Govt trying to destroy public universities like schools: PU teachers

Lahore : Teachers of Punjab University have alleged that Punjab Minister for Higher Education Raja Yasir Humayun and bureaucracy are hatching conspiracies against progressing public sector universities and want to destroy them just like glorious government schools in the past.

Calling upon Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of the conspiracy, they alleged further that the provincial minister and bureaucracy wanted to reverse the progress made by the universities under an agenda in order to benefit some hidden elements.

They were expressing their views in a virtual conference organized by Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA) on proposed public sector universities amendment act.

PUASA President Prof Dr Mumtaz Anwar Chaudhry, Secretary Javed Sami and teachers from all departments participated in the conference. Addressing the conference, Prof Dr Mumtaz Anwar Chaudhry said that apart from axing the autonomy of universities, the proposed amendment act was technically flawed and illogical too.

He said that how come a retired judge could chair a meeting of the Syndicate where Chief Justice of Lahore High Court or is a member of the forum and how come a retired bureaucrat of Grade 21 could dictate an in-service officer of grade 22?

He said that PUASA strongly rejected and condemned the proposal of appointment of retired judge and bureaucrat as chairman of the syndicate. He said that the government thought that they could take advantage of closure of universities and academic institutions due to coronavirus in this conspiracy but it should remove this misunderstanding as teachers would resist the government nonetheless.

He said that public sector universities were the institutions for the intelligent students of poor families where they could pursue higher education at a very reasonable fee. However, he said, by destroying the public sector universities just like historical government schools having splendid past, the government  wanted to deprive the poor students of quality higher education.

He questioned that is that not a clear indication of a conspiracy that the government did not consult any vice chancellor, any teacher, students and parents while preparing any draft of amendments in the acts of public sector universities across Punjab?

He said that there were clear proofs of malafide intentions of the higher education minister and PU teachers strongly condemned the behavior of the government in this regard.

He called upon Prime Minister Imran Khan and Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar to take notice of the conspiracy before it is too late and take actions against those who wanted to destroy public sector universities. G