Daily Times

KARACHI: Out of five existing state-run girls’ degree colleges in Orangi Town, degree classes are not being held at any of them at the moment for its students, Daily Times has learnt.

In addition, lack of teaching faculties, non availability of basic facilities to the students and teachers, inappropriate locations where these colleges have been constructed, unavailability of transport, no routs for buses and other problems like this, have badly affected the enrollment ratio in these colleges .

On the other, official record of Town Municipal Administration (TMA) reveals that, Orangi Town is the largest slum area of Pakistan which has 13 official neighborhoods and a large number of illegal slums have also been established by the people.

In those settled and slum areas, around 2.5 million people with different ethnicity like Punjabi, Pakhtoons , Muhajir, Balochis, Serieki and others, are residing. In the reference of densely populated town, Orangi needs special attention regarding education and educational institutes.

Unfortunately, 7 degree college including two boys colleges have been established in the area by the government but College Education Department (CED)’s poor management and negligence has dragged those colleges on the verge of closure.

In the current academic year, only 800 hundred students have been enrolled all five girls’ colleges, while 30 teachers are performing their duties including 8 male teachers.

“On the basis of students’ enrollment and numbers of the faculties , the public universities affiliate the colleges for degree programs but those girls’ colleges hold the title of ‘degree colleges’ only” Dr Idrees Khan, resident of Oragni Town informed , adding that teachers who have been deployed By the CED in these colleges’ have barely taught to the intermediate classes.

After launching of Karachi operation by Pakistan Rangers, the area has a peaceful environment. Rangers have also provided security to those colleges and even people of the area who want to enroll their children but the previous notorious environment in the area still exists and teachers belonging from other areas are reluctant to come here , he added.

Sarwat Hamid, A volunteer teacher in Government Girls Degree College, kati pahari suggested that the government could appoint new comers and male teachers who belong to the locality, which is a the solution, to lack of faculty members.

Professor Dr Zubaida Nasreen, Principal of the Government Girls Degree College Sector 11C Orangi said that political leaders do the visit girls colleges of Orangi of and on and the administration of the these colleges have also explained the problems being faced by them but nothing has happened when these visitor politicians go back after holding a photo session in the colleges.

Muhammad Rehman, a local leader of Jamaat-e-Islami said that the government has constructed colleges by spending huge public money but those colleges are useless as there no degree faculties are functioning.

Members of assembly prefer to construct new building for grabbing their commission only and they care lees to make the projects beneficial for the public, he further said.

The Director General of Colleges, Sindh, Professor Nasir Ansar told Daily Times that as per government rules he can suggest transfer posting of under grade 17 officers and faculty members to the secretary of colleges only. He has been continuously sending proposals to the secretary colleges’ office he also has limited powers in this regard, I guess.