New institute: BBMU to build new medical college with evening classes

The university has also promoted 95 percent of its faculty.

LARKANA: There is great news for people aspiring to become doctors but hate getting up for classes in the morning: Benazir Bhutto Medical University’s (BBMU) syndicate has approved plans to create a medical college which will offer classes in the evenings.

The syndicate met on Saturday and made a number of other important decisions. The institution’s vice chancellor, Prof. Akbar Haider Soomro, headed the meeting and registrar Amanullah Jokhio, Prof. Ashraf Memon, Sher Muhammad Shaikh, Saifullah Jamro, Dr Abrar Shaikh were also present.

According to the university’s spokesperson, Dr Abdul Waheed Memon, 100 seats for the evening college were approved during the meeting. He added that it will be affiliated with BBMU, but operate independently. Dr Memon, however, did not divulge details about where it was going to be located or the people who have been roped in to be a part of its faculty.

But the good news does not stop here - the university will also introduce three new courses: physiotherapy, health sciences and pharmacy. The syndicate also decided to waive off fees for students hailing from Shikarpur, Jacobabad and Kashmore-Kandhkot, the three flood-affected districts.



The university’s administration has also promoted 95 per cent of its faculty and a four-member committee has been formed to assess whether the remaining teachers deserve one as well.

Trouble ahead?

Even though the university introduces a slew of positive changes, there is one problem which could undermine them. The syndicate acknowledged Prof. Sher Muhammad Shaikh as the dean of the surgical sciences and Prof. Saifullah Jamro as the dean of medicine. Both men had been appointed by Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad and the vice chancellor.

But some teachers do not agree with the appointments and smell a rat. Prof. Sikandar Mughal and Prof. Saeed Ahmed Sangi filed a petition in the Sindh High Court against Shaikh and Jamro, saying that junior faculty members were promoted for senior positions. The court has directed the governor, the vice chancellor and the registrar to justify the move by December 12.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2012.