National Education Policy 2009 publishment

NEP finally published with focus on sports activities
Islamabad, Dec 03: National Education Policy (NEP) 2009 in its final shape has eventually been published and uploaded on the official website of Ministry of Education.

According to well-placed sources in the Education Ministry, Federal Minister for Sports Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani had earlier criticised the document, saying that it ignores the co-curricular activities that plays a significant role in healthy mental and physical development.

The minister pointed out that there are various educational institutions that currently lack playgrounds and those with grounds have poor sports facilities. "A high level meeting was held last month in which it was decided that co-curricular activities will be given due focus in the NEP," sources revealed.

Now, co-curricular activities have been given focus in Clause 6.6 of the Policy in which it was said that all schools shall establish a school mission that assists students in achieving their learning potential and personality development as key goals. Pursuant to this, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities shall be made a mandatory part of the entire learning process.

It says that standards shall be developed for co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, including scouting for all levels of education by all provincial and area governments, while stressed that sports activities shall be organised at secondary, higher secondary, college and university levels.

A monitoring system for co-curricular activities has also been devised in the Policy actions that say, "A system for monitoring of sports and co-curricular/extra-curricular activities shall be established by all provincial and area governments," while a special cell shall be established in the Ministry of Education for this purpose. Higher Education Commission will look after all such activities at university level.

In order to streamline sports activities in all educational institutions, a steering committee, comprising representatives from Education and Sports Ministries/Departments at federal and provincial levels as well as representatives from Pakistan Olympics Association and Pakistan Sports Board, is also proposed. "To provide incentive and to encourage development of sports at grassroots level, quota (as determined by respective provincial/area governments) for admission to educational institutions on sports basis shall be enforced and a transparent mechanism shall be devised for this purpose," it states.

The document says that the sports fund collected from students shall only be used for the purposes of promotion and development of sports while it directs every school to participate in a minimum of four sports. Meanwhile, each college shall have its own 4-6 teams including that of athletics.

It is also recommended that all schools must organise sports/PT periods in line with the approved scheme of studies 2006 while regular summer camps in various sports disciplines shall be arranged by educational institutions during summer vacations.

It is also said that performance and interest in sports and other co-curricular activities is to be reflected in the annual confidential reports (ACRs) of heads of educational institutions. "Incentives will be offered to heads of institutions performing well in sports and other co-curricular activities at all levels."

It is said that a code of conduct shall be established which shall enable student unions, as and when restored, to participate in healthy activities without affecting the environment of the educational institutions.

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Effects of Operation Rah-e-Nijat on Education sector
Peshawar: Owing to the ongoing Operation 'Rah-e-Nijat' in South Waziristan, the Cadet College Razmak has temporarily been shifted to the provincial metropolis where two buildings have been hired at different locations for the studies and accommodation of students.

"The step has been taken on the demand of parents because of the poor security situation in the twin tribal agencies of Waziristan on temporary basis. No plan is under consideration for the permanent relocation of the cadet college. The students will be shifted to Razmak as soon as normalcy returns to the tribal region," Additional Chief Secretary at Governor's Fata Secretariat Habibullah Khan said.

The college management has asked the students of different classes to report at the buildings hired in Peshawar. The students of Grade 7, 8, 9 and 10 have been asked to register their presence at Salar Lane on Abdarra Road in the University Town while the students of intermediate classes are required to report at the National Hostel in Hayatabad.

There have been speculations about the relocation of the cadet college from Razmak to some safer town in the settled districts of the province sine June this year after the kidnapping of scores of students and their teachers by militants from Bakkakhel area of the Frontier Region Bannu. The students and teachers were released because of the efforts of the security forces, political authorities and Torikhel and Utmanzai tribes of Razmak town in North Waziristan.

The people of North Waziristan, particularly the Torikhels, have been opposing the shifting of the college from Razmak. They say any such step would deprive the already neglected militancy-hit region of a prestigious institution.

Established in 1977 at Razmak, five seats each had been reserved for students of Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, North and South Waziristan, four for Kurram and three for Orakzai agencies. Ten students from the tribal areas are given admission on self-finance basis, while a quota has been reserved for the students of Frontier Regions and sons of FC officials.

At total of 77 students are given admission on different quotas. Students from the settled areas of the NWFP, Punjab and Kashmir are also admitted to the college.

There were reports that after the incidents of students' kidnapping, some government functionaries, politicians and influential parents of the students hailing from other parts of the county had started lobbying for relocation of the college to some other area. The politicians wanted the college to be shifted to Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat and other districts.

Habibullah Khan, the top bureaucrat at the Fata Secretariat, said there was no plan to permanently shift the college to Peshawar or any other city. He pointed out that under the prime minister's directives the government was planning to open cadet colleges in all the seven tribal agencies. Setting up of two cadet colleges in Mohmand and South Waziristan had already been announced with the support of donors, he said. The news

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PSMA protest against Ban on science students
Rawalpindi: Private School Management Association of Pakistan (PSMA) held a demonstration on Wednesday against the eight education boards' decision not to allow the private students to appear in matriculation examination with science subjects.

About 500,000 students would be affected by this decision of the Punjab government, PSMA President Raja Ilyas Kiani, who led the demonstration outside the Rawalpindi Islamabad Press Club said. The protestors appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo moto action against the responsible persons.

A large number of students and parents participated in the protest demonstration. They were carrying placards and banners inscribed with the slogans against the Punjab government and existing education policies. APP

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Teachers transfers in Education Dept
Peshawar: The NWFP cabinet has imposed complete ban on transfers in the NWFP Education Department with a warning that any teacher influencing the officers concerned in this regard would be suspended.

Mian Iftikhar said transfers of teachers would be made only once a year and that too depending on the needs in different areas. "No political or other pressure would be accepted in this regard," he added.

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Three teachers to visit Japan
Islamabad: The Embassy of Japan and the Japan Foundation have selected three secondary school teachers from Pakistan to visit Japan under Group-Tour Programme for Secondary School Educators 2009.

The teachers will visit Japan from December 3-16 to receive training and visit educational, cultural and industrial institutions of Japan and introduce Pakistani culture to Japan. Japanese Ambassador Chihiro Atsumi on Wednesday handed over the travel documents to the three teachers at a ceremony held at the Japan Embassy.

The teachers include Sumera Tabasum from Jinnah Preparatory School Rawalpindi, Sahar Shah from National Grammar School Lahore and Hamad Muhammad Sethi from Peshawar Model School, Peshawar.

The Japan Foundation conducts the Group-Tour Programme for secondary school educators to promote understanding of Japan in foreign countries / understanding of foreign countries in Japan and deepening the mutual understanding between Japanese and overseas educators.

It invites secondary teachers and administrators from all over the world each year to give them opportunities to visit educational institutions, historical and cultural places and exchange opinions with their Japanese counterparts. Over 7,800 educators have been invited to Japan under this programme. Daily times

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Education exchange plan
Islamabad: Ursula Saarbeck, director DAAD, a German educational exchange programme, and Katharina Lack, head of Cultural Section (German Embassy, Islamabad) called upon Preston University Chancellor Dr. Abdul Basit Tuesday and discussed with him the possibility of cooperation specifically in social sciences and nanotechnology.

According to a press release, the Preston University chancellor briefly spoke about the university and highlighted some of its major achievements since its founding in 1984. He apprised the delegation particularly about the university's newly established institute - Preston Institute of Nanoscience and Technology (PINSAT).

Dr. Basit expressed his eagerness in exchange of students' groups between Preston University and German universities, through DAAD's Educational Exchange Programme.

On the occasion, Katharina Lack, briefed the participants and highlighted the activities being currently undertaken by the Embassy's Cultural Section, under its Cultural Exchange Programme. She assured the Preston University of the fullest cooperation of German Embassy, in all its cultural endeavours.

In her address, DAAD Director Ursula Saarbeck, explained the programme of DAAD with particular focus on education and training, and the scholarships being offered by it to the meritorious students. The news

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