KARACHI, Oct 17: Karachi University's drive to “rationalise” the number of contractual teachers has so far failed to produce desired results. Rather the initiative has added to the miseries of ad-hoc teaching staff, most of whom have not received their salaries for three months while others work under stress as appointment letters have not been issued to them so far, has learnt. Sources said that the drive, which was aimed at reducing varsity expenses in view of the budgetary cuts, was initiated three months ago with the issuance of a notification to all department heads asking them to get maximum work from regular teachers and forward a request for a temporary lecturer only when genuinely needed.

While there had been no significant decline in the number of contractual teaching staff since July when the notification was issued, the university administration also failed to attend to the weaknesses in the flawed system of hiring cooperative teachers that promoted nepotism and exploitation, they added.

In a fresh notification issued by the university's director finance recently, all ad hoc teachers have been asked to mark their attendance in register so that their monthly salaries are released after verification of their attendance.

However, senior university teachers see the directive as an attempt to exploit ad hoc teachers as it would cause further delay in release of their salaries.

Speaking to Dawn, a number of contractual teachers said that they had been not been given their salaries for last three months. They said the administration did not show “mercy even on Eid”.

“Our salaries are always delayed for at least two months. More time than ever has lapsed during this semester, which began in July. No measure was taken by the university administration to release salaries even on Eid,” an ad hoc teacher said.

Flawed system There are around 300 ad hoc teachers (150 part-time and 150 full-time) and 600 regular teachers working at the KU. The university code does not recognise the status of cooperative teachers, although it does mention that a selection board should be constituted as soon as there are vacant posts available, and that these posts should be advertised in newspapers.

However, the sources said, this didn't happen in practice and the institution of a selection board for newcomers was often delayed, sometimes for years. They said this had resulted in an increase in number of cooperative teachers, some of whom were working as ad hoc staff for 10 years despite the fact that the contractual period was of six months after which a candidate was selected afresh.

Currently, the sources added, the number of cooperative teachers surpassed that of regular teachers at many departments, including that of Chemistry, Physics (15 to 17 ad hoc teachers) and Applied Chemistry. Agriculture department had only one regular teacher, while Visual Studies department had visiting faculty only for many years, the sources said.

They also cited instances where cooperative teachers were hired without considering needs of the respective department. One such case related to the Institute of Marine Sciences, where reportedly six cooperative teachers, had been hired for one course, the sources added.

Although exploitative in nature and one of the biggest sources of nepotism on the campus, the cooperative teachers' policy has been retained by the university administration in its present form because it helps in saving funds, according to the sources.

A university teacher said: “Instead of giving an advertisement in the newspaper, a notice is placed on the department's notice board for some days. This has encouraged favouritism on a large scale in the university. Besides, there is no rule for firing. A cooperative teacher's stay on the campus solely depends on his or her relations with the department chairperson,” the teacher added.

The sources also cited some instances where ad hoc teachers' contracts were not renewed without giving any reason despite the good performance certificates which they had been awarded.

One such case related to Saira Saleem who lost her job last year when special education department did not recommend to the university administration to renew her contract. She said: “I worked for four years at the university during which I completed my MPhil. I also received a certificate on good performance from the department. But neither my service nor the certificate issued by the department was given any value,” she added.

Saira Saleem, who is visually impaired and won first prize in a workshop organised for physically challenged persons in India in 2007, claimed she had been pursuing her case for the last one year but had not received a positive response from any university official so far.

The special education department reportedly doesn't have a single lecturer these days and all the four posts for lecturers are vacant. Moreover, no physically challenged person is employed at the department, where students study about the educational needs and learning problems of handicapped people.

Commenting on the issue, Karachi University Teachers' Society President Dr Abid Hasnain said: “There are laws but no one is bothered to follow them, because the administration is not willing to take action against any violation.”

He also criticised the ongoing exercise to “rationalise” contractual teachers, calling it futile. He was of the opinion that the role of the dean office should be activated to make the process transparent.

Speaking to Dawn, Prof Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi, pro-vice chancellor of the university, said that formalities related to ad hoc teachers' service were causing a delay in payment of salaries. She explained: “Delays occur both at the department and administration levels. That's why I am trying that the process of hiring cooperative teachers for the next year is completed by the end of this year.”

Most cases of cooperative teachers had been approved while some cases might be pending, she said.

About the hiring and firing policies of the university, Prof Kazmi admitted flaws in the system and said that advertisement should be printed in newspapers. “It is also beyond common understanding that a teacher continues to work on an ad hoc basis for years. In fact, many issues related to cooperative teachers are in the hands of department chairpersons and we are bound to follow their advice under rules,” she said, adding that she would look into Saira Saleem's case.