Faculty wants governor to probe alleged wrongdoings in Edwardes College

PESHAWAR: The faculty members of Edwardes College have expressed serious concern over the ‘deteriorating’ situation in the institution and submitted a formal request to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to seek an early meeting with the heads of departments of the college.

The faculty members also submitted a detailed document to the governor demanding an impartial inquiry into the alleged wrongdoings in the historic educational institution of the province. Through the letter, they also demanded introduction of a proper service structure for the college employees. According to the letter, the college has been converted into a kind of sub-jail for the employees and students. It maintained that they are denied all their fundamental rights and academics and administrative functions have shown a sharp decline. They complained that the Edwardes College Teachers Association (ECTWA), a representative body of teachers, has been banned without any justification. They alleged that the teachers have been banned from even sitting together.

The faculty members argued that serious financial irregularities have been observed due to the absence of independent audit. Principal of the college Dr Nayer Fardows, however, in an earlier conversation with The News had claimed that due to his best financial management the finances of the college have shown substantial increase.

The faculty members, though, pointed fingers at the college finance committee, which has been reconstituted by the current administration. The committee, according to the letter written by the faculty, had been formed in 2008 to look into the financial embezzlement worth Rs60 million. The committee was headed by educationist Dr Nasser Ali Khan with a representative each from the faculty, secretary finance and diocese as its members. But the letter noted that the finance committee was reconstituted and the representatives of secretary finance and faculty were replaced by the principal.

The faculty members through the letter asked the governor to order an inquiry into the legal standing and decisions taken by the finance committee. They also asked the governor, who is chairman of the board of governors of the college, to order a separate inquiry into the alleged nepotism and violation of merit in the institution. The letter demanded that the matter of appointment of the son, daughter and daughter-in-law of the incumbent principal in the college should be thoroughly probed.