23:59
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Karachi
It seems Karachi University (KU) is caught in a circular debt — the finance department fails to release money to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the HEC as a result fails to pay the university.
At its senate meeting held on Friday, after a gap of three years, it was revealed that in the last financial year 2011-12 the university faced a fiscal deficit of Rs599 million. It is expected that in the year 2012-13 the deficit will increase to over Rs998 million.
“The university’s financial crisis is the most critical point of this meeting,” said Prof Muhammed Qaiser, adding that next month they might not be able to pay salaries.
The finance director, Qazi Zafar Abbas, noted that as a regular practice the HEC released funds in four installments over the year, the first two installments were at 20 percent each, and the third and fourth installment was 30 percent each. “But so far the university has only received half of the first installment.” For the year 2011-12 the HEC was to release total funds of Rs1254 million.
Proposed Budget for 2012
The finance director proposed Rs1,666 million for pensions, Rs274 million for salaries, Rs365 million for utilities, Rs142 million for examinations, Rs65 million for transport, Rs30 million for books and journals, Rs40 million for research, Rs25 million for lab running and Rs178 million for other expenses.
After much criticism by the members, the budget was passed without any changes.
“After so many years the university does not have a sewerage system. There are broken taps in departments, expired chemicals in labs. Where is the money being spent?” said a member.
The library convener for the university lamented the fact that the only Rs30 million were to be spent on books. “What can we say about a university where the library occupies only 1.5 percent of the budget?”
Dr Moonis Ahmer, chairperson of the Area Study Centre for Europe, remarked that the university should buy a currency-printing machine for it was always in loss. “The evening programme should not be considered a source of income. If anything the money derived from it should be restricted to reserve funds.”
The chairperson of the department of applied engineering lamented that his department had not received a single computer in three years. “The application ends up in various offices at the administration office. By telling us every year that you do not have enough funds to pay our salaries, do you want all the teachers to shut up and be grateful that you ended up paying us?”
The teachers lamented the fact that Governor Sindh Ishrat ul Ebad never attends the senate meeting, and none of the representatives from the government, except Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, bothered showing up.
“If officials are not interested, then tell us beforehand. We will stop holding these meetings,” said Mutahir Ahmed, president of the Karachi University Teachers’ Society.
Plans for 2012-13
The vice chancellor said the security of the university would be beefed up over the year. “The tender has been passed, and security apparatus will come in very soon.”
As a measure to generate resources, a medical college would be constructed over the year, and a memorandum of understanding for a Chinese language institute would be signed on December 1, he added.
It was also shared that a leading bank would repair the Silver Jubilee gate. A tea brand had already donated five points to Karachi University, and it would repair more points, the vice chancellor said.
Additionally, a plan to place tin sheets on the walkway from the Silver Jubilee gate to the Arts auditorium for the ease of pedestrians was also announced.
It seems Karachi University (KU) is caught in a circular debt — the finance department fails to release money to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the HEC as a result fails to pay the university.
At its senate meeting held on Friday, after a gap of three years, it was revealed that in the last financial year 2011-12 the university faced a fiscal deficit of Rs599 million. It is expected that in the year 2012-13 the deficit will increase to over Rs998 million.
“The university’s financial crisis is the most critical point of this meeting,” said Prof Muhammed Qaiser, adding that next month they might not be able to pay salaries.
The finance director, Qazi Zafar Abbas, noted that as a regular practice the HEC released funds in four installments over the year, the first two installments were at 20 percent each, and the third and fourth installment was 30 percent each. “But so far the university has only received half of the first installment.” For the year 2011-12 the HEC was to release total funds of Rs1254 million.
Proposed Budget for 2012
The finance director proposed Rs1,666 million for pensions, Rs274 million for salaries, Rs365 million for utilities, Rs142 million for examinations, Rs65 million for transport, Rs30 million for books and journals, Rs40 million for research, Rs25 million for lab running and Rs178 million for other expenses.
After much criticism by the members, the budget was passed without any changes.
“After so many years the university does not have a sewerage system. There are broken taps in departments, expired chemicals in labs. Where is the money being spent?” said a member.
The library convener for the university lamented the fact that the only Rs30 million were to be spent on books. “What can we say about a university where the library occupies only 1.5 percent of the budget?”
Dr Moonis Ahmer, chairperson of the Area Study Centre for Europe, remarked that the university should buy a currency-printing machine for it was always in loss. “The evening programme should not be considered a source of income. If anything the money derived from it should be restricted to reserve funds.”
The chairperson of the department of applied engineering lamented that his department had not received a single computer in three years. “The application ends up in various offices at the administration office. By telling us every year that you do not have enough funds to pay our salaries, do you want all the teachers to shut up and be grateful that you ended up paying us?”
The teachers lamented the fact that Governor Sindh Ishrat ul Ebad never attends the senate meeting, and none of the representatives from the government, except Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, bothered showing up.
“If officials are not interested, then tell us beforehand. We will stop holding these meetings,” said Mutahir Ahmed, president of the Karachi University Teachers’ Society.
Plans for 2012-13
The vice chancellor said the security of the university would be beefed up over the year. “The tender has been passed, and security apparatus will come in very soon.”
As a measure to generate resources, a medical college would be constructed over the year, and a memorandum of understanding for a Chinese language institute would be signed on December 1, he added.
It was also shared that a leading bank would repair the Silver Jubilee gate. A tea brand had already donated five points to Karachi University, and it would repair more points, the vice chancellor said.
Additionally, a plan to place tin sheets on the walkway from the Silver Jubilee gate to the Arts auditorium for the ease of pedestrians was also announced.
Posted in: Karachi News
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