60 Aitchison College teachers terminated
‘We were sacked without an explanation’.
As many as 13 teachers had been told to vacate their college residence by June 30. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
As many as 35 former Aitchison College employees held a press conference on Sunday to protest against their termination, declaring it illegal.
In an abrupt move on Friday, the administration of Aitchison College had announced the termination of 60 teachers including the acting headmaster and 35 junior staff.
“We were sacked without being told why,” said Mian Asif, who had been the acting headmaster of the college for three years. As many as 13 teachers had been told to vacate their college residence by June 30. “Many of us had been teaching at the college for over 15 years. We weren’t even called for an explanation,” he said.
They said Aitchison College Principal Shamim Saifullah had fired them because he intended to hire ‘yes men’. They also accused him of favouritism in admitting new students to the college.
“Those of us who did not live on campus were not even allowed to enter the college after being handed over the termination letters,” Shahzad Gohar, a mathematics teacher, told The Express Tribune, “The letters carry only the principal’s signature.”
Pulwasha Khan, another teacher, said that they had been victimised because of their affiliation with the former principal and because they had demanded equal treatment for students who sought admission.
“Principal Saifullah had joined the institution in 1994 and served till 2008. He again took charge this year and began terminating teachers,” Mian Asif lamented.
The Express Tribune tried to reach Principal Saifullah but he was not available.
“The teachers fired had become deadwood... We terminated them to bring in new and energetic ones to revive the prestige of Aitchison College,” said Governor Makhdoomzada Ahmad Mahmood, who also heads the board of Governors.
The terminated staff requested the government to form a committee to monitor the transparency and merit of new admissions. They also demanded the principal’s resignation and appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motto action against their termination.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2013.
As many as 35 former Aitchison College employees held a press conference on Sunday to protest against their termination, declaring it illegal.
In an abrupt move on Friday, the administration of Aitchison College had announced the termination of 60 teachers including the acting headmaster and 35 junior staff.
“We were sacked without being told why,” said Mian Asif, who had been the acting headmaster of the college for three years. As many as 13 teachers had been told to vacate their college residence by June 30. “Many of us had been teaching at the college for over 15 years. We weren’t even called for an explanation,” he said.
They said Aitchison College Principal Shamim Saifullah had fired them because he intended to hire ‘yes men’. They also accused him of favouritism in admitting new students to the college.
“Those of us who did not live on campus were not even allowed to enter the college after being handed over the termination letters,” Shahzad Gohar, a mathematics teacher, told The Express Tribune, “The letters carry only the principal’s signature.”
Pulwasha Khan, another teacher, said that they had been victimised because of their affiliation with the former principal and because they had demanded equal treatment for students who sought admission.
“Principal Saifullah had joined the institution in 1994 and served till 2008. He again took charge this year and began terminating teachers,” Mian Asif lamented.
The Express Tribune tried to reach Principal Saifullah but he was not available.
“The teachers fired had become deadwood... We terminated them to bring in new and energetic ones to revive the prestige of Aitchison College,” said Governor Makhdoomzada Ahmad Mahmood, who also heads the board of Governors.
The terminated staff requested the government to form a committee to monitor the transparency and merit of new admissions. They also demanded the principal’s resignation and appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motto action against their termination.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2013.