The teaching faculties of private and self-financing pharmacy colleges in Kerala have joined together to form an association, All Kerala Pharmacy Teacher's Association (AKPTA), to voice the issues faced by the teachers in the sector. The Association, formed as an affiliate to the Federation of Indian Pharmacists Organisations (FIPO), will also strengthen activities of the Federation in the state.
The AKPTA will focus on issues pertaining to self-financed pharmacy education sector and will conduct job oriented workshops for the teachers and post graduate students in this segment. The Association will also initiate talks to negotiate with the college managements to bring in uniform service conditions in the institutions, according to Robin Jose, president, AKPTA.
"One of the main problem in the sector is the lack of uniformity in service conditions including the basic salary structure in private colleges. Another major problem is the attitude of the government, which differentiates the teachers of the government pharmacy colleges and the teachers of self-financing colleges in the state. We are planning to resolve these issues, along with attempts to ensure quality of teaching with our members," he told Pharmabiz. The Association has 80 members at present, out of the total 150 pharmacy teachers in private pharmacy colleges in Kerala, he added. The state has a total number of 24 private pharmacy colleges.
Association will also submit their views to the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Action plan in this regard will be finalised in an executive committee meeting, to be held in the first week of February 2007, Jose said.
The Association will conduct orientation workshops for the teachers in self-financing colleges and students who have completed M.Pharm course. It has plans to commence a Pharmacy teacher's placement cell, for students completing Post Graduate course and to issue awards to best outgoing students from M.Pharm course in the state. The Association will also bring in Post Graduate students as associate members, he informed.
According to sources, a forum of pharmacy student's will also be formed by the beginning of 2007, as the second phase of initiatives to strengthen the state body of FIPO. The state body would consolidate its position by the beginning of the new calendar year, and has plans to conduct a national level conference by mid 2007 with the help of Kerala State Pharmacy Council (KSPC) and Pharmaceutical Society of Kerala (PSK), a statutory body under the Council, they added.