close
Tuesday March 19, 2024

Students, parents relieved as classes resume at Aisha Bawany College

By Arshad Yousafzai
September 23, 2017

Much to the relief of students, their parents as well as the administration of the Aisha Bawany College, academic activities resumed at the institute after a week-long suspension on Friday as per the high court’s orders issued a day earlier.

The college was closed down owing to a dispute between the Aisha Bawany Trust and the Sindh government over possession of the college’s premises. As the matter was decided in favour of the government by the Sindh High Court on Thursday, the tension between the college’s trustees and the education department’s officials, however, appeared to still not have eased off.

Nevertheless, the ordeal of parents of the students enrolled at the college, who had had to stand outside the college in soaring temperature and protest for its reopening, had definitely come to an end.

Imtiaz Ali Mangi, a teacher of English at the college, told The News that the students can now acquire education without any fear. He said that, “The enrolled students usually belong from lower income class and cannot afford private colleges’ fee, thus, reopening of the college has come as a breath of fresh air for both the parents and the students.”

According to Mangi, the high court’s historic order has been welcomed by the faculty, students as well as the parents. Educators and students hope they would not again be bothered in the process of learning and teaching, observed another teacher, Yasir Arafat.

“Educational activities are in full swing now and should be continued under all circumstances,” he said. The teacher although warned of coming out onto the roads and approaching the court again if such an inconvenience is caused again.

He pointed out that most of the college’s students belonged to slums located near the college; Manzoor Colony, Akhtar Colony, Azam Basti, Chanesar Goth and others located near the Kala Pul and Korangi Town are some of the slums to which the students belong.

He said that although the issue stood solved for now, but if the education department wished to relocate the college, the alternate location should be within this area so as not to inconvenience the students.

What students endured

While the trustees and the provincial government were battling out their issues in court, Arbab Khan, a boy who came to the college to secure an admission for a second time was welcomed by the closed doors of the college. A resident of Korangi’s Belal Colony, Khan was rejected by the college last year on grounds of low percentage.

This year when the education department granted the college permission to admit students on open merit, Khan’s chances increased. But much to his disappointment, as he reached the college all he could see was chaos, while the locked gates of the college stared back at him.

However, assured by some teachers of securing an education, Khan finally managed to get himself enrolled at the college.

On the other hand, Zeeshan Raza, who had just passed his Intermediate examinations, was worried about whether him and his classmates would be able to pursue higher education. Their educational records remained the property of the college since they were not yet issued passing certificates, he said.

Resident of Korangi Crossing, Abdullah, a newcomer, also had a sorrowful tale to tell. “We have never had to face such difficulties as we had to because of this closure,” he said citing especially the occasion where the students had to attend classes on the roadside on which the college is located.

An employee at a medical store located near his home, where he works after college hours, Abdullah said he could not concentrate on his work either as the daily protests and sloganeering tired him out.

However, he was now much relieved over the resuming of academic activities at the college.  A number of other students also reportedly suffered from high fever, vomiting and severe dehydration as a result of protesting under the scorching sun.