The principal of Lahore’s Aitchison College, Michael A. Thompson, tendered his resignation on Monday, citing “prejudiced actions by Governor House” and referring to them as “unwarranted interference and brazen directives”.
Although the letter did not specify the reason for the resignation, media reports suggested that the move was prompted by Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman’s decision to waive school fees for PML-N leader Ahad Cheema’s sons.
In a letter to school staff, a copy of which is available on Dawn.com, Thompson said: “This is not how I planned to leave Aitchison, but I will share with you that I have been left by a continuation of very poor governance. no other choice. Throughout my time as Headmaster, I have done everything in my power to protect the school’s reputation while providing compassion to those in need.”
But he said there was a difference between those efforts and the presence of “shameless policy-making to suit certain individuals”, adding that “such people are simply insisting on preferential treatment”.
“Politics and nepotism have no place in schools,” Thompson argued.
“Over the past year, Governor House’s other biased actions have contributed to a breakdown in governance that I have finally had to draw the line at.
“It seems incredulous to me, and probably to most other people, that such a successful school can be subjected to such unauthorized interference and insolent regulations,” he added.
“I am leaving on April 1st and will have no role in the management of the upcoming admissions,” Thompson stated.
It should be mentioned that Thompson also tendered his resignation in September 2018, allegedly under pressure from political circles for disciplinary action against some students.
According to reports, the principal faced pressure from the college’s Board of Governors to allow the admission of former MNA Kašmal’s son Tariq to A-levels after he was earlier expelled.
However, he later withdrew his resignation after the then Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and provincial education ministers visited him to persuade him to do so.
Two months earlier, the government had revoked the visa of Thomson, an Australian citizen, for allegedly denying entry to a boy from an influential family. He later extended his visa for only three months, with more than a year left on his employment contract.
