LAHORE – More than 50 percent of students enrolled in the four-year BS (Hons) programme at Government MAO College have left the programme due to ill-planned decisions made by the college administration, it is learnt, while the Punjab Higher Education Department keeps mum on what is happening at the institute.
One teacher at the MAO College on condition of anonymity said that the incumbent principal was not conversant with the rules and procedures in administrative, financial and academic matters. Due to the ensuing mismanagement, he said, the drop-out of the BS students was on the rise.
“90 percent of BS (Hons) students in 10 disciplines of Science, Arts and IT failed in the second semester examination conducted by the Punjab University.
The bad result was blamed on poor and merciless marking however in truth the quality of education delivered here was not up to the mark.” he added.
He revealed that the college has not been able to enrol students in the BBA, BS (Commerce) and BS –IT programmes for the sanctioned seats.
Last year the college had enrolled 440 students in BBA against the sanctioned 450 seats, but he number has reduced to 100 in the current year. Similarly, 50 students have been enrolled as against the sanctioned 100 seats for BS Commerce and BS IT programmes.
He alleged that shortage of teaching staff was the main reason for this downturn. “The college does not recruit teachers for the second shift according to per lecture remuneration rules, but pays a meagre amount in lump sum against whole day teaching assignments. They are not paid adequately and suitably”, he further added.
The government had allowed a Rs 300 per lecture fee at graduate level in the year 2003 and Rs 500 at the postgraduate level but instead of revising the per lecture remuneration, even this amount was not paid to the lecturers, he disclosed.
The teacher further informed that out of the 13,000 students enrolled during the previous years; only 10,000 were still on roll. He added that 50% students had dropped out of the BBA, MS Commerce, BS Physics, BS Chemistry and BS IT programmes.
“Only 20 students have been left in the BS Mass Communication 3rd semester class, out of 79 enrolled to the 1st semester” the teacher added, “by the 4th Semester, the class may dropout altogether.”
He further said that the way things were working at the MAO College; there would be no MS in Mass Communication or MA Mass Communication by the year 2013.
The attendance of students in Intermediate and MA, MSc, annual system has also declined to 15 to 20 percent while attendance in BS (Hons) programs is also poor, whereas 75 percent attendance is compulsory for the students to appear in university examinations, pointed out the teacher.