Teachers, students protest against removal of residential colleges budget

Teachers, students say putting colleges on "grant aid" will affect institutional performance, admission charges, fees.

QUETTA: Teachers and students of residential colleges in Khuzdar, Lolarai and Turbat have demanded from Chief Minister Balochistan and Chairman Board of Governors Residential Colleges to amend the article 4 of the Balochistan Residential Colleges Act 2005 for retaining the flow of regular budget for their colleges instead asking them to rely on “Grant Aid”.

On Monday they took out a rally from Bacha Khan Chowk and after marching through different roads, staged a protest demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club. They chanted slogans in support of their demands.

The residential colleges are being run through regular budgets for the past 27 years from 1984. However, a meeting of Board of the Governors on February 13, 2012, decided to provide funds to the residential colleges in shape of grant-aid instead of regular budget.

“This decision has shaken the employees of the residential colleges as it will cause job insecurity. Under this decision all the employees will be deprived of group insurance when they will retire from their services,” said Rauf Lala, leader of the Pashtunkwa Milli Awami party.

Addressing the protestors, Professor Mohammad Kareem of the Loralai Residential College said that the decision will also leave negative impact on the educational activities at the colleges as there is a possibility that the grant will not be provided to colleges on time.

For instance, when several institutions being run by on “Grant Aid” ran out of funds, their employees did not receive salaries for months. This will also impact the performance of institutions.

This decision will also contribute to a rise in admission fee for students due to which parents will not be able to afford admission in esteemed educational institutions.

Considering the output of residential colleges for the past 27 years, Chief Minister and Chairman Board of Governors Residential Colleges should review this decision, protestors demanded.