Sindh school teachers test | World Book Day

Over 200,000 to appear in test today for 13,500 posts of teachers
Karachi, April 24: The Sindh government has received more than 200,000 applications for 13,500 vacant posts of school teachers.

The process of recruiting school teachers begins on Friday with the holding of a written test for the candidates seeking appointment as high school teachers (HSTs). The test is being conducted simultaneously at the headquarters of all 23 districts of Sindh. The written test for the posts of junior school teachers (JSTs) and primary school teachers (PSTs) have been scheduled for Saturday (April 25) and Sunday (April 26), respectively in the same manner.

The Sindh education department has authorised the Sindh University to conduct the two-hour test, which will begin at the designated examination centres at 10:30am. However, keeping in view the huge number of aspirants, the candidates have been advised to make it by 8:30am.

Admit cards: Sindh Minister for Education Pir Mazharul Haq has announced that the candidates who have not received their admit cards as yet will be allowed to appear in the test upon production of the application receipt and the national identity cards at their respective examination centre.

He, however, made it clear that the results of the candidates appearing in the examination without the admit card would be withheld until verification of their documents.

Model paper: A model paper showing the pattern of the test has been posted on the provincial education department's website www.usindh.edu.pk. Officials of the department stated that the model paper would help candidates to prepare for the test.

Karachi quota: Out of the 13,500 vacant posts of school teachers, there are only 1,300 vacancies allocated for the government schools in Karachi for which as many as 27,258 candidates have submitted their applications.

The centre for the applicants from Karachi district candidates has been set up at the National Stadium.

A spokesman for the education department said on Thursday that the test would be conducted under the auspices of the Sindh University. Rangers and police personnel would be deployed at the centre to maintain law and order, he added.

Given a district-wise break-up of the approximate number of applications received by the department, additional education secretary Riaz Memon said that about 9,000 candidates have submitted applications from Badin and Mirpur Mathelo (Ghotki) each, 2,000 from Hyderabad, 7,000 from Jacobabad, 5,000 from Jamshoro, 500 from Dadu, 10,000 from Qambar-Shahdadkot, 30,000 from Karachi, 9,000 from Kashmor and Kandhkot, 20,000 from Khairpur, 20,000 from Larkana, 7,000 from Matiari, 5,000 from Mirpurkhas, 20,000 from Naushehro Feroz, 5,000 from Sanghar, 12,000 from Shaheed Benazir Bhutto (formerly Nawabshah), 14,000 from Shikarpur, 10,000 from Sukkur, 4,000 from Tando Mohammad Khan, 400 from Tando Allahyar, 10,000 from Tharparkar, 7,000 from Thatta and 7,000 from Umerkot.

Mr Memon said that the recruitment of teachers would be made purely on a merit basis and only those who could secure 60 per cent marks in the test would qualify for appointment. The recruitment would be subject to the number of available posts in their respective district, he added.

Giving a break-up of the available HST, JST and PST vacancies and the number of candidates from Karachi, the CDGK's EDO Education Ibrahim Qambar said that 5,700 candidates had applied for 350 HST posts, 3,758 for 250 JST posts and 17,800 for 700 PST posts. Dawn

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'World Book Day' seminar held at KU
Karachi: A seminar on 'World Book Day' was organised by the Department of Library and Information Science at the University of Karachi (KU) and Pakistan Library Association (PLA) Sindh in collaboration with Applied Economics Research Centre (AERC) at KU on Thursday.

Speakers at the occasion expressed the opinion that books are not only a source of information, but also provide an inalienable sense of joy and companionship.

Speaking as chief guest at the occasion, Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza acknowledged that she had achieved her status and responsible position because of books. "Books paved the way for my ascent to the glorious height of success," she admitted.

Raza promised that April 23 will be celebrated as 'World Book Day' in Pakistan as well. She also promised that the efforts will be made to constitute library legislation for streamlining education in library science, while a library foundation will also be established in Sindh.

Prof. Dr Shamsuddin, Dean Faculty of Arts who presided over the seminar acknowledged the efforts of the department and PLA (Sindh) for the promotion of book culture and libraries in Sindh. Prof. Malahat Kaleem Sherwani, Chairperson of the Department, announced that two professional librarians will be awarded Dr Anis Khursheed Awards for best performance every year, while Dr Jalaluddin Haider Scholarships will be given to two first class graduates. Both awards are being financed by the families of Dr Khursheed and Dr Jalaluddin Haider.

She also announced the formation of an information resource centre in the department.

Rais Ahmed Samdani president PLA (Sindh), Dr Munira Ansari, Minhas Tejani, Muhammad Waseem Zia, Amtul Wadood and Riaz Khaskheli, secretary PLA also addressed the audience.

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Can the KU Staff Club emerge from its decline?
Karachi: With sprawling lawns bordered with palm trees, the staff club at the University of Karachi (KU) could easily be mistaken for a colonial building of pre-partition days, but this imposing structure was not put up until the early sixties, and since then, has undergone many changes.

The building was initially constructed as residence for vice-chancellors (VCs) of the university, but only Dr Bashir Ahmed Hashmi, the second VC at KU, lived there for a few months. His successor, Dr Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, preferred to live at his own residence, after which the KU administration converted the site into a guest house, and later into a staff club for teachers and officers of the university.

The building is today managed by the Staff Club Renovation Committee, which is headed by Dr Jamil Kazmi and also comprises Dr Khalid Iraqi of the Department of Public Administration and Asim Ali, a lecturer in Computer Science Department.

The club was recently renovated, although because it was done in a hurry, many speculate that the change was little more than a stunt for the upcoming elections of the Karachi University Teachers' Society (KUTS). The lawns remain neglected, the hedges trampled on, and the boundary fences broken. Dr Jamil Kazmi admits that matters need to change.

"I am aware of the shortcomings of the staff club but we are restrained by a shortage of funds and lack of cooperation from teachers," he said. "The club needs a well-defined boundary fence and lawns, and the entire area outside the building needs to be redone."

He complained, however, that teachers and students did not treat the building with respect. "Teachers and students from the pharmacy department park their cars inside the gate right on the pathway, blocking the way of the visitors," he said. "It is lamentable. Teachers should know better than to be so irresponsible."

Those who have been familiar with the club for many years are overcome with nostalgia when they remember what it used to be like.

"The staff club of the late sixties and early seventies was at the zenith of its majesty," said Qazi Saleem, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of KU. Saleem joined KU in 1964 and retired as Director of Bureau of Composition, Compilation and Translation, but later rejoined as PRO. "The dining hall was the pride of the university, with wooden tables and chairs, good food, professional waiters, and appreciating clientele. Compared to its glorious past, it is now in a sorry state."

One of the aspects of the staff club that has remained the same, however, has been the tradition of playing bridge. Two rooms have been especially reserved for this purpose, and are in the use of retired professors who come here almost religiously every Wednesday and Saturday for a game of bridge. Most are from the department of chemistry and over the age of 60.

"Dr Mahmood Hussain (fourth VC at KU) was a keen bridge player," said bridge party regular 71-year-old Dr Mahboob Uddin, a retired chemistry professor. "He used to play every Saturday. Sometimes, Professor Salimuzzaman Siddiqui would also play a few games."

Despite the popularity of bridge, Dr Kazmi spoke bitterly of political interference from non-teaching staff, and the fact that staff below grade 17 often broke the basic rules of the club.

"Recently a labour leader belonging to the Pakistan People's Party arrived with four large vehicles full of people and insisted upon being entertained in the club, and we had to comply," he said. "It is a matter of grave concern."

Thus far, VC Professor Pirzada Qasim has assured Dr Kazmi that the club will soon receive funds for further renovation. "The KUTS elections are coming up in July, so hopefully things will improve after that," said Dr Kazmi. The News

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DUHS health expo to be held from Oct 3
Karachi: First Dow University Health Expo 2009 will be held from October 3-5, 2009, at Karachi Expo Centre to increase awareness among the general public on prevention and management of common healthcare issues.

Every year 0.3 million peoples are infected with tuberculosis and 68,000 die of TB every year; 80,000 to 100,000 children under 5 years of age die of diarrhoea and same is the case with pneumonia in the country.

Addressing a Press conference held at DUHS Auditorium, Prof Dr Masood Hameed Khan, VC Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi (DUHS), along with Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed, said that Pakistan was an under developed 3rd world country, where masses were facing a lot of problems like mental and physical illnesses due to poverty and lack of awareness. Khursheed Nizam President E-Com Gateway was also present on the occasion.

He said, "The event will bring all the stakeholders of health industry of Pakistan under one roof. E-commerce Gateway will be the Co-Organiser of Dow University Health Expo and will apply its experience and exposure to make this event successful."

The present health scenario in the country demands quick action as the figure may be checked by prompt actions like proper health education and vaccination and an effective preventive health strategy. Diabetes is spreading very rapidly not only in adult population but also in adolescents. Likewise increasing number of Hepatitis B & C patients is also alarming.

HIV/AIDS infected population is increasing very rapidly and now the number of patients is more the 2,400 in Sindh only. The event will increase awareness of both parents and students of the opportunities which are available for training as health workers in various fields, other than undergraduate medical education. However, there is no intention of minting money on any account.

The expo is another step in the continuous efforts of DUHS to bring together health industry of Pakistan for a common objective of increased health awareness among general public of Pakistan, especially Sindh.

Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed said that the major burden of healthcare system of Sindh was of those diseases that were largely preventable, and it was logical that they put their maximum effort in prevention side as major strategy for handling the health problems.

Health expo will be the biggest health exhibition in the history of Pakistan that would provide exclusive interaction of pharmaceutical firms, hospital equipment manufacturers and others suppliers in the health industry with doctors, consultants and general physicians.The event is being held in collaboration with Ministry of Health, government of Pakistan, Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association, Health Department, government of Sindh; Higher Education Commission (HEC), Industry & Commerce Department, government of Sindh, City District Government Karachi and Pharma Bureau of Information & Statistics.

Exclusive pavilions on diabetes, prevention and management of hyperlipidemia, cardiac diseases, liver and gastrointestinal diseases, women and children health, oncology, respiratory diseases, dentistry, neurological and psychiatric diseases and skin diseases will be established at the exhibition.

The event will also incorporate a number of symposiums and workshops and the detailed programs shall be announced later. The minister said that the country was spending only 2.25 per cent of the GDP in the social sector and 80 to 90 per cent of the GDP was being spent in the Defence. This is the main reason that the people are suffering with lot of health related problems. The Nation

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Adamjee bids farewell to Class of '09
A colourful party to bid farewell to the outgoing class of 2009 Sir Adamjee Institute, Intermediate College for Science and Commerce, Hussainabad, Federal B, Area was held recently at the college auditorium. The event featured songs, skits and farewell speeches. The 'Title presentation' was thoroughly enjoyed by all students and teachers. Students of XII Commerce prean insider's view of a faculty meeting with the principal. College Principal Cdr. (retd.) Najeeb Anjum, in his address, exhorted the students to continue hard work and concentrate on acquiring quality education . Nayab Muhammad and Mehjabeen Younus of XII Pre-Medical were presented shields and cash prizes for achieving the best prize in academics and on winning the First Prize in National TB Poster Competition 2009 organised by the Federal Ministry of Health, Islamabad respectively. The News

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SALU convocation tomorrow
Khairpur: The 5th convocation of Shah Abdul Latif University (SALU) Khairpur would be held on Saturday. Vice Chancellor SALU, Dr Nilofer Shaikh told at a meeting that Federal Minister for Education Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani would be the chief guest and Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq would preside over the convocation.

Besides, awarding degrees, outstanding students would also be decorated with gold and silver medals at the convocation. Dawn

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University teachers observe 'black day'
Khairpur: The Shah Abdul Latif University Teachers Society on Wednesday observed a "black day" on the call of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association.

They wore black armbands but took classes. They demanded land for the teachers housing society of the Shah Abdul Latif University like the Punjab University. They said chancellors of universities should be selected from well reputed retired professors and governors should be replaced as chancellors.

They demanded abolition of the Removal from Service Ordinance 2002. They demanded Rs 10,000 PhD allowances in place of the existing Rs 5,000. They also demanded 150 litres monthly petrol for professors like the Punjab University. They said they will not accept the abolition of the Higher Education Commission. The News

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