Category: Education

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  • IBA, AAA Associates collaborate to financially aid students

    IBA, AAA Associates collaborate to financially aid students

    The Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi and a real estate organisation, AAA Associates, have collaborated to introduce a scholarship endowment fund: AAA Associates Scholarship Endowment.

    A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Executive Director, IBA, Dr S Akbar Zaidi and Managing Director, AAA Associates, Shahzad Ali Kiani, at the main campus. According to the press release, the motive of this initiative is to push forward the university’s financial assistance programme for meritorious students with the aid of the AAA.

    Dawn News has reported that IBA supports approximately 30% of its student body every year through its financial assistance program.

  • Private students in Punjab will soon be able to take FSc exams

    Punjab’s Higher Education Department (HED) has decided to make another alteration to the intermediate test guidelines to facilitate private students in the province.

    Private students will now be eligible to sit at the FSc yearly examinations, according to reports, with the latest modification due to take effect in the academic year 2023.

    However, the students will be required to submit certificates to confirm their appearance in practical exams before taking the annual exams.

    The students will be able to obtain these certificates from any college affiliated with any of the eight boards of secondary and intermediate education.

    This change is undoubtedly great news for private candidates who wanted to enroll in sciences. Previously, private students were bound to choose between humanities and commerce.

  • Supreme Court orders Education Commission to close illegal private universities

    Supreme Court orders Education Commission to close illegal private universities

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) on Wednesday ordered the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to close down campuses of private universities all over the country that are running illegally.

    The SC remarked campuses of Preston University and Al Khair University have been set up illegally in Lahore and Karachi. Students sought help from the court about the HEC not issuing degrees to those who have studied from these universities.

    The case was heard by a three-member bench headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial.

    The court gave directions to HEC to make special arrangements to award degrees to the students who had graduated from these illegal campuses. It also said that policies of HEC should be implemented with uniformity all over the country.

    The bench gave remarks that there should be no compromise on the provision of higher education to all young students. Provincial and Federal governments need to work closely and cooperate to maintain the standards of HEC.

    The SC noted that the issue was whether private universities are allowed to open sub-campuses outside their territorial limits or not. It added that HEC already made it very clear that they could set any sub-campuses and they issued many alerts as well.

    Counsel for students, Ali Zafar said that the session court had ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to take action against these universities. However, Justice Bandial replied, “The HEC has the powers. There is no need for NAB to investigate the matter.”

    The court said that the federal government would be ordered to change the laws if HEC is weak.

    “The students had approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) for their degrees. The LHC declared the [sub-]campuses of private universities illegal,” the counsel added.

    Justice Bandial acknowledged the high court verdict and emphasised pursuing the shut down of illegal campuses at the earliest.

  • Islami Jamiat Talba supporters break in, vandalise VC, Registrar offices at Punjab University

    The offices of Vice-Chancellor, registrar and public relations at Punjab University were ransacked by hundreds of students belonging to Islami Jamiat Talba (IJT) on Friday after a confrontation between two student groups, reports Dawn News.

    The spokesperson for Punjab University, Khurram Shahzad, confirmed the incident in a statement that supporters of IJT broke into the premises of offices “following a fight between some students and outsiders” near the main cafeteria.

    The complaint has been filed against students for legal action over the violent incident.

    Shahzad said, “The university has taken measures to establish peace on the campus and only a few dozen students on all sides are trying to disturb the peaceful environment of the university. The administration is identifying these students with the help of footage and strict action will be taken against them as per the law.”

    The Punjabi Council spokesperson, Khurram Gondal, claimed that the IJT activists got engaged in a clash with them on Friday after a disagreement arose over the posters of two events that needed to be displayed at the hostels that they were organising separately.

    The dispute started three days ago when the Punjabi Council were organising a cultural programme and put their posters on display at the hostels, which later members of IJT replaced with their event poster.

    According to Gondal, IJT activists tore and burned their posters and later the conflict escalated to a violent clash between student groups near the main cafeteria.

    IJT members arranged the protest outside the Admin Block, demanding the arrest of those who were involved in the attack on them. They forcefully entered the premises of offices where they destroyed the doors and windows.

    On the other hand, IJT spokesperson, Adeel Chaudhry said that they were protesting to demand action against the outsiders who were residing in the university’s hostels.

    He demanded, “These outsiders should be arrested because they were creating a law-and-order situation at the campus.”

    The police brought the situation under control when they reached the University and dispersed protesters.

  • ‘#ImranKhanCancelExams’ trends on Twitter as courts dismiss students petitions

    ‘#ImranKhanCancelExams’ trends on Twitter as courts dismiss students petitions

    #ImranKhanCancelExams and #ImranKhanJawabDou were among the top trends on Twitter as the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and the Government of Pakistan refuse to cancel this year’s O’ and A’ Level exams and the board exams. Pakistan is currently experiencing a deadly third wave of COVID-19 with fears of an India-like situation and students are arguing that the exams not only pose a risk to their health but they have also been unable to prepare for them because of school closures. The high courts in Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Karachi have also dismissed students petitions.

    Read more – Pak Army to help implement coronavirus SOPs, announces PM Imran

    Students have expressed their worries and concerns over the matter on social media, tagging government accounts so that their pleas are heard. Other hashtags trending on social media included #CancelExamsPakistan2021 and #PMImranCancelExams. While some resorted to sharing memes, others threatened the PM Khan that they will not vote for him in the upcoming General Elections 2023.

    Several celebrities and renowned personalities including Feroze Khan, Aagha Ali, Momina Mustehsan, Jibran Nasir and Waqar Zaka have also extended their support to students, urging the government to cancel exams.

    https://twitter.com/tartajax_/status/1385529572821807104?s=19
    https://twitter.com/mizuistic/status/1385550535319859201?s=19

    https://twitter.com/Haider__alixx/status/1385540072250937344?s=19

    Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court (SHC), Lahore High Court (LHC), Peshawar High Court (PHC) and Islamabad High Court (IHC) have all dismissed the petition of Cambridge students.

    The SHC, in its judgement, maintained the NCOC and Shafqat Mahmood’s decision to hold physical exams for Cambridge but urged strict implementation of SOPs during the exams. It also made assurances regarding withdrawing from current exams anytime before the end of series with no extra fee as part of the order.

    Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood on April 18 had clarified that all Cambridge exams will proceed as per schedule, and will not be making use of teacher-assessed grades this year. AS and A’ Level exams are scheduled to begin from April 26, while O’ Level and IGCSE exams will start from May 10.

    Matriculation and Intermediate board exams, on the other hand, have been deferred and will take place varyingly across provinces, starting late May.

  • Pakistan’s first transgender-only madrasa breaking barriers

    One Rani Khan has set up the first transgender-only madrasa with her life savings.

    Transgender people have faced discrimination in formal education system, although there is no official restriction on them attending schools or offering prayers in mosques.

    “Families do not accept transgender people. They throw them out of their homes. Transgenders turn to wrongdoing. At one time, I was also one of them,” said Khan.

    Rani Khan was disowned by her family at the age of 13 and forced into begging. She joined a transgender group at the age of 17. She earned living by dancing at weddings and other events.

    However, she quit this work when a deceased fellow transgender persuaded her to do something for the community in a dream.

    Khan studied Quran at home and attended religious schools before opening the two-room madrasa in October.

    “I am teaching the Quran to please God, to make my life here and in the hereafter.”

    She further said that the school did not receive aid from the government, although some officials promised to help students find jobs.

    With the help of some donations, Rina is teaching her students how to sew and embroider in hopes of raising funds for the school by selling clothes.

    Pakistan’s parliament recognised the third gender in 2018, giving such individuals fundamental rights such as the ability to vote and choose their gender on official documents.

    Nonetheless, the transgender community remains on the margins in the country and often has to resort to begging, dancing and prostitution to make a living.

    Pakistan’s 2017 census recorded about 10,000 transgender people, though trans rights groups say the number could now be well over 300,000 in the country of 220 million.

  • IBA Karachi launches exclusive dating app for students

    IBA Karachi launches exclusive dating app for students

    Students of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi have launched an exclusive dating app for students only called ‘The Uni Dating.’ News of the dating app was posted on a Facebook group on Saturday and went viral like wildfire.

    A picture of the dating app was posted along with a caption: “Hey guys, just wanted to grab a couple of minutes of your time. We had something special cooking for a while and finally it is here. We would like to introduce you to your own exclusive IBA dating site for current IBA students only. If you know how Tinder works, then you are in for a treat.”

    If you click on the link, it will take you to the main page of the website. You will be asked to log in or sign up by providing your email address, along with the IBA student email address.

    IBA students are not the only ones who have come up with something exclusive like this for their students. Students of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) have also set up a matchmaking group on Facebook to help fellow Luminites find rishtas. The group is exclusive to LUMS students and alumni and outsiders are not entertained here.

    What do you think of this dating app made specifically for IBA students? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

  • HEC reportedly revises policy for PhD admissions

    HEC reportedly revises policy for PhD admissions

    The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has reportedly revised its policy for PhD admissions on January 1, 2021.

    According to reports, under the revised policy, students can also apply for PhD directly after four-year BS programs. The policy states that the minimum duration of a PhD degree will be three years while the maximum duration of the degree will be eight years.

    It has also abolished the requirement of having a previous qualification in the same discipline in order to apply for a specific PhD program.

    In case of non-implementation or violation of the policy, HEC would take action against universities ranging from warnings, suspension or revocation of NOC for admissions, and non-verification of credentials.

    Meanwhile, the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) has expressed serious concerns and rejected the revised policy by the HEC.

    It is pertinent to add that the HEC has not yet officially announced the new policy.

  • PM welcomes children back to school, deletes tweet after realising schools are re-opening tomorrow

    PM welcomes children back to school, deletes tweet after realising schools are re-opening tomorrow

    Confusing days and dates once again, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Monday tweeted to welcome children back to school after a long coronavirus break, only to delete the post after realising that educational institutions won’t be re-opening until tomorrow.

    As per the details, the premier took to Twitter and wrote:

    While he deleted the tweet soon after, in a subsequent tweet PM Imran said:

    “Tomorrow we will welcome millions of children back to school. It is our priority and collective responsibility to ensure that every child can go to school safely to learn. We have worked to ensure that school operations are aligned with public health safety rules on #COVID19,” he wrote.

    This isn’t the first time that the premier, on top of several verbal blunders, has confused the dates.

    Earlier this year, he had asked Muslims “to offer special Nuwafil prayers and seek Allah’s blessings and forgiveness on the occasion of Shabe Baraat tonight”, later deleting his tweet when people had told him the night had already been observed a day ago.

    Mid-Sha’ban or Shabe Baraat is a holiday observed by Muslim communities on the night between 14 and 15 of the Islamic month of Sha’ban. It is regarded as a night when the fortunes of individuals for the coming year are decided and when Allah forgives sinners.

    Twitterati, as usual, had not let go of PM Imran’s faux pas easy.

  • Naya Pakistan: Matric pass PTI MPA becomes new chairperson of Punjab Education Foundation

    The recent “election” of the new chairperson of the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) has attracted widespread social media attention after it was revealed that he himself holds only a matriculation or secondary school certificate.

    Established in 1991, PEF is an autonomous statutory body to encourage and promote education on non-commercial/non-profit basis. Since then, it has come a long way to arrange free quality education for the deserving children at their doorsteps.

    On July 27, the first meeting of the newly-constituted Board of Governors (BoG) of the PEF was held in which the members, through consensus, elected Sardar Aftab Akbar as the new chairperson.

    According to the Punjab Assembly’s official website, the academic qualification of Akbar, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA from PP-23 (Chakwal-III), is matriculation. He has served as the tehsil nazim in Chakwal from 2005 to 2010, while still serves as a member of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare as well as Committee on Privileges of the Punjab Assembly.

    It is pertinent to mention here that the PEF has been in the limelight these days for non-payment to its partner schools across Punjab. The owners and teaching and non-teaching staff of PEF partner schools had protested recently outside the Punjab Assembly and the Governor House. They had even tried to reach Zaman Park over the non-payment issue that has made them unable to pay salaries to teaching and non-teaching staff besides clearing building rents and utility bills etc.

    Punjab School Education Minister Dr Murad Raas, with regard to non-payments, says that PEF had already paid 50 per cent of the payment to the schools and remaining payment would be made only after verification of the students enrolled in these schools. He said previously some 250,000 fake enrolments were detected at many PEF partner schools and since millions of rupees were to be paid to the schools, verification of students was a must.

    The minister said many PEF partner schools were in fact beneficiaries of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the government would not waste public money on fake enrolments. He said the PEF initiative was aimed to bring out of school children into schools and not to financially support fake enrolments. Dr Muard Raas further said he had also apprised Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan about the issue in a recent meeting who had assured full support.