Tag: education

  • MDCAT results withheld by Peshawar High Court

    MDCAT results withheld by Peshawar High Court

    Results of the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) have been withheld on the orders of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday following petitions filed by students in the light of cases of cheating via Bluetooth devices in examination halls.

    The court issued orders to the chief secretary, executive director of the Education Test and Evaluation Agency (ETEA), and the registrar of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to provide responses regarding these allegations.

    The court has asked the Education Test and Evaluation Agency (ETEA) to not publish the official results on its website for now as the investigation is underway.

    The hearing was chaired by Justice Syed Arshad Ali who passed orders that the online release of the results must be halted till September 21, the date of the next hearing.

    The case

    Dozens of candidates had been caught cheating in the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) MDCAT exams conducted in a number of cities on Sunday.

    Over 40 candidates, including 20 female candidates, were arrested in Peshawar while 10 were taken into custody in DI Khan.
    All of the detainees were said to be using Bluetooth to cheat in the test. And as reported by Geo, DI Khan police sources claimed that VIP passes were issued to the candidates for which a hefty amount was paid to take the exam through dishonest means.

    Students and parents filed complaints to the Human Rights Cell in Peshawar regarding the results and integrity of the system which were then sent to the PHC chief justice.

    The applicants asserted that approximately 200 students were caught using Bluetooth devices during the examination.

  • Drugs recovered from principal’s house charged with raping, blackmailing women

    Drugs recovered from principal’s house charged with raping, blackmailing women

    Drugs recovered from principal’s house charged with raping, blackmailing women

    A case has been filed against the principal at the Steeltown police station on the complaint of the sub-inspector.

    Previously, the principal was taken into custody after allegations of raping and blackmailing women after videos of the rapes appeared on social media.

    The principal has reportedly admitted to raping women after promising them job opportunities, then recording their videos to blackmail them.

    Additionally, it was made known that the school was not registered with the relevant authority, functioning without any legal status. Consequently, it has been sealed.

  • 31 cities accommodate more than 180,000 MDCAT candidates

    31 cities accommodate more than 180,000 MDCAT candidates

    Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) conducted this year’s MDCAT on Sunday. The paper-based exam took place in centres across the country.

    PMDC President Professor Dr Rizwan Taj said that a total of 180,534 students from Pakistan appeared in the MDCAT exam. 180,151 registered candidates appeared in national venues whereas 382 candidates appeared at two international centres; 185 candidates in Dubai and 197 candidates in Saudi Arabia.

    Punjab hosted 66,875 candidates, Sindh 40,528, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 46439, Balochistan 9,230, Gilgit 926, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 4,036 and Islamabad 12,118.

    The candidates were accommodated in 31 different cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Sahiwal, Sialkot, DG Khan, Sargodha, Gujrat, Faisalabad, Karachi, Jamshoro, Dera Ismail Khan, Malakand, Nawabshah, Swat, Swabi, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu, Abbottabad, Quetta, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Huripur, Larkana, Mansehra, and Mirpur.

    Dr. Taj pointed that special assistance had been provided to candidates with special needs or handicaps to fill out answer sheets.

    As per the spokesperson of the Sindh Medical University, MDCAT results will come out after around one week.

  • Principal rape scandal: is it part of a bigger conspiracy?

    Principal rape scandal: is it part of a bigger conspiracy?

    As stated by the investigating authorities, the police has not been been able to find any victim in the rape scandal of the principal of a private school located in Gulshan-e-Hadeed area of Karachi.

    Jang reports that according to the investigating authorities, the mobile phone of the victim who approached the court yesterday is switched off since yesterday.

    It has been decided by the police to take help from the FIA Cyber Crime Wing for technical support. The DVR of the school and the mobile phone of the principal have been sent to Lahore for forensics.

    Investigating authorities have disclosed that the owner of the CCTV installation company in the school has been detained.

    Moreover, no evidence has been found supporting the culprit’s claim that he was blackmailed by the technician who installed the CCTV.

    Court hearing

    The principal has been remanded to police custody for seven days by the Judicial Magistrate Malir after he was produced before the court on Tuesday.

    Express Tribune reported that the court asked the investigating officer (IO), “Who is Irfan, and has a statement been extracted from the accused?” To which the IO stressed on a thorough inquiry of the suspect and procuring more evidence.

    It has also been revealed that more than 45 women have been identified in connection with the case. Irfan allegedly blackmailed the women in order to commit these crimes.

    The public prosecutor contended that the case is indicative of a planned scheme.

    The IO has requested a forensic analysis of the mobile phone recovered from the accused while the court approved a seven-day physical remand of the principal while also requiring a report from the IO at the next hearing.

    School sealed

    IGM Education System School has been sealed on the order of Additional Director of Registration for Private Institutions in Sindh Professor Rafia Javed. This step was prompted by Provincial Education Minister Madam Rana Hussain. The school was reportedly unregistered.

    The focus at the moment is to ensure the fulfilment of educational interests of the children from this school. Private educational institutions close by have been directed to accommodate the students.

    The process of the admission will be assisted by a five-member committee, established by Professor Rafia, which will work with the parents of the students.

    According to the Express Tribune, the committee is chaired by Abdul Sattar Memon, Director of Private Schools and the Secretary is Gulab Rai, Deputy Director of Private Schools. The committee will be available on September 6, 2023 at 9am at Abdalien School in Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Phase II.

    Parents have been urged to reach out to the committee to get their children admission in other schools and ensure that their education is not deferred.

  • ‘Impressive, beautiful’: Social media lauds Shehzad Roy for introducing music education at Zindagi Trust school

    ‘Impressive, beautiful’: Social media lauds Shehzad Roy for introducing music education at Zindagi Trust school

    Is there anything Shehzad Roy can’t do? A phenomenal singer, pro at the youthful glow (we’re still convinced he’s a vampire) and a philanthrope working towards changing the education system of Pakistan are just proof that he’s the G.O.A.T.

    Recently the singer wowed social media with a new education initiative at his Zindagi Trust where students from working class families are given the best education. A clip, showing three young students playing violins in the music program of Fatima Jinnah government school, has gone viral.

    “This isn’t an elite private school,” the ‘Laga Re’ singer wrote. “It’s Fatima Jinnah government school adopted by @ZindagiTrust Here V also run a world-class music program in professionally designed studios. Young girls play everything from Beethoven to Eastern classical & there is no fee. We are driving change.”

    The short clip has recieved praise from politicians like Sherry Rehman and other social media users who attended institutions run by Zindagi Trust, confirming that the organisation was making sure their students are well provided for, and are giving them quality education.

    Digital Rights activist Hija Kamran wrote:

    “As an all-time fan of ZindagiTrust, I just want to say that this particular school can easily beat elite private schools based on how it looks, managed and taken care of. I miss the few mornings I spent here for work. Did you know that they also have their own vegetable garden?”

    Another user wrote:

    “I’ve been to the Fatima Jinnah School on two occasions: once to judge an inter-class dramatics competition (in which a Chacha Chakkan rendition was particularly delightful) and once to judge oratory. Roy and his team are doing such good work there—and they keep aiming higher!”

    Social media users lauded how the education initiative continued to take progressive steps that even private schools could not provide, and hoped more schools could introduce arts programs to their students.

  • School principal arrested after blackmailing, raping women

    School principal arrested after blackmailing, raping women

    The principal of a private school in Gulshan-i-Hadeed, Karachi has been taken into custody after allegations of raping and blackmailing women, DAWN has reported.

    The news outlet spoke with Steel Town police Station House Officer (SHO) Nand Lal on Monday. The school principal was detained as videos of the alleged rape incidents made rounds on social media.

    The principal has admitted to the allegations that he raped women after promising them job opportunities, then recording their videos to blackmail them.

    The principal himself has been blackmailed by an extortionist who demanded Rs 10 lacs after acquiring the videos. Details of the alleged blackmailer, however, have not been revealed.

    The school principal had filed an application against the alleged extortionist at Malir City Police Station. But before the two parties could possibly reach an agreement, the police became involved in the case and arrested the principal.

    The SHO further said that a First Information Report (FIR) is to be registered against him on behalf of the state through a police officer. None of the man’s victims have resorted to the police as of yet.

    Meanwhile, according to Malir Senior Superintendent of Police Hassan Sardar, 25 videos have been recovered from the suspect. Through these video, five of the women allegedly raped have been identified.

    Further action taken:

    Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori and Sindh Inspector General of Police Riffat Mukhtar Raja have taken notice of the case and have called for action against the culprits.

    Additionally, the Sindh Education and Literacy Department has sealed the school “immediately” and held a probe into the matter.
    Dawn quoted from a letter from the Education and Literacy Department acting Director General, Muhammad Afzal addressed to Malir deputy commissioner (DC):

    “As per the record of this directorate, the school is not registered with the relevant authority and it is functioning without any legal status,”

    The DC has also been asked to probe into the case “with full length and immediately seal the school premises”.

  • Young Pakistanis in the UK lead in unemployment, govt stats confirm 

    Young Pakistanis in the UK lead in unemployment, govt stats confirm 

    Official data from the United Kingdom’s government shows that among different ethnic groups in the country, young Pakistanis are the least active in terms of work and education. 

    The dataset in question is categorised as “unemployment,” encompassing individuals aged 16 to 24 who are neither employed nor engaged in any form of training or educational pursuits. This data was systematically collected over a three-year period spanning from 2017 to 2019. 

    Notably, within the spectrum of ethnic backgrounds in the UK, individuals of Pakistani origin stand out with the highest unemployment rate at 14.3 per cent, surpassing their counterparts from nine other nations. The next highest rate pertains to individuals of Bangladeshi descent at 12 per cent, while young individuals of Indian heritage exhibit a comparatively lower inactivity rate of 7.3 per cent, as indicated by the data. 

    A similar pattern is discernible when examining the overall employment data for the country, which encompasses individuals aged 16 to 64. In this context, Pakistani and Bangladeshi individuals are grouped together and collectively exhibit the lowest employment rate, standing at a mere 58 per cent, the lowest among ten defined categories. In contrast, individuals of Indian descent display a more favourable employment rate at 78 per cent, trailing only those of non-British white origin, of whom 82 per cent are gainfully employed. 

    It is worth noting, however, that the observed trends in employment and unemployment figures do not appear to have a conclusive impact on the overall happiness score, as the data does not differentiate by age and represents the broader community. The happiness index assigns a score on a scale of 10, and according to the data, individuals of Pakistani descent in the UK have a happiness score of 7.57, ranking as the fourth highest among the ten surveyed ethnic groups. 

    While individuals of Indian, Bangladeshi, and other ethnic backgrounds report higher levels of happiness than those of Pakistani origin, individuals of Arab, black, Chinese, and even white ethnicities exhibit lower happiness scores in comparison. 

  • 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.

  • Girls from Peshawar take lead in annual SSC examinations

    As results were declared by all educational boards in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, girls from Peshawar Model Schools secured the top three positions in the annual secondary school certificate (SSC) examinations.

    According to Dawn News, this is the first time in the history of the province that SSC examinations results were announced simultaneously by all the educational boards.

    Adan Shahid from Peshawar Model Girls High School-II Dalazak Road secured the first position by obtaining 1,086 marks out of 1,100. Lubna Alam of Peshawar Model School Charsadda is the runner up with 1,083 marks.

    The third position was taken by Aneeba Asad and Musfira Gul of PMS-II Dalazak Road by with 1,082 marks each.

    The four students not only topped the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Peshawar but also secured maximum marks in all the boards in the province. 

    A formal ceremony was held at the Chief Minister’s House on Tuesday. Chief Minister Mohammad Azam Khan was chief guest on the occasion.

    According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s House, the overall success rate in the examination under the BISE Peshawar is 86 percent.

  • Afghan women under Taliban rule: two years later

    Afghan women under Taliban rule: two years later

    15 August 2023 marked two years of the fall of Kabul when the Taliban seized the capital, capturing the government in Afghanistan in 2021.

    While the Afghan government tried to ward off the assault for the longest time, the inevitable took place, leaving many sections of society devastated. Among them were women who knew what the Taliban takeover would mean for their freedom.

    “We are going to allow women to study and work within our framework. Women are going to be very active in our society,”, the Taliban had promised in their first press conference following their takeover. But as many feared, these words never became a reality.

    So, what have the Afghan girls and women endured since 15 August 2021?

    In March 2022, a ban on girls’ secondary education was imposed moments after the education ministry reopened schools for both girls and boys. The ban further barred girls from joining universities.

    Women were denied entry in the job market. This includes exclusion from NGOs as well as the government sector. Ban on beauty salons left women even more helpless. While Afghanistan’s economy has been in shambles, families have been struggling to make ends meet and with women’s exclusion from the job market, especially sole breadwinners like widows or single mothers, are in serious financial crisis. Out of options and desperation, some women have resorted to the profession of nursing and midwifery just to escape the four walls of their house and earn.

    Not only Afghan women cannot leave their house without a male chaperone (a mahram), but it is mandatory for them to wear burqas. They are also not allowed to wear make-up or heels, and are barred from accessing public places such as parks, gyms, marketplace etc.

    Having nothing to do with their lives as a result of numerous socio-political restrictions, young girls are forced into marriage. Others are sold in order to cover finances or compensate for debts. Parents fear for their daughters’ lives as they often know little about the families they are married into or sold to, but they find themselves to be powerless.

    There is a sense of fear and trauma amongst young girls and women which is leading to mental health issues.

    Following the takeover, valiant Afghan women have, nonetheless, taken their fight to the streets and have protested time and again. Resultantly, they have been threatened and even beaten, but two years on, their anger trumps fear and their struggle continues.