Education Thread

[Introvert]

Multan to get another medical college in Pakistan ​

Punjab Governor Lt-Gen (retd) Khalid Maqbool has said there can be no progress in the country without material sciences and the demand of material sciences is increasing in the world. Laying the foundation stone of Al-Falah Institute of Finance and Banking and addressing the concluding session the 1st national conference on material sciences here at the BZU Friday, he said the country had ample resources of minerals and it was the need of the hour to utilise the same for growth of material industry.

He stressed the need for rapid growth of industrial units to put the country at the path of progress and prosperity and the universities would have to produce experts of material sciences and to improve the quality of education to meet the requirements of the future.

The governor said the country had achieved progress in various industries including production of surgical goods and we would have to work with devotion for the development and growth of industrial in material sciences sector.

He said that the Institute of Finance and Banking would be made an exemplary institution and a bank and stock exchange would be setup in the institute as labs.

He said the Higher Education Commission had provided Rs2 million and the Punjab government Rs700 million for the development project of BZU and hoped that the varsity would soon become an institution of international level.

He said that Rs 250 million had been provided for Sahiwal Campus and Textile College had been upgraded while more departments were being setup in the engineering college.

He said the students would be enabled to specialise in marketing management and quality management. He stated that 1,000 teachers should be given scholarship by the government this year.

Addressing a group of students, the governor said that the country was marching ahead on the path of progress under Pervez Musharraf.

He asked the students to work with zeal and devotion. He said unfortunately the country was facing some problems and hoped that government would solve these problems.

Khalid Maqbool said that the government had successfully completed operation in Sawat and arrested the accused involved in the murder of late Benazir Bhutto.

He said: "Pakistan is an Islamic state and as such we will have to promote our on culture," as Pakistan was not dependent on other countries.

He directed the BZU VC to increase the working hours of Central Library up to 09:30pm so that students could avail facilities provided by the library.

Gen Khalid Maqbool while talking to teachers and representatives of media stressed the need for bringing chain in our attitudes and to benefit from the knowledge and modern sciences. He asked the teachers to write articles in the international journals and get their research paper published in the same.

He said the teachers could improve the standard of education by improving their own educational qualifications and hence the teachers should devote their energies and time towards research work.

Meanwhile, Multan will have another medical college and a 500-bed teaching hospital under the auspices of Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) Multan.

This was revealed by representative of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Jamil Ahmed during his briefing to Governor Punjab Lt Gen (R) Khalid Maqbool during latter's visit to the university here on Friday.

He said at this medical college, which may start next year, 100 medical students will be admitted to MBBS course, 100 nurses will take up training and studies and 200 under-graduate paramedics will be admitted every year.

He disclosed that 222 highly-qualified teachers would be appointed to teach the MBBS students for quality education befitting the modern challenges.

Multan to get another medical college in Pakistan - Unique Pakistan

 

[solid snake]

Our government focuses way too much on higher education when it is infact primary and middle school education that needs the most attention. I mean, whats the point if most kids drop out in middle school? The government needs to ensure that primary and middle schools are able to retain their kids year after year, only then will higher education reforms truly benefit the country.

 

[Nafees]

Our government focuses way too much on higher education when it is infact primary and middle school education that needs the most attention. I mean, whats the point if most kids drop out in middle school? The government needs to ensure that primary and middle schools are able to retain their kids year after year, only then will higher education reforms truly benefit the country.

You can find better result if u follow the Bangladesh Case regarding stop the drop out rate in Primary level of Education. First u have to make people concern about the education in grass root level. I think feudalism is one of the problems behind it.

 

[salman nedian]

You can find better result if u follow the Bangladesh Case regarding stop the drop out rate in Primary level of Education. First u have to make people concern about the education in grass root level. I think feudalism is one of the problems behind it.

what steps Bangladesh took?

Tell us some thing about how Feudalism got eliminated from Bangladesh also.

 

[Nafees]

what steps Bangladesh took?

Tell us some thing about how Feudalism got eliminated from Bangladesh also.

Steps that BD Govt. taken already (source: Ministry Of Primary And Mass Education)

Bangladesh has been trying relentlessly to uphold the cause of education for all since its emergence as an independent country. Article 17 of the Constitution of Bangladesh stipulates that primary education shall be the responsibility of the State. To bear this responsibility primary education in Bangladesh underwent a great deal of changes and development during the last few years. Bangladesh is a signatory to the world declaration on education for all held at Jomtien, Thailand in March 1990. Bangladesh is also a signatory to the summit of 9 high populous countries held in Delhi. To facilitate and formulate planned programme for universal primary education and to remove illiteracy from the country, Government had created a separate division named Primary and Mass Education Division (PMED) in 1992. PMED was made a Ministry in 2003. Hon'ble Advisor Mr. Ayub Quadri is in charge of this Ministry. All these steps reflect the commitment and determination of the government to improve primary education in the country both in terms of quality and quantity. The Government of Bangladesh (GOB) has allocated nearly 15 percent of the national budget to the education sector of which the share of primary and mass education is nearly 60 per cent.


Regarding Second point:

Feudalism has been abolished in 1952 in Bangladesh. And in Bangladesh people are concerned about uplift their views so feudalism doesn't took place.

 

[salman nedian]

The Government of Bangladesh (GOB) has allocated nearly 15 percent of the national budget to the education sector of which the share of primary and mass education is nearly 60 per cent.

Good to see that.

Regarding Second point:

Feudalism has been abolished in 1952 in Bangladesh. And in Bangladesh people are concerned about uplift their views so feudalism doesn't took place.

Amazing bcoz it was East Pakistan then.

 

[Neo]

Islamabad’s education city​

AN education city, comprising academic institutions and a markaz, is being planned in a new sector of Islamabad away from the city centre. Meanwhile, funds for the development of another sector, also devoted to educational institutions on the pattern of several similar existing institutional sectors, has recently been approved. The two new sectors are located in the proximity of the existing sectors housing mainly private educational institutions and some public universities and colleges. Those private schools which are currently scattered in numerous residential sectors creating a traffic nuisance in their neighbourhoods, while serving the convenience of their students living nearby, are supposed to be relocated in one of the two new educational sectors. While it appears to make sense to concentrate most educational institutions in the same locality, it is another matter that many parents and students might prefer a more decentralised location for these institutions. After all, public schools and colleges in Islamabad are dispersed in various residential sectors, most of them having admission policies that give priority to residents living in the vicinity.

In the development of the proposed education city and the other new educational sector, it might be a good idea to consider the current problems being faced by students, parents and staff in the existing sectors where educational institutions are concentrated. One major problem is traffic congestion on the roads along which the institutions are located, particularly during student drop-off and pick-up times. This congestion is particularly acute where several schools are clustered together. Another major deficiency in the existing educational sectors is the lack of support facilities and services, such as common hostels, libraries, technology parks, sports and games centres, student counselling centres, bookshops and stationery shops. Until these deficiencies are addressed the establishment of another education city will not fully serve the purpose that it is meant to.

DAWN - Editorial; March 06, 2008

 

[Neo]

Economic pressure increases college dropout rate ​

By Sohail Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: The dropout rate in different colleges of the federal capital has reached five percent, as the prevailing price-hike has multiplied the financial problems of students, Daily Times learnt on Wednesday.

Teachers of various colleges said it had become very difficult for many students to continue their studies because their parents were becoming unable to meet their educational expenditures due to growing inflation in the country.

They said the financial crisis had confronted the students with many problems including dealing with academic tasks, friendship, family and social issues.

Talking to Daily Times, Prof Dr Sallahuddin of Federal Government College for Men H-9 Islamabad, said financial stress was often resulting in difficulties in academic or learning process, bunking off classes, lack of motivation in studies and poor academic performance.

He said this stress was also creating problems in conduct and interpersonal relationship with family, friends and teachers. He said such students were heading towards a tendency to violate college discipline and bunk off their institutions.

He said during counselling it was learnt that many of the students were confronting academic problems due to financial crisis.

He said 60 per cent of such students belonged to those families which were facing financial crunch. He said dropout rate of students had reached to five percent, as their parents were unable to meet their expenditures.

Prof Salman Basit, Federal Government Postgraduate College for Men, H-8, Islamabad, said anxiety and depression; tendency towards withdrawal from participation in social, academic and family activities; moodiness and withdrawal into isolation were becoming common among students.

He said financial stress was also causing anti-social behaviour such as lying, cheating, stealing and similar immoral conducts among the students. He said attention of parents towards their children was equally important to deal with such problems.

He said the overall environment was also affecting the studies of students. Transporters behaviour towards students was also developing a tendency towards anger and violence among them, he added

Prof Dr Abdul Latif, principal, Federal Government Postgraduate College for Men H-8, Islamabad, said students enrolled in federal government colleges were mostly from middle or lower middle class families.

He said the colleges were charging a nominal fee, but even then parents were unable to support their children to continue their studies and provide them day-to-day expenditures.

“Delay in provision of required things pertaining to their studies causes stress among students, which lead to their lack of motivation in studies,” he said.

Prof Dr Muhmmad Rashid Azim said students’ problems related to their education were being addressed at the colleges.

He said counsellors were helping students so that they could regain their emotional balance, motivation and a sense of direction in their lives.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[Neo]

284 schools set up in Balochistan with WB-govt assistance​

* BEF to establish 950 more schools in province
* Focus on girls’ education​

QUETTA: The World Bank (WB) and the Balochistan government have established 284 schools in 38 districts of the province within a year, under a three-year multimillion dollar education support programme.

Of the 284, 197 are community schools – established in 17 districts – and 87 are private schools, which have been set up in 21 Balochistan districts. The WB has also agreed to spend $22 million on a four-year Balochistan Education Support Programme to upgrade primary education in the country’s largest but least literate province.

More schools: Under the agreement, the Balochistan Education Foundation (BEF), a semi-autonomous body, has been tasked with establishing 650 community and 300 private schools across the province with the help of the local community. The project is largely focused on girls’ primary education.

The authorities claim that they have achieved “tremendous” success in the first phase of the project as “47 percent beneficiaries of the project are female students”. BEF Managing Director Abdul Aahad told Daily Times on Friday that 18,000 students benefited from community schools and 5,000 from private schools during the first year.

Community schools have been established in Bolan (12 schools); Dera Bugti (3); Jaffarabad (9); Kharan (24); Killa Abdullah (13); Killa Saifullah (9); Kohlu (6); Khuzdar (19); Lasbela (10); Loralai (22); Mastung (9); Naseerabad (16); Panjgur (5); Pishin (6); Sibi (10); Washuk (11); and Ziarat (13).

Private schools have been established in Quetta (33 schools); Zhob (10); Jaffarabad (5); Killa Abdullah (5); Naseerabad (5); Sibi (4); and Kalat (3). Two schools each have been established in Barkhan; Dera Bugti; Gwadar; Kohlu; Khuzdar; Mastung; and Noshki, and only one school has been set up in Bolan; Lasbela; Loralai; Musa Khel; Panjgur; and Pishin.

As many as 233 community schools have been planned for the second phase of the project. They will be established in Awaran (10 schools); Barkhan (8); Bolan (13); Chaghi (13); Dera Bugti (4); Gwadar (8); Jaffarabad (8); Jhal Magsi (12); Kalat (2); Kech (10); Kharan (2); Killa Abdullah (5); Killa Saifullah (12); Kohlu (5); Khuzdar (19); Lasbela (10); Loralai (9); Mastung (1); Musa Khel (2); Naseerabad (19); Noshki (1); Panjgur (3); Pishin (6); Quetta (5); Sherani (3); Sibi (6); Washuk (15); Zhob (12); and Ziarat (10).

Girls’ education: Abdul Aahad, a BEF official, said the emphasis had been on girls’ education. He said that people in the rural areas were reluctant to send girls to school. “Even if these girls are admitted to schools, they are forced to dropout without completing primary education,” Aahad said.

He said that local people, represented by a parents’ committee, arranged the land for each school. “Once the land is allotted, the BEF builds a school on it and provides teaching staff,” said Aahad. He said the plan was to open 950 more schools in Balochaitsan, which would accord primary education to 35,000 students. The BEF would establish 250 community and 100 private schools this year, he added.

Aahad said that teams had been formed to monitor educational activities at these schools. “We are giving competitive salaries to teachers so that they fully concentrate on their job,” he said.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[Neo]

Backtracking on higher education projects? ​

EDITORIAL (March 15 2008): The Finance Division has issued a rejoinder to our reporter's story regarding the possibility of the new government being advised to shelve some of the development schemes which the Finance Ministry considers unnecessary, but which were anyway recommended by the Planning Commission without balancing the benefits these would bring and the financial constraints faced by the government.

The projects likely to face the axe are related to higher education, including construction of eight new world-class universities, each costing Rs 40 billion. The attempt to get development projects shelved apparently seems to be the outcome of a "turf war" between the high-ups of the Finance Division and the Planning and Higher Education Commissions.

The general drift of the Finance Division's "clarification" seems to point towards attempts by some of our economic managers to match the allocated resources with the expenditure, at the cost of vital projects in health and education, which would be extremely damaging to the country's long-term interests.

The sources quoted in our report have claimed that the Finance Ministry or its attached department is likely to recommend to the new government a review of the plethora of projects initiated by the Planning Commission, without a closer scrutiny in the light of the present economic realities and the government's financial constraints.

The federal government has already sustained budgetary deficit of Rs 356.321 billion during the first half of FY08 against the whole year's estimated deficit of Rs 399 billion. The President had reportedly directed the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission on February 4 to prepare a list of "non-starter" development projects as well as those on which initial work was in progress, apparently to sift the urgent from non-urgent projects in view of the budgetary constraints the new government will be saddled with.

The strategy seems to be geared towards saving financial resources without slowing down the pace of development. The twin plank of the strategy appears to be that new projects would not be included in PSDP 2007-08, as a result of which budgeted projects not yet started, would be kept on hold during the second half of the current fiscal year.

Shorn of verbiage, the new strategy may represent an attempt to backtrack on vital projects in the field of higher education, a sector in which we have been left far behind even by our lesser-developed neighbours. In this age of promoting knowledge-based and Hi-Tec production-oriented economies, such bureaucratic figure juggling is sad indeed.

No country can attain academic excellence or scientific advancement without investing in higher education. The other sector that should be given equal importance, is health, both of which jointly help run the wheels of economy. Pakistan will have to invest heavily in education if it is to acquit itself well in the highly competitive environment of the 21st century.

Studies conducted by international institutions have established that the literacy rate and per capita income of a country are closely correlated. For instance, Pakistan with its relatively low literacy rate has a per capita income that is claimed to be over 900 dollars, while Malaysia and Brazil with their literacy rates of 78 percent and 81 percent have per capita incomes of 2,520 dollars and 2,940 dollars, respectively (2004 figures).

Despite claims to the contrary, the expenditure on education, particularly on higher education, has gone down from what it was in the 1980s and 1990s when adjusting for inflation and viewed as a percentage of our GDP. During the 1980s and most of the 1990s the public expenditure on education had averaged 2.5 percent of the GDP, which has fallen to less than 2 percent since 1998.

According to the data relating to the fiscal year 2004, an allocation of only 161.1 million dollars or 1.4 percent of the GDP was made for education, as against 201.6 million dollars, or 1.7 percent of the GDP in the 2005 budget. The denial of funds to public sector education in Pakistan has done incalculable harm to the country's long-term interests.

The state's abdication of its role in education and health has in fact spawned a dangerous dichotomy that must be removed, in the larger national interest. Let the state not become a part of the devious strategy to further marginalize those who are already pushed to the socio-economic fringes.

No economy can attain a competitive edge in this day and age without excelling in higher education and technological expertise. China and India today present illustrious examples, which are much sought after largely because of their trained and knowledgeable manpower, and excellent industrial and educational infrastructure.

As a result the world today looks up to their professional expertise. There is a perception that the approval of uplift schemes in Pakistan is often done mainly for the sake of bureaucratic "Khana Puri" or to bag brownie points. This is one of the reasons why the speed of approval of projects has not kept pace with their timely (and high quality) execution.

It seems the proposed "review" of development schemes may well be an attempt in disguise to backtrack on higher education projects, which we must implement if we have to be able to compete in the highly competitive environment of the 21st century.

Instead of conducting any review of development projects, more such projects, particularly in industrial infrastructure, education and health should be launched after drastically slashing down the flab of non-development expenditure, which remains hung around the neck of our economy like the proverbial millstone.

Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

 

[Neo]

KB expands outreach of scholarship programme ​

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

PESHAWAR: Khushhali Bank (KB) in collaboration with the United State Agency for International Development (USID) has expanded the outreach of the KB-USID scholarship programme in Pakistan, as a result of which 34 additional scholarships worth Rs6.4 million are being offered to students pursuing professional degrees at the Institute of Management Science, University of Peshawar.

USAIDs support to Khushhali Bank for the scholarship programme is a part of the $1.5 billion in aid the US government pledged to Pakistan over a five year period to improve economic growth, education, health, governance and reconstruction of earthquake affected areas.

To commemorate the occasion an Awards Distribution Ceremony was held at the University faculty.Speaking on the occasion Ghalib Nishtar, President KB appreciated the support extended by USAID in facilitating such an initiative. “Our aim is to not only improve the quality of education offered in the remotest areas of the country but also to expand the outreach of our scholarship programme to benefit under-privileged communities,” he said.

Dr. Muhammad Javed Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Peshawar thanked USAID and Khushhali Bank and said these scholarships to deserving students provides them with an opportunity to fulfil their ambition of pursuing a higher education.

KB expands outreach of scholarship programme

 

[opinion786]

In 1999-2000 there were 31 Public Universities. Now 2005-2006 there are 50 Public Universities. Some named below:

a) Air University (established 2002)
b) Institute of Space technology, ISB (established 2002)
c) Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, Quetta (established 2004)
d) University of Science & Technology, Bannu (established 2005)
e) University of Hazara (founded 2002)
f) Malakand university, Chakdara (established 2002)
g) Karakurum International university, Gilgit (established 2002)
h) University of Gujrat (established 2004)
i) Virtual University of Pak, Lahore (established 2002)
j) Sarhad University of IT, Peshawar (established 2001)
k) National Law University, ISB (2007)
l) Media University, ISB (2007)
m) University of Education, Lahore (2002)
n) Lasbella University of Marine Sciences, Baluchistan (2005)
o) Baluchistan University of IT & Management, Quetta (2002), etc.


: Pakistan now has a total of 245,682 Educational institutions in all categories, including 164,579 (i.e. 67 per cent) in the public sector and 81,103 (i.e. 100 per cent) in the private sector, reports the National Education Census (NEC-2005).

The census -- jointly conducted by the Ministry of Education, the Academy of Educational Planning and Management (AEPAM) and the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) -- reveals that the number of private-sector institutions has increased from 36,096 in 1999-2000 to 81,103 in 2005, i.e. by 100 per cent. 45,007 Educational Institutions have increased in Musharraf Era.

 

[Neo]

Yet another look at education​

IT is encouraging that the importance of updating and revising the National Education Policy 1998-2010 (NEP) is understood by the government. It is also a welcome measure that this is being undertaken on a war-footing , as we are given to understand. As the government is in the process of reviewing the NEP, it would do well to recall that the Musharraf regime had also constituted a policy review team in September 2005, with the mandate to undertake the revision exercise. The review team issued a White Paper in December 2006 which evidently did not win the approval of the education ministry bosses at the time. Hence the report was shelved. The present government has announced that the revised policy it is preparing will be known as the NEP-2008 and will be announced before the end of the year after it receives input from all four provinces. The need for revision can be attributed to the shortcomings of the education sector that the last policy prepared by Nawaz Sharif’s government failed to rectify. The latest revision exercise notwithstanding, skepticism abounds. The entire exercise implores some questions owing to the checkered history of such undertakings in the past. They have generally failed to produce results. As a result such exercises have proved to be futile. Where does the fault lie? Does it lie in the recommendations which were put forward or in the implementation process? More often than not the problem has been with the lack of political will to implement the recommendations.

The last review addressed some vital aspects of the education sector such as the pillars of quality including the curriculum — and its relevance — textbooks, assessment, teachers training and learning environment; gender equity; accessibility; education financing; political interference and corruption; and parallel systems

in education. But the fact that these recommendations were shelved and never considered seriously points to the underlying factor of failure of implementation. Reviewing policies is a protracted process which requires financial resources and experts. It is a time-consuming job which should only be undertaken if it can improve ongoing reforms. Failure to get the desired results may call for a revision of the recommendations but that should not be such a challenge. The government should consider taking up the White Paper on education which is still relevant to our conditions. It was prepared less than two years ago. It offers a major advantage. The implementation process can be started right away without delay.

 

[General Fujita]

Mirpur IT university on the cards in Pakistan

Friday, 22 August 2008 00:00 Pakistan Daily

In order to impart quality education in various disciplines of science and technology, the AJK government has formally approved establishment of Mirpur University of Science & Technology (MUST) with the coordination of Higher Education Commission (HEC), officials told.

The project is estimated to cost around Rs 4,000 billion. “A formal ordinance for establishment of MUST has been issued by the AJK government,” AJK University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Habib-ur-Rehman said.

Rehman said that on special directives of AJK President Raja Zulqarnain Khan, who was also Chancellor of the AJK University, 4,000 kanal land had been acquired for the university.

He said the PC-II of MUST project had been inked and initial construction work will start next year.

He said the covered area of the varsity would be expanded to 5,000 kanals at a later stage. He said services of leading consultants had been hired to ink the PC-I of the project.

Prof Dr Rehman said that the state of art facilities would be available at MUST to ensure quality education. He said under the phased programme, the faculties of administrative sciences would also be introduced.

He said besides the students from across the country including the AJK, the children of overseas Pakistanis and Kashmiris would also be enrolled.

The vice chancellor said that the current fiscal year budget of Mirpur campuses of AJK University would be diverted to the establishment of the proposed Mirpur University of Science and Technology to kick off the project.

 

[Neo]

NLC gets Rs 6bn contract to upgrade 286 colleges​

LAHORE: The Punjab government has given a Rs 6 billion contract to the National Logistic Cell (NLC) for the upgrade of 286 college buildings across the province, Punjab NLC Project Director Brig (r) Muhammad Ali Saeed told reporters on Thursday. In the first phase, he said, the NLC would spend Rs 2,900 million to upgrade 136 colleges, adding that Rs 5,188 million would be spent to upgrade 148 colleges in the second phase. “Earlier, the NLC was given a Rs 7 billion contract for the expansion and renovation of 36,000 primary and elementary schools; 98 rural health centres (RHCs); and 2,456 basic health units (BHUs). Of these, 4,255 schools, 98 RHCs and 942 BHUs have been completed, while the remaining will be completed by September 2009.”

He also said that the Punjab government had granted a Rs 71.2 million contract to the NLC for the construction of offices and a complex for the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), Faisalabad, which would be completed within two years. He said that the NLC would also construct 347 patrolling posts at a cost of Rs 1,815 million. Saeed said that the NLC had entered into an agreement with the Punjab government to provide furniture to all schools of the province.