Investigation into affairs of St Joseph’s College for Women, a female degree college in the Saddar area, has unearthed an anti-Islam campaign in college allegedly launched by its principal Dr Bernadette L Dean.
In between several anti-Islam reports, the worst was that the principal had banned study of Islamic History, an optional subject for the intermediate and bachelor’s arts faculty students, since last two years. She also kicked out the senior staff member who was teaching the optional subject for the last 27 years, on August 15 last year. Initially, the principal of the college refused the students to study the subject, and later threw out experienced and permanent faculty members out of the college.
The college staff, requesting anonymity, told Pakistan Today that Dr Bernadette L Dean fired the experienced teacher, Ms Masroor, using her authority. They alleged that the principal banned the subject of Islamic History and directed the staff to inform the newcomers of intermediate and graduation of arts faculty that the college did not offer the subject and that they should choose another optional in replacement.
They said the college had stopped studies of Islamic History for the last three years and none of the student was allowed to choose the high scoring optional subject by the administration. Making zero enrolment in the subject as base the principal had kicked out senior most permanent faculty member, Ms Masroor, from the college, they said.
Last year, this scribe received some unconfirmed reports about highhandedness of the college principal who beat students when they tried to raise voice against her conspiracies against their favourite teacher Ms Masroor and demanded to restart studies of the Islamic History subject. Insiders have reported to this scribe that Dr Dean had removed copies of Holy Quran from college when she assumed charge.
An interesting incident took place during Ramadan when Dr Dean used objectionable words for a college employee when she saw her reciting Holy Quran during fast. She stopped her from recitation and asked her to do this job in her house.
Due to the increasing complaints against the college’s principal, Pakistan Today launched investigations to verify unconfirmed reports. Initially, when this scribe tried to visit the college, he was not allowed to enter the premises. When he requested the gatekeeper to see the college principal to discuss the matter of Ms Masroor, the gatekeeper informed Dr Dean’s secretary who later requested this scribe to wait but she did not respond to him even after an hour and he had to return without Dr Dean’s comments.
However, when Ms Masroor was contacted for her comments on her dismissal from the college a year ago, she narrated her story as under: “I was serving at St Joseph’s College for Women for the last 27 years but I was forced to resign by college’s principal Dr Bernadette L Dean.
“Dr Dean started anti-Islam campaign as she assumed charge of college’s principal office and I was the first to fall prey to her nefarious designs,” Ms Masroor said, adding that she stopped studies of Islamic History in college first to make an excuse to force me for resignation. “She misbehaved with students who they were willing to study the high scoring optional subject last year,” Ms Masroor further said.
“I went to Dr Dean several times and requested her to restart the study of optional subject, but she refused my requests all the time. Dr Dean has removed copies of Holy Quran from college and banned every type of Islamic teaching inside college premises. One day, she called me in his office and asked me to resign by making excuse of zero percent enrolment as base. She did not give me a single hour to discuss the issue with my colleagues much less issue me a notice of one month period.
“I resigned from college on August 15, 2011. I requested her to give me pension of my service but the principal said that the college would not give you pension of 27 years but she promised to give me pension of the seven years since the college came under the control of the Christian community. I agreed to this proposal but she has not even given me pension for those seven years as yet.”
Talking to Pakistan Today, Karachi Board of Intermediate Education Chairman Anwar Ahmed said the college principal had no right to stop studies of optional subjects. “It is unlawful that the college forcedly stopped the subject on their own. I will issue notice to the college principal if any student who was interested to study the optional subject approached me to register complaint,” he said.
Sharing his experience, he said the zero percent enrolment in any optional subject was not a worthy excuse to expel a permanent faculty. “If there was zero enrolment in any optional subject in the last two years, is firing an experienced faculty member its solution?” he asked. He would definitely take action if any student who was willing to study the optional subject of Islamic History registered a complaint to me about the principal, he assured.
Dr Bernadette L Dean however remained out of reach or unavailable, even though this scribe visited the college and made calls at her cell number many times.
College principal bans studying Islamic History
