SINGAPORE: The National University of Singapore (NUS) has found itself at the centre of a storm after the abrupt last-minute cancellation of a playwriting module just days before its commencement.
The decision has left its instructor, Haresh Sharma, and other artists feeling betrayed and has sparked a wave of discontent within the arts community.
Haresh Sharma, a distinguished playwright and alumnus of NUS, took to Instagram on Aug 12 to express his indignation. He revealed that he was informed just five days before the course’s start date that NUS did not “approve” his appointment.
Despite his extensive experience and accolades, including the FASS Distinguished Arts and Social Sciences Alumni Award in 2021, Sharma was not given a reason for the university’s decision.
No reason for NUS’s last-minute cancellation
“So, you can give me an award but you cannot allow me to teach your students?” he questioned in his post.
Sharma, who has been the resident playwright of The Necessary Stage since 1990 and was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 2015, also lamented the preparation work he had done for the course.
Theatre actress Noorlinah Mohamed, another victim of the sudden change, shared a similar story on her Instagram stories. She was slated to teach a module on voice studies and production at NUS, a course she had been teaching since 2021.
However, she received an email in July 2024 that her appointment was not approved without any courtesy call or explanation.
NUS responded to the situation, stating that the courses were dropped due to low enrollment numbers.
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) spokesperson mentioned that the playwriting course could not be conducted meaningfully due to insufficient numbers and that the voice studies and production course is now being taught by a full-time staff member.
The university’s decision affected not only the instructors but also the students looking forward to these courses.
Jade Ow, a 22-year-old theatre studies major at NUS, expressed her frustration at the last-minute communication, stating that cancelling the playwriting module could have delayed her graduation.
Questions, disappointments
Other students, like third-year theatre studies major Evangel Wong, questioned the decision to drop the courses based on enrollment numbers, pointing out that class sizes for theatre studies courses are typically small.
Another final-year student, Ms. Rose, highlighted the lack of alternative modules available, particularly for English, linguistics, and theatre studies majors.
The hastiness and lack of communication surrounding these decisions have disappointed and perplexed students and instructors alike.
Haresh Sharma’s Instagram post has received an outpouring of support from the theatre community, with many expressing their solidarity and concern over the treatment of part-time artists by educational institutions.
This incident has brought to light the precarious position of freelance artists who rely on such income opportunities and the impact of last-minute cancellations on their livelihoods.
As the drama unfolds, the arts community awaits a resolution that honours the commitment and expertise of its members.