THIS is with reference to the letter ‘Time for a reset’ (Sept 29). The education sector in Pakistan is a lucrative opportunity for entrepreneurs. There seems to be a cut-throat competition among the educat-ional institutions when it comes to induction of new batches of students every year. The competition is not as tough when it comes to the quality of teaching once the session starts.

There is almost always a shortage of qualified faculty in universities. However, the administrations almost always go for stop-gap arrangements, like hiring tempo-rary staff and visiting faculty, underpaying as well as exploiting their circumstantial vulnerabilities.

Working under such harsh terms and conditions, there is hardly any logical reason to expect that these teachers will be able and willing to perform at their optimum level, and that the final product these universities are churning out will be marketable.

Regarding engaging underpaid ad hoc teaching staff, some universities, in order to avoid the attention of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), pay remun-eration under a different head of account, and below the prescribed level to such staff. In many cases, teachers are treated as ‘vendors’ in the books of the universities, and payment is made ‘on account of supply of goods’. As a result, the tax to be deducted from the remuneration falls in a higher tax slab.

Unfortunately, these educators are frequently being exploited on two counts; they are underpaid and overtaxed. The critical matter needs to be thoroughly investigated by the relevant authorities.

Name withheld on request
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2024