Missing faculty: 16 out of 54 posts at Jhang college vacant

Principal says posts yet to be advertised, parents claim difficulties for students.

FAISALABAD:

Sixteen out of 54 teaching posts at the Government College for Women Jhang have been lying vacant for the past three years.

The vacant posts include assistant professors in history, Islamic studies, political science, Urdu, zoology and economics. Some professor, associate professor and lecturer posts are also vacant.

The college parent’s association has started a campaign regarding the various problems faced by students at the college, with the lack of professors being at the forefront.

Parents Association president Aamir Saleem said, “The lack of faculty means that a number of girls from the district must enroll in colleges in far off areas. This is the only government-run college for girls in Jhang.”

He said the college should be more basic facilities. “The government should consider upgrading it to a university,” he said.

Nabeela Irshad, an MCom student, said “I belong to a lower class family. I travel from Jhang to Faisalabad daily to attend college because GCWJ lacks faculty.”

Samreen, studying Islamic Studies, said she had completed her matriculation and FA in science subjects and wished to pursue the same in her higher education. “The lack of faculty at Jhang meant I had to choose a different subject,” she said. “Now I am completing an MA Islamiat from Allama Iqbal Open University.”



GCWJ Principal Razai Khalid Rai said she had written to the Education Department to fill the vacant posts. “Students are suffering due to the lack of important faculty members in the college,” she said.

She said the posts had yet to be advertised for recruitment through the Punjab Public Service Commission.

History:

GCWJ at Gojra Road came into being in 1963 and as upgraded to a degree college in 1971. In 1965, eight lecture rooms, three laboratories for biology, physics and chemistry, a staff room and a principal’s office were built. Later, in 1994, seven more rooms and another three laboratories were built.

The college is situated on 70 kanals and 7marlas and has netball, volleyball and badminton facilities.

Girls’ hostels were constructed at the college in 1971 and in 1993.

These have a capacity of 117 students. It also has a computer lab with 18 computers. The college offers admission to bachelor programmes in arts and science.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2012.