Recently a video went viral on social media in which an administrative officer of the Agriculture University of Peshawar threatened, dragged and pointed a gun at a student’s head. Students were submitting their semester fees waiting in a long queue for their turn, whilst the administration selectively helped some individuals bypass the process. The Vice Chancellor of the university has formed a four member committee to investigate the matter. The incident shows recklessness on the part of students, teachers, as well as the government.
It is common practice in government departments to form internal committees to take disciplinary action against any malpractice or misconduct. However, mostly the committees comprise of people from the same department, which makes it next to impossible to conduct the investigation impartially. The decision will always be in favour of the employee. In such cases, an external team or a committee from a different department should be formed to look into the matter. Thus, if the Vice Chancellor of Agriculture University wants to reconstitute the committee and really wants to resolve the issue, he should hire teachers from other universities.
It is common practice in government departments to form internal committees to take disciplinary action against any malpractice or misconduct. However, these committees mostly comprise of people from the same department, which makes it next to impossible to conduct the investigation impartially
It is the right of student’s to criticise a breach of ethics by any teacher or administrative officer, but instead of taking direct action the student should file a complaint with the concerned officer.
In our country, it’s a common phenomenon that complaints are not taken seriously, and if someone does file a complaint, it is more often than naught brushed to the side. There is a dire need to install complaint cells in government run institutions to make it easier for people to make their grievances known. It is also necessary to solve complaints on priority basis to help build trust between the parties.
Many teachers carry weapons to educational institutes which is against the law. In 2015, a teacher on the outskirts of Mingora, fatally shot a 12-year-old pupil while cleaning his pistol in the staff room. The government should rigorously implement this ban, and strictly punish any individual who does not follow the instructions.
An education institute should be a place where students are nurtured, and treated equally irrespective of their class, gender or sect. An example should be made out of the administrative officer who brandished a weapon in a room full of students, so that next time, no one has the audacity to do this.
The writer is a student of Law at Islamia College University, Peshawar. He can be reached at [email protected]
Published in Daily Times, September 3rd 2018.