SAHIWAL: Around 48 per cent of male and female public sector colleges across Punjab are currently operating without principals, with 401 out of 825 positions vacant across 36 districts, it is learnt here.

Despite this significant shortfall, the Higher Education Department (HED) continues to pressure college heads, divisional directorates, and deputy directorate offices to increase enrollment by 20pc to reach 800,000 students mark. However, there seems to be no plan in place to address the 401 vacant principal positions.

Recent data from the HED shows that out of 825 public sector colleges in Punjab, 377 are boys colleges and 448 are for girls, serving a total of approximately 715,472 students (321,191 girls and 291,281 boys). In contrast, 2,175 private colleges (892 male and 967 female) cater to 608,373 students, despite being three times more in number than public colleges. Along with this 26pc of sanctioned posts of lecturers (17), assistant professors (18), associate professors (19) and professors (20) are lying vacant in public sector colleges of Punjab.

The data shows out of a total of 25,651 sanction posts, 6,876 are lying vacant. It is learnt 222, 819, 2,115 and 3,725 posts of grade 20, 19, 18 and 17 are lying vacant among 825 public sector colleges of the province.

Of 825 slots across 36 dists, 401 lying vacant

“Imagine if these posts are filled what would be the strength of public sector colleges as compared to private sector institutes in the province,” said PPLA Punjab General Secretary Mahboob Arif while talking to Dawn.

There is a huge leadership crisis and PPLA demands that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz fill all vacant posts in public sector colleges through due promotion of college teachers and new induction of lecturers through PPSC, he said.

According to Mr Arif, this disparity highlights the efficiency of public sector institutions, even under challenging circumstances.

Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association provincial Punjab Faiza Raana said if the 401 vacant principal positions are filled on merit, it would significantly boost enrollment in public sector colleges across Punjab.

She pointed out that the HED is also failing to effectively manage other key educational leadership roles. For example, seven of the secondary boards’ chairperson positions are currently being handled by divisional commissioners, except in Multan and Rawalpindi, due to a lack of appointments. Additionally, the HED has yet to appoint vice chancellors for 27 public sector universities in Punjab, and 40pc of the directorate offices at nine divisional headquarters also have vacant posts of permanent director colleges.

Ms Raana further noted that the HED is operating without a dedicated minister, compounding the challenges faced by the education sector.

She urged the CM to appoint a permanent HED minister for the 25,000 college teaching community because multiple matters cannot be handled without a permanent minister. She stressed that the HED high-ups must engage in a meaningful dialogue with the PPLA, its primary stakeholder, rather than relying on ‘bureaucratic pressure’ to meet routine targets.

The vacancies in principal positions across various districts are as follows: Attock (9), Bahawalnagar (10), Bahawalpur (13), Bhakkar (12), Chakwal (8), Chiniot (3), Faisalabad (21), Gujranwala (23), Gujrat (14), Lahore (16), Layyah (13), Multan (17), Rahim Yar Khan (15), Rawalpindi (19), Sahiwal (6), Sargodha (17), Sialkot (22), and Vehari (13), D G Khan (12), Jhang (10), Khanewal (11) Mandi Bahuddin (11) and Mianwali (8).

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2024