The plight of college education could be judged from the fact that out of 718 sanctioned posts of male and female lecturers, as many as 356 (about 50%) are vacant in the entire Larkana division’s 28 male and female colleges.
According to details, out of 497 sanctioned posts of male lecturers (BPS-17) in the entire Larkana Region, as many as 240 are filled and 257 are still vacant. Likewise, out of 221 sanctioned posts of female lecturers (BPS-17), as many as 122 are filled and 99 are still vacant. There are 28 colleges in the Larkana Region out of which, there are 9 colleges each for women and men, while there are ten co-education colleges.
The details revealed twelve colleges have no sanitary workers at all, despite having sanctioned posts, out of which five are female and seven male colleges, hence the students of these educational institutions have to carry out cleanliness in their respective institutions themselves.
There are no Chowkidars (security guards) and drivers in 15 colleges, and adding insult to the injury the expensive college busses are left to rot under the sky, particularly in Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Government Girls Degree College, Naundero.
Four male and five female sanctioned posts of professors (BPS-20) are vacant. Four lecturers are working in excess at Government Degree College, Dokri along with two female lecturers and seven in Shahdadkot, the details highlighted.
Out of 207 sanctioned posts of male assistant professors (BPS-18), 130 are working and 88 posts are vacant as yet. Likewise, out of 83 sanctioned posts of female assistant professors, 40 are posted and 45 posts are still vacant despite massive unemployment, poverty and price-hike.
The then District & Sessions Judge, Kambar-Shahdadkot, Manoo Mal Khagaija, had also paid a surprise visit to colleges at Kambar, and in his letter (dated 29th August, 2018) sent to higher authorities said that two classes of girl students were working at Government Girls College, Kambar, adding that he was surprised to check muster roll and found that only 27 lecturers and 40 male lower staff was posted there. He said that his surprise did not end there when, against the above, he found 2,500 enrolled students in Government Shah Abdul Latif Boys Degree, Kambar, without a single lecturer posted there for English, chemistry, geography, Pakistan studies, Islamiat and IT computer subjects.
Regional Director, College Education, Larkana Region, Dr. Karam Hussain Wadho, when contacted, said that he has requested the Secretary, College Education, to grant permission for filling at least lower scale posts but it is still awaited. He said he has also suggested to the department to recruit and post female employees in all girls colleges across Larkana division, so that services and standard of education could be improved besides filling all the vacant sanctioned posts from lecturers to professors, which will ensure quality education. He said BPS-17 lecturer and above posts are to be filled through Sindh Public Service Commission purely on merit.
This plight of colleges in Larkana exhibits a terrible and tragic situation, against the tall claims of rulers of Sindh. Shaheed Mohatarma Benazir Bhutto during her life fought for the betterment of education & health sectors, but these sectors are in a state of quandary and have been ruined in the past 13 years, under her Party’s rule. People of Larkana had warned, that if the government is committed to bring any change, now is the time or it will be too late.
