Rawalpindi private colleges raise fee by 30%
None of the colleges in the city is charging less than Rs40,000 fee
Rawalpindi, Aug 18: Almost all the private colleges have raised the fees upto 30
per cent soon after the announcement of SSC results by the Rawalpindi Board of
Intermediate and Secondary Education (RBISE).The parents and the
students strongly rejected the increase in fees, saying that they can't afford
it. More than 75 private colleges are functioning in various parts of the
Rawalpindi city. They charge the fee at their will, as education department has
not framed any set rules for the fee stricture of the private colleges. A
number of parents have appealed to the government
to take action against the colleges for raising fees and also frame some rules
to check this trend. Qasim Hussian, who visited a private college for
admission of his daughter, said, "We are looking for an appropriate college but
the fees of all these colleges are not affordable for us adding none of the
colleges in the city is charging less than Rs40,000 fee." The colleges
that used to charge Rs25,000 fee now started charging Rs40,000. The people who
have limited income cannot afford high fees. On the other hand, it is not
possible for them to get admission in the government colleges because of limited
number of seats. Usman Ahmed, who visited a government college for
seeking admission, said, "I am applying for admission in pre-engineering group
adding if I failed to get admission then I have to appear as a private
candidate." Principal of a private college situated at 6th Road when
contacted said that price-hike badly affected all walks of life
therefore we have to raise fees to meet our expenses." Rent of the building,
teachers' salaries and so many things have been increased that's why we have to
increase the fees. District Officer (Colleges) Ulfat Mehmood Janjua when
contacted said, "Obviously the code of conduct exists for these
private colleges which they must follow, but the owners of these colleges have
good sources therefore our department is helpless to take any action against
them." He said they mention very less fee structures in our record.
Those people who have complaints in this regard should contact to the district
officer (colleges), he added.
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National youth award's injustice
Islamabad: The Ministry of Youth Affairs (MoYA) has ordered an inquiry
while reacting to an application filed by one of the nominees for National Youth
Awards about the injustice meted out to him. Hanan Ali Abbasi, the
'victim', claims that his credentials were much better than those of the
nominees who were given awards in the media category. "To favour their dear
ones," he alleged, "a few bureaucrats on the selection committee 'unjustly'
omitted his name at the 11th hour to accommodate a girl who was a doctor by
profession and had no contribution other than being an anchor of a radio
show." Achievements highlighted in the application include that Hanan is
writer of a book, has more than 300 columns to his credit, has written a play on
a social issue and has hosted live shows for Radio Pakistan. He is also a Member
of National Youth Parliament from Rawalpindi. Hanan claims that some
high-ups summarized 25 points of his achievements into only three before
presenting them to the selection committee. The ministry received 60
applications for the media category, from which four were short-listed and
finally two were given the National Youth Award. Undeterred by the fact
that not much action is expected as a result of that application, the boy has
indeed set an example for others to come forward and seek explanation from
government departments if they feel that injustice has been done. "It is
my right and I am determined to pursue my case unless I get a satisfactory
answer," said Hanan. "There is a need to change this culture of keeping mum over
whatever wrong is happening around us," he said. The boy has the
realisation that holding officials accountable is not an easy job and requires
hard work and determination. "I have all the proof that favouritism was done and
I hope the results of the inquiry will be in my favour," said
Hanan. Hanan submitted his application to the minister on August 13,
which was immediately referred to Secretary of the ministry Hifzur Rehman and
was given the dairy number 522. The minister ordered the inquiry and asked the
secretary to report on the matter. Ministry
officials confirmed that they had received the application and an inquiry had
been ordered. They said that the selection criteria were kept transparent and
the awards were given purely on merit. "The results were announced openly on the
Internet and if any nominee has some objection, he or she can talk directly to
the head of committee or the secretary," said PRO for the Ministry of Youth
Affairs Arif Malik. He said that winners were nominated by an independent
selection committee that included high officials whereas the minister was
informed about the results on the day of the announcement. "We have tried to
keep the process as transparent as possible and if someone has any objection,
they can talk to higher ups in the ministry," he said.About the application
filed by Hanan, he said that conducting an inquiry takes time and its finding
would not be kept secret.
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MU Sheringal campus to get university status
Peshawar: The Sheringal Campus of Malakand University (MU) would soon be
upgraded to the status of a full-fledged university, assured NWFP governor and
chancellor of public sector universities. Efforts are afoot for
construction of new building and appointment of vice-chancellor for the campus,
the governor said, while talking to the federal minister for Safron Najmuddin
Khan and members of NWFP Assembly Badshah Saleh and Munawwar Khan on Monday.
It merits mentioning here that President Asif Ali Zardari has already
approved the establishment of Benazir Bhutto University while Prime Minister
Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has announced Rs470 million for the campus. The
governor said that it would be the second public sector educational institution
of its kind in Malakand division and all possible steps would be taken to make
its establishment and development possible. Najmuddin said the project would
prove a milestone in the socio-economic progress and prosperity of the people of
area.
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Putting gender equality on top of government's agenda
Islamabad: In order to ensure that foreign aid is spent in an effective
manner, participants of a high-level meeting called for strengthening the
capacities, resources and authority of the government machineries working for
women development in a way that they could take lead in positioning gender
equality on top of government's agenda. These views were expressed at the
'Gender Equality and Aid Effectiveness: Meeting with Elected Representatives in
Pakistan,' organised by the Ministry of Women Development (MoWD) and Interagency
Gender and Development Group (INGAD). In addition to Provincial Minister
for Women Development from Sindh Tauqir Fatima Bhutto and Balochistan's Ghazala
Gola, a number of women parliamentarians, officials of donor agencies and
government representatives participated in the meeting. Special Adviser to Prime
Minister for Social Affairs Shehnaz Wazir Ali was also present. In an
interactive group discussion, the participants suggested different ways to
achieve result-oriented utilisation of foreign aid coming to Pakistan in the
name of women development. They stressed on the need for hiring a subject matter
specialist in the MoWD to deal with technical issues. Comparing to the
tasks assigned to MoWD, they said that funds and staff provided to the ministry
were far less than the actual requirements. Since Prime Minister Yousaf Raza
Gilani was heading the Planning Commission, they demanded that he should ensure
ten per cent quota for women on commission's board. All members of the board are
male these days. In her informative presentation, Country Director Unifem
and Thematic Working Group member INGAD, Alice Harding Shackelford, said that
limited donors' coordination with the government, limited integration of gender
equality priorities in national development process and inadequate support to
the implementation of gender equality commitments were the main hurdles in the
way of aid effectiveness. She said that Development Assistance Database
managed by Economic Affairs Division since 2005 indicates that till March 2008,
$23.8 billion came into Pakistan in the form of grants, loans and technical
assistance through 76 donors. She said that 72 per cent of that aid came from
Asian Development Bank, 25 per cent from bilateral sources, two per cent from UN
and one per cent from others. About foreign aid for gender and women
development, she said that $15 million came in the year 2006 and $27 million in
2007 that is far less than the aid received by other social sectors. "The MoWD
is the only ministry that does not receive direct aid from donors and just gets
support for its projects," she pointed out. Highlighting the ongoing
projects under MoWD, Secretary MoWD Sarod Lashari said that construction of 30
Benazir Bhutto Centres for violence victims was one of the major schemes in the
pipeline. She said that under Gender Reform Action Plan (GRAP), the ministry had
gender sensitised high-ranking officials in federal ministries through workshops
and training. She said that GRAP had established Gender Development
Sections in five federal ministries and have appointed focal persons in all
major federal and provincial ministries. "We are in the process of hiring a
consultant to review the syllabus of specialized training institutes with gender
perspective." In her introductory remarks, INGAD Chair Nazia Seher said
that the group included almost all donor agencies working on gender issues. "The
group was formed in 1985 and has 31 members working as part of this network,"
she said adding that the objective of forming such a group was to enhance
information sharing and promote coordination among donor agencies, government
machinery and the civil society.
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IIU to hold Independence Day celebrations
Islamabad: The International Islamic University (IIU) will hold Independence Day
celebrations at Female campus of the university here on August 19. Meanwhile,
Iqra centre for Technical Education of the International Islamic University has
extended the last date for admissions till August 24.According to new schedule,
last date for the submission of admission forms would be August 24 while entry
tests would be held on August 25, said a statement issued here Monday.
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Rare collection of Urdu literary trends published
Islamabad: The trends in our literary culture since independence have
enriched the literary atmosphere of Pakistan, offering a greater freedom to the
writer, and a wider choice of aesthetic and moral enjoyment to the
reader. In an attempt to preserve the scenario of the foregone times in
pure prose and poetic trends in Urdu literature of Pakistan, Pakistan Academy of
Letters (PAL) has published a rare collection of Urdu literary trends from 1947
to 2008. 'Pakistani Adab: Selection of Poetry' and 'Pakistani Adab:
Selection of Short Stories' 1947-2008, both come as a unique anthology of works
illustrating exact nature of literary trends in Pakistan's literary
history. Introducing the collection here on Monday, PAL Chairman Fakhar
Zaman described the basic purpose of publishing selection 'Pakistani Literature
1947-2008' as an effort to record the literary works done in poetry and short
stories which may determine the speed and trend of Urdu literature and the
national spirit reflected in these works while portraying Pakistani society. He
said that selection of 61 years of literary tradition is made to give the
general perspective of Pakistani society. He also said that similar selection of
Pakistani literature will be published in other languages like Punjabi, Seraiki,
Sindhi, Pushto, Hindko, Gujrati and the languages of Northern Areas which are
under publication. The literary selection comprises of the mood of Urdu
literature, its evolution and the development in the themes followed by the
literati. The conceptual changes in poetry and short stories are reflected in
this selection becomes all the more significant to the readers and researchers
alike and it will be a landmark in new research work on Pakistan's literary
history. The selection is compiled by eminent scholar and writer Dr Rasheed
Amjad for the PAL.
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Institute of Psychiatry new block starts functioning
Rawalpindi: The newly-constructed two-storey block of Institute of
Psychiatry at Benazir Bhutto Hospital started working here on
Monday. More than 125 patients with mental disorders were examined at the
outpatient department of the institute in the new block while teaching section
of the block was also inaugurated. "The new block does not look like a part of a
government hospital instead we feel that we are in some healthcare facility of
international standard," said Ahmed, attendant of a patient. He said that the unique structure of the building of new block and
the facilities available here has given the institute a sublime
look. Head of Institute of Psychiatry at BBH Professor Dr. Fareed Aslam
Minhas when contacted on Monday said that the new block has been made
fully operational. "Formal inauguration of the block however would be done by
Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif." He said that the doctors and
staff serving at the institute feeling comfort of the new block as it had
equipped consultation rooms for them to check the patients with various mental
disorders. The institute had been facing a number of problems
particularly due to lack of proper space for accommodating the visiting patients
and as well doctors, nurses and paramedical staff serving in it. "The
functioning of new block has resolved the issue of lack of space," said Dr.
Minhas. The institute completed construction work on new block solely on
self-help basis. Dr. Minhas said that he has decided to call a meeting of donors
belonging to various organisations and from general public at the institute
within this week. "Certainly, we would like to upgrade the institute on the
subject of equipment in the coming years," he responded to a query. He
added that he would like to share his vision about future working of the
institute with donors. "The functioning of new block would certainly help
enhance the performance of the institute," he said. The news
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