Quetta: Three major universities in Quetta initially decided to shift from physical to online classes due to security concerns. However, just a day after the announcement, they were compelled to reverse the decision following strong opposition from students and student organizations.
The universities affected included the University of Balochistan, Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University, and Balochistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences (BUITEMS).
According to officials from these institutions, the decision to suspend physical classes and transition to online learning was made in response to heightened security threats. BUITEMS even issued an official notification stating that the move was intended to ensure the safety of students and staff. The notification also mentioned the suspension of university transport services and the continuation of online classes until after Eid-ul-Fitr.
However, the decision faced immediate resistance from students, primarily due to the poor quality of internet services in Balochistan. Many students, particularly those from remote areas, lack access to reliable internet, making online learning nearly impossible.
Balach Qadir Baloch, chairman of the Baloch Students Organization, told that his organization met with the University of Balochistan’s registrar to formally demand a reversal of the decision. He emphasized that online classes in Balochistan were impractical since many regions do not have internet access, forcing students to relocate to other cities just to attend classes.
Following these protests, the universities withdrew their earlier notifications on March 18. New notices from the University of Balochistan and BUITEMS stated that, in response to student concerns and internet connectivity issues, the decision to shift to online classes was being revoked.
As per the latest notification, physical classes in these universities will resume from March 20.
