that all the seven regional campuses of the university are suffering losses and the main campus is bearing the expenses of these regional offices. “These regional offices had been established just to accommodate the favoured associates of the previous rector,” added another teacher. The former rector appointed his brother Col (retd) Syed Ahmed, who was accused of having a bogus degree, at the Lahore regional office. The administration should close these campuses as they are neither providing quality education and nor any financial benefit to the institution, he added.
University Spokesperson Amir Saleem said that the removal of the regional directors is a routine administrative matter as the university did not extend their service contracts. He added that the administration would appoint new directors on merit and their competency, not army background, will be the top priority.
A former director of the university had also written to the previous rector about the embezzlements by the regional directors and the violation of merit in recruiting these officials but it did not bear any fruit, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2011.
A recent advertisement in the newspapers inviting applications for the posts of regional directors at National University of Modern Languages (Numl) is causing resentment among the disgruntled higher officials of the university. Some are unhappy over the “lack of” requirements for the post, while others are detesting induction of a new crop of retired army officials in the university.
The announcement of the vacancies is completely silent about the qualification and age limit of the applicants, meaning that any undergraduate or superannuated person could be eligible for the posts. Moreover, the advertisement clearly mentions that retired army officers will be given preference over civilian candidates.
The top administration of the university recently removed three directors of its regional campuses, including director libraries, who had been appointed by the previous rectors without proper procedure.
A dinner was organised for the regional directors last week, which turned out to be a ‘farewell party’ as the top administration told the three officials that their services were no more required, said an official who also attended the event.
Regional Director Multan Brigadier (retd) Abdul Razaq, Regional Director Hyderabad Col (retd) Nisar Ahmed Khan and Col (retd) Tanveer Zia Khan of Karachi campus were removed. All of them were retired army officers, who were considered to be closed aides of the former Rector Brigadier Aziz Ahmed Khan. Their appointments had stirred a controversy since the day they took charge and was continuing to be a thorn in the administration’s side.
The positions for regional directors were then re-advertised on Tuesday and applications were sought from the candidates.
The university administration, if it wants, can give priority to retired army officers again without violating the advertisements.
A senior faculty member resented the fact that the mismanagement of the previous army administration had resulted in huge financial losses for the university.
“The army officers have nothing to do with academic development as they do not have any academic experience. The universities must be headed by educationists,” said the professor. “We feared that the university would be filed with army officers even at lower levels in the coming years,” the teacher added.
A source in the university said that all the seven regional campuses of the university are suffering losses and the main campus is bearing the expenses of these regional offices. “These regional offices had been established just to accommodate the favoured associates of the previous rector,” added another teacher. The former rector appointed his brother Col (retd) Syed Ahmed, who was accused of having a bogus degree, at the Lahore regional office. The administration should close these campuses as they are neither providing quality education and nor any financial benefit to the institution, he added.
University Spokesperson Amir Saleem said that the removal of the regional directors is a routine administrative matter as the university did not extend their service contracts. He added that the administration would appoint new directors on merit and their competency, not army background, will be the top priority.
A former director of the university had also written to the previous rector about the embezzlements by the regional directors and the violation of merit in recruiting these officials but it did not bear any fruit, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2011.