MAO College reopens after clashes | Kinnaird college protest

MAO College reopens after clashes
Lahore, May 02, 2008: Government MAO College, which was closed down after some armed men tried to gain its control on Monday, will reopen on Friday (today). The college was closed down for two days. However, it had to remain closed on Thursday too because of May 1.

Meanwhile, a police contingent is still deployed at the college while wall chalking, done by the college's student group in favour of PML-N leaders, has been wiped out from the college walls by the administration.

It is important to mention here that before the elections, the same student group had done wall chalking in favour of PML-Q leaders. However, the results compelled these student leaders to change their loyalties afterwards.

It is learnt that a day earlier, police searched college students' record in order to find out how some non-student elements were granted admission in the past. A college teacher, seeking anonymity, said some over-aged people, who could never be called college-students, had been granted admission by the previous administration, adding the police were searching all the relevant record these days in order to trace those who had been granted admission, violating the merit. The News



Students protest fee increase: Kinnaird girls to meet administration
Lahore: Kinnaird College (KC) students will submit a charter of demands at a meeting with the vice principal (VP) today (Friday), students organising protests against the hike in fees said on Thursday.

The students plan to ask the VP to repeal the recent hike in college fees. They said that the increase had disturbed the students and was affecting their studies, since they could not concentrate on their studies. The vice principal on Wednesday told the students that they would be allowed to submit their fees in instalments, but the students said they would protest until the fees were brought down again. They also intend to demand more freedom of movement and recreational facilities.

Farwa Ahmed, a BBA student at KC, said that students would present a list of their demands at the meeting with the administration, deans and faculty members. She said that students would also take up the matter with KC Principal Mira Phailbus, who is currently abroad, when she returns after 15 days.

BA student Khaula Butt said many students were considering transferring their credits to other universities that had lower fees, more facilities and more freedom of movement.

Nazish Khan, another student, said there was no place for students to sit in the college due to a shortage of classrooms and many students were not attending college due to the heat. She said the classrooms were not air-conditioned and sitting in them was very difficult.

A KC teacher agreed that students were facing many problems. She said many students had complained to the administration, but no action had been taken so far. She said that the principal was expected to take action on the issue after her return. However, she added that the administration might also take some action before the principal's arrival.

The students said that they did not want to be bound to enter and exit the college at fixed times. They said they would demand freedom of movement at the gates at all times, as is common at various other universities and colleges in the city.

The students would demand the freedom to use mobile phones and iPods on campus. They also want air-conditioned classrooms and more classrooms because currently, some lectures are being held in the college grounds due to a shortage of rooms.

They said the water coolers on campus were rusty and the water at the café was hot. They added that the KC café was serving expensive, rotten-smelling and unhygienic food and action should be taken against it.

The students said that KC had been known for its extra-curricular activities, but ever since the semester system was introduced a couple of years ago the college held one annual play and one annual sports day only. They said they wanted more functions like concerts, swimming competitions, fun fairs, and celebrations of special days like St Valentines Day. They also want a TV set at the café because there are TV screens in the canteens and cafés of other education institutes in the city.

Another of the students' demand is action against teachers promoting favouritism. They said that if a student argued with a teacher, she was sure to fail that semester, no matter how good a student she was. KC Vice Principal Dr Nighat Khan was not available for comment.

The demands

* Freedom to enter and exit college gates at will
* Freedom to use cellphones, iPods on campus
* Air-conditioned classrooms and more classrooms
* Clean, cool water
* Cheap, hygienic food at the café
* TV at café
* More extra-curricular activities
* End of favouritism by teachers. Daily Times