Islamabad: As the shortage of teaching staff at medical and dental colleges continues, the PMDC has taken a decision to extend the moratorium for two years on the establishment of colleges.
There are 128 dental and medical colleges across Pakistan, with nearly 10,846 faculty members. The institutes are currently facing a shortage of teaching staff and 4,343 more teachers need to be recruited to meet the requirements of the students.
A PMDC official on condition of anonymity stated that initially, in 2011, the moratorium was imposed for a span of three years due to shortage of teaching faculty.
Colleges have found different ways to overcome shortage of teaching staff, from hiring visiting faculty to recruiting inexperienced teachers but students continue to suffer and the quality of medical education continues to deteriorate.
To efficiently manage this issue, PMDC has made it mandatory for all colleges to have their faculty and teaching staff registered. With the implementation of this strategy, it will become possible for officials of PMDC to assess availability of teachers at different medical and dental institutes across the country.
Pakistan Medical and Dental Council President Dr Masood Hameed, while addressing the media, stated that the purpose of extending the moratorium was to improve the quality and standard of medical education in Pakistan.
He further stated that warnings have been issued to nearly 72 dental and medical colleges facing shortage of teaching staff; and admissions to 9 other colleges have been suspended due to inadequate infrastructure and faculty.
