Reaction to bill: KU teachers reject amendments in universities law
Teaching fraternity announce they will observe a ‘black day’ on Monday.
Despite their political groupings, the teachers managed to convince each other to rise above and analyse the consequences of the recent amendments in the larger interest of the higher seats of learning. PHOTO: SAFDAR ABBAS RIZVI
KARACHI:
Teachers at the University of Karachi (KU) have rejected the newly enacted Sindh Universities Law (Amendment) Bill, 2013, terming it a ‘severe blow’ on academic and administrative autonomy of the universities.
In an emergency general body meeting held at the university’s arts auditorium on Friday, the teaching fraternity announced they will observe a ‘black day’ on Monday. They vowed to jointly resist the measures that would amount to subverting the autonomy of universities.
Earlier on Wednesday, the elected president of the KU teachers’ society, Dr Mutahir Ahmed, in view of ‘serious reservations’ on the newly enacted bill, had called an emergency meeting of teachers’ general body to draw up a joint strategy. “The new law, besides authorising the government to appoint the vice-chancellor, pro-vice chancellor, registrar, controller of examinations and other administrative officials, does not leave any room for the universities to set standards and criterion for admissions,” said one participating teacher from the pharmacy department.
Despite their political groupings, the teachers managed to convince each other to rise above and analyse the consequences of the recent amendments in the larger interest of the higher seats of learning.
“Our main concern with this new law is a flagrant compromise on the guarantee to academic freedom, which constitutions across the world provide,” pointed out Dr Ahmed, while talking to The Express Tribune. For him, this academic freedom includes rights of the universities to regulate their admission policies and criteria, to develop and evolve curricula and courses of studies, to set the standards of examinations and to select their faculty without external interference.
Meanwhile, the Sindh chapter of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations will hold a meeting of elected representatives from 13 provincial public-sector universities on August 29, following which teachers will present their joint demands.
Meanwhile, the dean and director of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Dr Ishrat Husain said the institute has a board of governors, authorised by the IBA Act of 1994, to decide on the matter of admissions policy and superseding its independent workings in any manner is a ‘very serious issue’. Dr Husain was, however, unaware that the existing nine-member IBA board of governors has been amended by this new law, which call for the inclusion of two prominent executives of the province, two prominent educationists, and two prominent citizens - all to be nominated on the recommendation of the provincial government.
Meanwhile, Unikarians, the foremost Karachi University old boys association, also held a meeting on Friday to discuss the implications of the new law on their alma mater as well as on public-sector universities across the province. “We have concluded that the amendments hold serious potential to damage the autonomy of universities,” said the association’s secretary general, Mansoor Naqvi.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2013.
Teachers at the University of Karachi (KU) have rejected the newly enacted Sindh Universities Law (Amendment) Bill, 2013, terming it a ‘severe blow’ on academic and administrative autonomy of the universities.
In an emergency general body meeting held at the university’s arts auditorium on Friday, the teaching fraternity announced they will observe a ‘black day’ on Monday. They vowed to jointly resist the measures that would amount to subverting the autonomy of universities.
Earlier on Wednesday, the elected president of the KU teachers’ society, Dr Mutahir Ahmed, in view of ‘serious reservations’ on the newly enacted bill, had called an emergency meeting of teachers’ general body to draw up a joint strategy. “The new law, besides authorising the government to appoint the vice-chancellor, pro-vice chancellor, registrar, controller of examinations and other administrative officials, does not leave any room for the universities to set standards and criterion for admissions,” said one participating teacher from the pharmacy department.
Despite their political groupings, the teachers managed to convince each other to rise above and analyse the consequences of the recent amendments in the larger interest of the higher seats of learning.
“Our main concern with this new law is a flagrant compromise on the guarantee to academic freedom, which constitutions across the world provide,” pointed out Dr Ahmed, while talking to The Express Tribune. For him, this academic freedom includes rights of the universities to regulate their admission policies and criteria, to develop and evolve curricula and courses of studies, to set the standards of examinations and to select their faculty without external interference.
Meanwhile, the Sindh chapter of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations will hold a meeting of elected representatives from 13 provincial public-sector universities on August 29, following which teachers will present their joint demands.
Meanwhile, the dean and director of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Dr Ishrat Husain said the institute has a board of governors, authorised by the IBA Act of 1994, to decide on the matter of admissions policy and superseding its independent workings in any manner is a ‘very serious issue’. Dr Husain was, however, unaware that the existing nine-member IBA board of governors has been amended by this new law, which call for the inclusion of two prominent executives of the province, two prominent educationists, and two prominent citizens - all to be nominated on the recommendation of the provincial government.
Meanwhile, Unikarians, the foremost Karachi University old boys association, also held a meeting on Friday to discuss the implications of the new law on their alma mater as well as on public-sector universities across the province. “We have concluded that the amendments hold serious potential to damage the autonomy of universities,” said the association’s secretary general, Mansoor Naqvi.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2013.