SAHIWAL: The Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association says it supports the Higher Education Department’s decision of enhancing enrollment in public sector colleges across Punjab but opposes ‘the illogical bureaucratic pressure’ being exerted on field officers, including principals, deputy directors, directors of colleges, and college admission committees to achieve the target.

PPLA President Faiza Raana who chaired an executive meeting at the Diyal Singh College, Lahore, told Dawn excessive pressure was being exerted on male and female principals in marathon meetings.

She noted that in some cases, principals from Rawalpindi were summoned to Sargodha for meetings, instead of holding them in their region.

Raana also expressed concern over the `unrealistic’ expectations set by the Higher Education Department officials who demanded a 90per cent pass rate from class teachers in board examinations.

She questioned the rationale behind summoning principals for explanation regarding low enrollment figures though the admission date with regular fee is Aug 20 and with late fee until October 10.

“Despite this, more than three dozen college heads in Multan, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Lahore, and Rawalpindi were served with “explanation and displeasure notices” by the HED.”

Raana also mentioned a viral video showing the principal of Government Graduate College for Women, Qadirpur Raan, Multan, and deputy director Ahmed Rauf campaigning for admissions using a rickshaw and a caretaker of Govt Graduate Science College Multan, making announcements (for admissions) from various mosques.

The Higher Education Department move, she said, has created panic-like situation among the teaching community. She said Higher Education Department’s own social media pages claim that 75pc admissions have already been completed in Lahore, Gujranwala, Sargodha, and Rawalpindi.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2024