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Revival of student unions | Uniform education system
Revival of student unions elicits mixed reactions
Peshawar, April 29, 2008: The announcement by the coalition government that it
would lift the ban on student unions has received a mixed
response.
Fearing the politicisation of "already polarised" educational
institutions, some people have said that the decision of the government was an
excellent step in the right direction. Others expressed their reservations about
the decision, saying it would disturb the peaceful atmosphere of educational
institutions.
Peshawar University Teachers Association (PUTA) President
Dr Arbab Khan Afridi hailed the decision and said that the revival of student
unions would help in the political grooming of students, arguing student unions
would train those students who wanted to become involved in
politics.
Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani in his first address to
the National Assembly had announced the decision to lift the ban on student and
labour unions. The Islami Jamiat-e-Talba (IJT), the Pashtun Students Federation
(PkSF) and the People's Students Federation (PSF) also applauded the
decision.
Unfair demands: Kamran Khan, an MA final year student at the
University of Peshawar (UoP) Sociology Department, however, has said that the
unions would destroy the environment of educational institutions, as student
leaders might use their authority to pressurise the administration to fulfil
their 'unfair' demands. Ismail Zada, Gohar Ali and
Mohammad Nouman of the NWFP Agricultural University also expressed their
reservations about student unions. They said that members of student unions
secured more course marks due to their political clout than those who worked
hard for the entire academic session but were not politically
active.
Both proponents and opponents of the decision to revive student
unions said a code of conduct for student unions should be implemented.
Students, who did not have any ties with student wings of political parties,
were of the opinion that affiliation with student unions adversely affected
studies, as political activities were time-consuming. Salman, a UoP Geology
Department student, said "It is true that student unions would help in producing
good politicians for the future but their revival would adversely affect the
production of technical and professional manpower."
Kamal Shah, a student
at the NWFP University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Peshawar, said,
"Student unions do not hamper the production of quality manpower. Prominent
political leaders got their political training during their student life. Good
engineers and doctors were also produced during the time when student unions
were working in the country." Students unions were banned by General Ziaul Haq
in 1984 and were partially restored by Benazir Bhutto in 1988. In 1992, Chief
Justice of Pakistan Naseem Hassan Shah lifted the ban through a verdict but the
succeeding government did not implement the decision of the court. Daily Times
Uniform education system promised
Lahore: Federal Education Minister Ahsan Iqbal has expressed
the resolve to ensure a uniform educational system at all levels in the
country.
Addressing a reception on his visit to Punjab University New
Campus here on Monday evening, the minister said that whole value chain would be
integrated through synergizing the entire education system with industry and
global needs.
During last eight years, he said, the focus was on higher
education with its annual budget increased from Rs 3 billion to Rs 33 billion,
while primary and secondary levels of education were totally
neglected..
The minister said that in the first phase, the public
education system would be reformed and integrated, for which a National
Curriculum Council was being formulated, while an education city would also be
established in Islamabad.
He said a summit of all stakeholders would be
arranged to debate the new national education policy which would be tabled in
the National Assembly. "We will get the new education policy signed by the
leaders of all political parties so that no one can change it for at least next
10 years," he added.
Ahsan said today four million children were out of
schools for which the government would launch a national campaign to enrol them
(into schools) to increase the literacy rate.
The minister said that a
bilingual education system with equal space to Urdu and English should be put in
order to make our students compatible with the world.
Ahsan Iqbal said
Federal Education Ministry was formulating the service structure for the
teachers so as to ensure their promotion after a certain period of service but
on performance basis.
On this occasion PU faculty deans, institutes'
directors, heads of departments and other faculty members gave their suggestions
to improve the country's education system. APP
BHC directs varsity not to reinstate teachers
Quetta: A division bench of the Balochistan High Court has
directed the administration of the Balochistan University not to reinstate the
two teachers it had sacked, saying the administration should not bow to
pressures of politicians and the academic staff association.
Agha
Mohammad Nasir and Zakir Hussain Jadoon had been dismissed by the university
administration.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Amanullah Khan
Yasinzai and Justice Akhtar Zaman Malghani was hearing on Monday a petition
filed by Syed Saleem Akhtar about the deplorable condition of educational
institutions in Balochistan.
The court also directed the provincial chief
secretary to tell the Balochistan government to refrain from interfering in the
affairs of the university because it was an autonomous body funded by the Higher
Education Commission.
The court asked the administration to take
disciplinary action against professors and teachers who had not been taking
classes regularly and directed heads of departments to report about those
members of the academic staff association who did not perform their
duty.
The court expressed concern over politicising the dismissal of the
two teachers. Dawn
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| Education News | | Updated: 17 May, 2012 |
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