ISLAMABAD:
The abolishment of evening classes in government colleges have left the officials in a fix as the sudden move has created both administrative and structural hurdles.
Evening classes for intermediate and graduation levels were initially introduced in 1984 in Islamabad College for Boys G-6/3 and Islamabad Model College for Boys F-8/4. It was later discontinued due to shortage of funds for the additional teaching staff.
In 1987, the evening shift was re-introduced at college level. The facility was later extended to primary and secondary levels to ease the growing pressure for admissions.
Currently, there are 11 federal government colleges and 20 model colleges in the capital but parents prefer to get their students enrolled in model colleges.
Why model colleges
Model colleges (IMCs) were established on the pattern of cadet colleges in 1966 under the supervision of a board of governors but were given under the administrative control of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) in 1993.
Presently, IMCs are providing education from prep to post-graduate level. The preference for model colleges is because their teachers are qualified and are selected through civil service competitive examinations. The syllabus and teaching patterns are also better from FG institutes.
Problem ignored:
As the population of the capital increases, so does the demands for new colleges but no one seems bothered to pay attention to this situation which is going out of control.
The Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) has failed to realise the gravity of the situation and making no efforts to add new institutions or upgrade the standard of existing FG institutes.
Minister of State Usman Ibrahim last month ordered the authorities to shift all evening classes to morning sessions, saying it was not feasible to run two parallel shifts in schools and colleges.
Last week, the minister also ordered immediate shut down of such classes in the Islamabad Model Postgraduate College H-8 and Islamabad Model College H-9.
The plan was to merge the two institutes and hold classes for the 684 students in Islamabad Model Postgraduate College of Commerce H-9 and do away with the evening shift. But nothing has been done so far.
When contacted, heads of both the institutes said that they were unaware of any such move and no directives had been issued by the authority.
Staff shortage
Currently, only 82 teachers are appointed to teach 1,704 students enrolled in rural areas of the capital. In total there are 21,625 students in 19 model colleges for boys and girls in the –16,982 boys and 18,274 girls.
According to CADD, institutes are short of 977 teachers while only 1,600 teachers have been appointed.
Another idea was coined earlier to abolish evening classes by underutilising FG institutions in 20 model colleges to accommodate the students. But teachers’ associations and model colleges turned the proposal down.
The second one, which is now followed, is to stop admissions from the first grade to abolish the system gradually.
Following pressure from the minister, officials are now working to phase out evening classes but a lot has to be done.
Construction of additional classes or new colleges in suburbs of Islamabad is no less than a herculean task for the already cash-strapped CADD.
CADD Additional Secretary Qaiser Majeed told The Express Tribune that they were holding survey as to where the additional classrooms could be constructed and also considering purchasing 200 new buses. “We will prepare a Project Concept-1 and write to the prime minister for funds,” he said.
A teacher from IMPGC H-8, on condition of anonymity, said that the government seems to be brushing off the matter. “The issue has always been about the children of primary classes whose parents find it difficult to bring them to schools in the afternoon,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 20th, 2014.
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