Exams delayed as strike continues at AWKUM

PESHAWAR: The strike by the teachers and other staff at the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM) continued for the 22nd day due to which final term examination could not commence on time on Monday.

Due to the strike academic, administrative and research activities have come to a complete standstill. The situation has adversely affected the students whose final term examination could not be arranged.

The final term examination in the university was supposed to commence from January 20 but due to the strike, it could not be arranged. Vice-chancellor Dr Mohammad Khurshed Khan, through a letter to all deans, head of teaching departments, principals of constituent colleges and coordinators campuses on January 17, had directed them to start the examination from January 20, but to no avail.

The university administration is now mulling postponement of the examination till the first week of February, but no such notification could be issued so far, sources told The News. The university administration was reportedly unwilling to sit with the teachers and meet their demands.

The teachers and other staff members of the university were adamant on continuing the strike and mount pressure on the administration. They declared to boycott duties including conducting examination until their demands were accepted.

The only affected community is the students whose time is being wasted.

The officials of university administration could not be traced. The ones who were reached by telephone were not ready to talk on the issue. One officer spoke to The News on the condition of anonymity. He said there was no justification for the teachers’ strike and none of their 18 demands was justified.

The Joint Action Committee and Academic Staff Association of the university in earlier meetings had forwarded 18 demands to the university administration.

The teachers asked the university administration to advertise BPS (basic pay scale) positions at the earliest, promotion of the TTS (tenure track system) faculty, financial support for research in the university and others.

The protesting teachers were of the opinion that the university administration was turning a deaf ear to their demands. They alleged the university administration under the present vice-chancellor was responsible for the academic, research and administrative decline of the university.