‘Utter disgrace’: SU on SOAS
HAMZA A. BAJWA | 01.09.2006 15:10 | Education
"Utter disgrace" was the harsh words expressed in response to a London University's controversial decision to discard its unique Bengali degree course this week.
‘Utter disgrace’ SU on SOAS
BY HAMZA A. BAJWA
The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), the only institution of higher education in the West to offer such a language course, has again been met with heavy criticism and accused by its Student Union (SU) as "another example of SOAS management style where [the] needs of students and advice of academic staffs" have been ignored.
Mushtaq Ahmad, President of the SU, told The Muslim Weekly that it was an "utter disgrace" for an "institution of this level not to have a senior full time Lectureship or Lectorship", adding that such a decision did not "serve [SOAS’] core mission statement of enhancing understanding between different cultures".
Following SOAS’ Director Colin Bundy’s announcement last month of "budget cuts across the board after registering heavy financial losses, attributed to a shortfall in international students", a motion was passed by the SU shortly thereafter in response to a surprising U-turn made by the School over the initial approval of a part-time Lector for Bengali. Proposed by Mr Ahmad and seconded by NUS delegate Clare Solomon, the motion argues that the appointment of a part-time Lector was in fact "affordable, justifiable and achievable".
A SOAS spokesperson said that the School intended to maintain a substantive teaching capacity for Bengali "but the present financial realities are that it needs also to be justifiable in terms of student demand".
But Mr Ahmad said there was a strong demand from students for the non-degree courses currently available called Bengali 1 and Bengali 2.
"I am aware that many other students would like to do more courses in Bengali like advanced level courses if the choice was available, but the choice isn't there," he said.
The motion also argued that its inclusion was justified on the basis of Bengali being the "fifth largest language in the world; the national language of Bangladesh…language of a sizable minority in the UK…and a language generally acknowledged in the subcontinent as having a 19th and 20th century literature richer than any other South Asian language".
Likewise it countered the excuse of affordability by pointing to savings made after a Senior Lectureship went part time. Mr Ahmad said that the money generated by Dr William Radice’s "selfless decision" to go part time would "easily have covered a 0.5 Lectorship" and that the doctor was "very upset" that the school has not given the go-ahead of appointing a Lectorship".
SOAS was also criticised for not "publicising the courses effectively".
"Some people are not aware of these opportunities," Mr Ahmad accused.
He also expressed his dismay over some Muslim students who were displaying a negative attitude towards different languages and cultures, which he believed stemmed from the effects of "colonialism", and claimed that SOAS was using as an excuse.
"If these Muslims could appreciate their own language and culture, this would enhance the Qur'anic concept of Ummah (community relations) and brotherhood," he said.
However, the campaign has found strong backing including George Galloway, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, who said: "This was the only institution to offer a degree option in Bengali in Europe, and in the western world. There are many Bengali speakers now living and studying in Britain. This course is a vital opportunity for both Bengali and non-Bengali speakers to pursue a course in Bengali. The financial crisis and cuts in higher education are entirely of the government's own making. We must not allow education in this country to suffer. I fully support the students' union's efforts to re-open this course and will do everything I can to help get it re-opened."
This is not the first time, however, that SOAS has been plagued by controversy. Last year, a political row erupted after Lord Navneet Dholakia, the Liberal Democrat leader in the House of Lords, was invited to a conference entitled: "European Human Rights Conference on Bangladesh: Extremism, Intolerance and Violence". His remarks of alleged human rights abuses against minority groups in Bangladesh led to a bitter exchange between members of the House of Lords and Bangladeshi diplomats in London.
Mr Ahmad said that the allegations made were "grossly distorted and grossly biased" and believed that the conference was a ploy to create negative propaganda against Bangladesh to benefit certain political groups.
More recently, SOAS was criticised by Muslims for abandoning student Nasser Amin following his criticism of the Israeli army in a SU publication. He was subsequently reprimanded by the School, headed by Director Colin Bundy, after it buckled under considerable external pressure generated by a systematic witch-hunt carried out by "pro-Israel supporters".
http://www.themuslimweekly.com/fullstoryview.aspx?NewsID=64EC36FF7410375C875C493C&MENUID=TOPNEWS&DESCRIPTION=Front%20Page%20News
BY HAMZA A. BAJWA
The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), the only institution of higher education in the West to offer such a language course, has again been met with heavy criticism and accused by its Student Union (SU) as "another example of SOAS management style where [the] needs of students and advice of academic staffs" have been ignored.
Mushtaq Ahmad, President of the SU, told The Muslim Weekly that it was an "utter disgrace" for an "institution of this level not to have a senior full time Lectureship or Lectorship", adding that such a decision did not "serve [SOAS’] core mission statement of enhancing understanding between different cultures".
Following SOAS’ Director Colin Bundy’s announcement last month of "budget cuts across the board after registering heavy financial losses, attributed to a shortfall in international students", a motion was passed by the SU shortly thereafter in response to a surprising U-turn made by the School over the initial approval of a part-time Lector for Bengali. Proposed by Mr Ahmad and seconded by NUS delegate Clare Solomon, the motion argues that the appointment of a part-time Lector was in fact "affordable, justifiable and achievable".
A SOAS spokesperson said that the School intended to maintain a substantive teaching capacity for Bengali "but the present financial realities are that it needs also to be justifiable in terms of student demand".
But Mr Ahmad said there was a strong demand from students for the non-degree courses currently available called Bengali 1 and Bengali 2.
"I am aware that many other students would like to do more courses in Bengali like advanced level courses if the choice was available, but the choice isn't there," he said.
The motion also argued that its inclusion was justified on the basis of Bengali being the "fifth largest language in the world; the national language of Bangladesh…language of a sizable minority in the UK…and a language generally acknowledged in the subcontinent as having a 19th and 20th century literature richer than any other South Asian language".
Likewise it countered the excuse of affordability by pointing to savings made after a Senior Lectureship went part time. Mr Ahmad said that the money generated by Dr William Radice’s "selfless decision" to go part time would "easily have covered a 0.5 Lectorship" and that the doctor was "very upset" that the school has not given the go-ahead of appointing a Lectorship".
SOAS was also criticised for not "publicising the courses effectively".
"Some people are not aware of these opportunities," Mr Ahmad accused.
He also expressed his dismay over some Muslim students who were displaying a negative attitude towards different languages and cultures, which he believed stemmed from the effects of "colonialism", and claimed that SOAS was using as an excuse.
"If these Muslims could appreciate their own language and culture, this would enhance the Qur'anic concept of Ummah (community relations) and brotherhood," he said.
However, the campaign has found strong backing including George Galloway, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, who said: "This was the only institution to offer a degree option in Bengali in Europe, and in the western world. There are many Bengali speakers now living and studying in Britain. This course is a vital opportunity for both Bengali and non-Bengali speakers to pursue a course in Bengali. The financial crisis and cuts in higher education are entirely of the government's own making. We must not allow education in this country to suffer. I fully support the students' union's efforts to re-open this course and will do everything I can to help get it re-opened."
This is not the first time, however, that SOAS has been plagued by controversy. Last year, a political row erupted after Lord Navneet Dholakia, the Liberal Democrat leader in the House of Lords, was invited to a conference entitled: "European Human Rights Conference on Bangladesh: Extremism, Intolerance and Violence". His remarks of alleged human rights abuses against minority groups in Bangladesh led to a bitter exchange between members of the House of Lords and Bangladeshi diplomats in London.
Mr Ahmad said that the allegations made were "grossly distorted and grossly biased" and believed that the conference was a ploy to create negative propaganda against Bangladesh to benefit certain political groups.
More recently, SOAS was criticised by Muslims for abandoning student Nasser Amin following his criticism of the Israeli army in a SU publication. He was subsequently reprimanded by the School, headed by Director Colin Bundy, after it buckled under considerable external pressure generated by a systematic witch-hunt carried out by "pro-Israel supporters".
http://www.themuslimweekly.com/fullstoryview.aspx?NewsID=64EC36FF7410375C875C493C&MENUID=TOPNEWS&DESCRIPTION=Front%20Page%20News
HAMZA A. BAJWA
