KU teachers adamant on continuing strike until demands are met

• Campaign to continue for indefinite period till demands are met.
• Naqvi rejected reports that university is in financial crisis.
• University's budget not been approved for past four years: KUTS.

KARACHI: The teachers' strike at the University of Karachi (KU) will continue until their demands are met, The News reported Sunday, quoting Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS) Secretary Assistant Professor Dr Syed Faizan-ul-Hassan Naqvi.

A complete boycott of classes in the morning and evening shifts was announced by the Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS) on Friday. The society said that the campaign, which kicked off on September 22, would continue for an indefinite period.

Citing the university administration's failure to fulfil previous commitments, Naqvi said that they wanted immediate and concrete measures.

He said that the teachers' body appreciated the Sindh caretaker chief minister for taking notice of the strike and seeking a report from the province’s secretary for university and boards over the situation.

"We have requested a meeting with the Sindh CM to present our viewpoint before him," the KUTS secretary said. "However, the meeting has not been fixed yet."

Moreover, Naqvi rejected reports quoting the KU vice-chancellor as saying that the university was in a financial crisis because 70% of the students had not paid their fees for the past few years.

"If KU is in extreme deficit, as claimed by the VC, then he along with the finance director should present records before the media about the perks they have been enjoying," he said.

According to Naqvi, the university's budget has not been approved for the past four years, which has affected the academic and research work at the university.

The teachers in the evening programme had not been paid their arrears for the past one-and-a-half years, while the permanent faculty members were yet to receive the increment announced in the provincial government’s budget four months ago.

KU postpones associate degree exams

The university also postponed Saturday exams for the associate degrees in science and arts that were to be held on September 25 and 29.

According to a notification issued by the controller of examination Dr Syed Shahid Zaheer, the papers for Sociology - I and Social Work – I, Islamic Studies and Moral Philosophy scheduled on September 25 and 29, respectively, were adjourned. New dates will be announced later.