Mayor Karachi MurtazaWahab has said that it is necessary to revise the fee structure to improve the quality of education and other facilities at Karachi Medical and Dental College (KMDC), because it is not possible to run the institution without financial discipline. He said this while presiding over the meeting of the governing body of the KMDC in BaghIbneQasim here on Friday.
Municipal Commissioner AfzalZaidi, Principal KMDC Dr. NargisAnjum, ShehlaRaza, KishwerZehra, Dr. Farhan Isa, and other members of the governing body were also present on this occasion. He said that the KMC charges only Rs 50,000 per year from the students who enrol in MBBS and BDS after paying huge fees from private schools, which is equivalent to one months fee for a private school.
When these students complete MBBS and do house jobs in our own hospital, they get the same amount back in the form of honorarium in five months, he said. He said that an annual fee of Rs. 1,30,000 is charged at SM Law College, so how can an institution be run by charging such low fees for professional degrees like BBS and BDS? “If I am infamous for raising the fees and the college provides excellent education and facilities to the students, I do not mind.” Barrister MurtazaWahab once again requested the non-governmental organisations and various institutions active in the city to come and work with us for the improvement of hospitals and medical colleges. He said that very soon a 150-bed gynaecology ward will be activated in AbbasiShaheed Hospital with the support of an NGO, which will provide convenience to the citizens.
During the meeting, the financial situation of KMDC, the admissions in MBBS and BDS for the new academic year, and the fee structure were reviewed in detail. Some members of the governing body suggested an increase in the fee so as to meet the expenses of the college and other matters, including upgrading, he said. He said that it was told in the meeting that students studying at KMDC pay an annual fee of Rs 50,000, which is very little. The Sindh government has been requested to solve the financial problems of the college, and a grant of 440 million is expected to be received within a month. In view of this, some governing body members suggested that the increase in fees be delayed for a month, which was agreed upon by the Mayor of Karachi, and the decision was postponed until the next governing body meeting.
He said that the structure of fees for overseas students was also reviewed in the Governing Body meeting. On this occasion, the members of the governing body presented various suggestions for the financial stability of KMDC.
