Teachers at one of city's most prestigious colleges - Government DJ Science College - are accused of taking undue advantage of students' anxiety over approaching practical exams, abandoning their duties and minting money, instead of teaching properly during college hours.
Students complained that their teachers were forcing them to take admissions in private coaching centres, patronised by a majority of faculty members. It is learnt that that the chairman of the college and professors of major subjects, including physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics were busy in taking classes in private institute located in the Saddar area during college hours, despite drawing huge salaries from the government.
This trend of private coaching centres, run by the professors of government colleges, is not new in Karachi, but the involvement of renowned institutes such as the Government DJ Science College "is simply offensive", a student told this correspondent.
Indifference shown by professors in college affairs has not only caused a decline in the quality of education, but also created basic amenity problems in college premises, putting students in a state of hysteria. The college was founded in 1887, chiefly through the efforts of a far-sighted Sindhi philanthropist Diwan Dayaram Jethamal, whose name it bears.
For a very long time, the DJ Sindh Government Science College catered to the intellectual and academic needs of the entire province, being the first and only such institution in the area. The college is affiliated with the University of Karachi and the Board of the Intermediate Education Karachi, and prepares students up to BSc level. There are plans to restore its former glory by re-introducing MSc classes in a number of subjects.
Business Recorder learnt that college professors distribute pamphlets of particular coaching centers among students during college hours. Teachers also 'persuade' students to attend classes in their respective coaching centers. Students complained that when they came to college for preparing for practical examinations after recently culminated by Board of Intermediate Education Karachi's (BIEK) theory exams, but were unable to do so because of teachers' absence.
They said that a majority of teachers were busy taking classes at private coaching centers. "I am a student of Intermediate (Pre-Medical Group). When a pamphlet urged us to take admission in 'DJ Students' Coaching Centre in Saddar', I was forced to take admission in the coaching center for the preparation of practical examination of my subjects because the same facility was not available at college labs," said Hafiz Mohammad Tahir, a student of the DJ Science College.
Hafiz Tahir informed that he had paid Rs 2,300 for practical examinations of four subjects, including physics, chemistry, zoology and botany. Parents also expressed dismay over the proliferation of coaching centers run by college teachers. Bashir Ahmad, the father of a college student, said: "I am personally against coaching. This just results in loss of time and money. Nothing practical is taught to students in these coaching centers." He said that professors and lecturers teaching in these coaching centres were playing with the country's future and damaging the youth's prospects.
Criticising professors and lectures who preferred to teach students at private centers during college hours, saying that they were betraying their noble profession. Iftikhar Azmi, the General Secretary of Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA), also criticised such teachers and said that they were simply neglecting their duties.
Iftikhar said that private coaching centers should be banned, as "they have destroyed our educational system". Besides, he said that teachers should be sincere with their profession, instead of minting money. "We have sent several complaints to the Sindh Education Minister, urging him to take action against such negligent, dishonest and insincere teachers," Azmi said.
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