DJ’s Geology Dept dies!

Geology Depart-ment of DJ Science College, Karachi has almost died. It would not be producing any geologist in (near) future as the college will have no teacher after Prof Syed Maroof Hussian, head of Geology, retired on August 27, 2013. DJ College is Sindh’s only institute, which had (has) Geology Department. It was founded about 32 years ago by Prof. Sardar Naqvi. But Sindh government had not appointed even one professor in these 32 years in this department.

Its closure means in (near) future, Pakistan will be unable to produce quality geologists and will have to depend on foreign experts to explore untapped natural resources. DJ Science College, situated in the heart of Karachi, is a prestigious and reputable institute rendering meritorious services in science education for last many decades. According to college professors its students used to assist the country in geological surveys to locate oil and gas fields.

Retirement of Prof Maroof is forcing the college management to think of closing the department as no teachers are available to keep the department alive. This puts the future of over a hundred students under a question mark. Prof Maroof has been the only teacher for years teaching geology here. According to some senior teachers, the college principal had written many letters to Sindh Education Department to appoint geology professors but officials always turned deaf ears towards our proposals.

Situation in government colleges is going from bad to worst as many colleges in the city lack even English teachers including DJ Science College, SM Arts & Commerce College, St Lawrence College and Women College. Teachers pointed out that number of teachers is inadequate for increasing number of students in government institutions. Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) has severely criticized Sindh government for not filling the vacant posts of professors and lecturers at government colleges in the past several years.

Departments of geography and social sciences had been closed over the years in many government colleges of the city.