The padlock at the Tribhuvan University (TU) central office by various professors’ unions has not only hampered its administrative works but also deprived a section of teachers of their salary.

The term extension of the contract lecturers which was on hold for last one and half months due to the lack of the vice-chancellor (VC) was supposed to take place after his appointment. However, this could not take place as the VC has not been able to assume office due to the padlock. So the contract-based lecturers have not got their salary from last month. “The padlock has deprived us from getting our pay and perks, so such mode of protest should end,” said a contract lecturer at Nepal Commerce Campus.

Although the University Grants Commission (UGC) has already allocated funds for salary, it has not released the amounts because it has not received the teachers’ list from the TU. According Subash Chandra Dhungel, the chief administrative officer at the UGC, his office will release the amount once it gets the teachers’ list.

The country’s oldest university had appointed 1,380 part-time and 460 course contract teachers as teaching assistants on August 24, 2006 after the then government-led by Girija Prasad Koirala signed an agreement with the protesting teachers. The government had agreed to appoint all the part-timers as teaching assistants who had had one year of teaching experience in TU’s constituent colleges.

Soorya Lal Amatya, the rector at TU, said the problem would be resolved after the newly appointed officials assume office.

source: The Kathmandu Post