I refer to the letter s by Granma and the others. Indeed our public universities are in a mess. I would like to comment on the academics and the authorities who run the universities.

Firstly, it is a well-known fact that we don't have the best people as academic members. Many are there through their connections. As a result, we have lecturers who give the wrong information, lecturers who are always cancelling classes, lecturers who do not publish or carry out research, etc.

Yet, it is also these lecturers who are promoted because they are the cronies of those who run the universities. My concern is what do the students learn from these lecturers - nothing.

Secondly, every university has its own criteria for promotion. Some universities' criteria change to suit the people who will be promoted. Some may not be promoted even though they have published works and have carried out research while others who have nothing to show will get the promotion.

There is no transparency in the promotion exercise and the reason why a particular person is promoted is never revealed. We need standardised criteria for all universities and an independent board for promotion to let everyone know why a particular person deserves the promotion.

Thirdly, some universities don't have leaders capable of leading the university to greater heights. These leaders themselves play politics so that they can stay at the top. In playing politics, quality is sacrificed. At the end of the day, students don't get the education that they deserve.

Fourthly, academics don't have a voice. If you give constructive criticisms, you are seen as anti-establishment. Your life will be made very miserable. In the end, most good academics are so disillusioned that either they keep quiet, toe the line and carry on with their work or resign.

Fifthly, since public universities are governed by civil service department rules and regulations, academics are subject to the crazy rules of this department which does not seem to understand what academe is all about.

The most recent ruling is the PTK (Penilaian Tahap Kecekapan) which is supposed to make promotions more transparent. Under this ruling, all academics sit for a three-week course, doing assignments and passing exams that merely give you a licence to apply for a promotion.

The civil service department did not consider the fact that the decision to qualify for the PTK course lies with the dean in his/her yearly assessment of the person concerned. So, even if you pass, promotion is still at the discretion of the university authorities. Academics are thus evaluated twice yet the process is still not transparent.

The PTK course is a waste of time for academics who have to teach, do research, write and publish. They have to drop everything for three weeks just to attend the course.What a joke it will be if an internationally recognised associate professor fails the PTK because it is not his area of specialisation. Does that mean that he is not good enough?

I can imagine the medical doctors in the universities sitting for this course. Most likely, they will decide to join the private sector since it is such a hassle to get a promotion. Moreover, the civil service department cannot pay the higher salary that they can command in the private sector.

What a fiasco! Although it was pointed out to them, the civil service department refused to abolish the PTK, probably out of pride. Academics feel that the civil service has something against them as it is always coming out with criteria to make their already stressful life more miserable.

Do you still think our local universities will give you quality education? I hope the new Higher Education Minister will seriously look into this matter and do something about it. If not, in the end, our future generations will not be the dynamic and progressive lot we are hoping for.