Pindi matric examinations fees issue

SSC exams may not be held on schedule
Rawalpindi, Feb 23: Annual examination for secondary school certificate (SSC) may not be held according to schedule on March 13 because of strike of the employees of Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE).

Even the initial scrutiny of the applications forms of the candidates could not be completed because of the strike over the withdrawal of admission fee from students of public institutions.

Workers of BISE Rawalpindi here on Monday blocked the 6th Road in front of their office and continued their protest against provincial government's decision of the wavering the examination fees.

The workers fear that the decision will make the board financially vulnerable and have demanded the chief minister Punjab to take measures to rescue the examination bodies from going bankrupt as admission fees were not being received this year.

Talking to Dawn, BISE Employees Welfare Association general secretary Mehr Muhammad Akbar said the board usually started distributing roll number slips to the students two weeks before the starting the start of matriculation examination. He said the process was stalled because of the strike.

He said the government instead of resolving the issue was considering conducting the SSC examination by hiring university teachers and clerks from other departments if the strike continued.

Mr Akbar said government should redress grievances of the employees and that the examination conducted by the outsiders would not be successful as, he added, there were few days to prepare for the exercise.

He said about 124, 000 students had submitted examination forms with the board and it had to set up over 400 examination centers in four districts, besides arranging to convey question papers and answering sheets to the examination staff.

The representative of the board employees said they met Punjab Education Minister Mian Shujahur Rehman four days ago and the minister had assured them to arrange their meeting with the CM. But, no response has yet come from the minister.

Expressing solidarity with the staff of the BISE, representatives of Punjab Teachers Union announced that no school teacher would perform duties for upcoming SSC examinations across the province. Dawn

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AIOU announces Matric final exam result
Islamabad: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has announced the results of final examinations of Matric programme for the Semester Spring, 2009.

Controller of Examinations Hafeez-Ullah said that the result intimation cards are being sent by post to the Students at their given addresses.

The students who do not receive the result intimation card upto March 5, are advised to contact their nearest Regional Office or Superintendent (Matric result section) in the main campus of University in Islamabad personally or on his phone number 051-9057320 to get the duplicate result card.

The students can also download their result from the website www.aiou.edu.pk of the university.

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What a way to grab all for the family, Mr Ambassador!
Islamabad: The new Pakistani ambassador to Syria, appointed by President Zardari, has summarily sacked the entire staff and faculty of the Pakistan International School in Damascus and appointed almost all his immediate family members for a collective monthly salary of $38,000 (Rs3.2 million).

The sacked teachers and staff members of the school run by the embassy, who were removed for no reasons and without any prior notice, have been compelled to go into litigation against the Pakistan Embassy, The News has learnt.

The Pakistan International School in Damascus is run by the embassy of Pakistan but within five months after the arrival of new ambassador, Aminullah Raisani, in September 2009, the management and faculty of the school was changed altogether without giving any reason and the school was stuffed with the relatives of the ambassador.

According to the list of newly inducted teachers Saeeda Yasmeen Raeesani has been appointed as Principal. She is sister of the ambassador and is drawing $6,500 per month as salary while the previous principal Syed Tauseef Bokhari was getting $2,500. Another sister, Ms Abbas, has been appointed as Urdu teacher for $3,500 per month.

Two daughters, Amna Aminullah Raeesani and Quratulein Aminullah Raeesani, have been appointed as teachers. These two are getting $3,000 per month as salary while the school was paying only $1,700 for the same job to previous teachers.

Mohammad Ishaque, brother-in-law of the ambassador, has been appointed as accountant for $3,500 per month while the same job was previously with one Imran for just $900 a month.

Attique-ur-Rehman and Syed Muhammad Ali, ambassador's nephews, have been appointed as business teachers for $3,000 a month while the same job was done for $1,500 only before September 2009.

Nayla Atiq, granddaughter of ambassador's sister, is working as Maths teacher for $3,000 a month while her predecessor was drawing $1,700 a month as salary. Ali Abdullah, the son-in-law of ambassador's sister, and Muhammad Ahsan Shafique, ambassador's cousin, have been appointed as teachers for $3,000 a month while their predecessors were drawing $1,500 a month.Another cousin of the ambassador, Rasheed Chattha, has been appointed as biology teacher for $3,500 a month while previously Ms Manal Sileman was doing the same job for $1,500 a month.

Ms Manal Sileman, one of the Syrian teachers of the Pakistani school who has been sent home without giving any notice and without any reason, while talking to The News from Damascus on phone said that it was strange that an ambassador instead of running the affairs of the embassy was keen in the business of the school.

She lamented that the ambassador has imported Chinese shoes and made it mandatory for every student to purchase those shoes at much higher rates. She said that the school was being ruined as the new incompetent teachers have been hired for more than double the salaries the previous faculty was getting.

Another teacher Saad al Hassan said that he has gone to the court with a heavy heart because he has served the school and Pakistan and now the court will issue an order against the Republic of Pakistan.

He said that he has respect for the Pakistani nation but because of a few people he has been compelled to go into litigation against the embassy and according to the Syrian laws the Pakistan Embassy in Damascus could be heavily penalised.

Saad said that the school was rated among the best in Damascus and the elite, including the foreign minister of Syria and deputy foreign minister, had started sending their kids to the Pakistan International School of Damascus but with the advent of new administration many have opted for other schools in the city.

He said that last year the school won eight gold medals in the Cambridge examination and the income of the school in 2006 was US$2,042,400 per annum and it rose to $4,774,000 per annum in 2009 with the number of students almost doubled i.e. from 600 to 1,100.

Ambassador Aminullah Raisani was too busy to talk to this correspondent. However his spokesman Zahid Ali who works as Counsellor in the embassy denied all these allegations. He said that the previous management was incompetent that was why it was sent packing while competent people have now been inducted in the school.

Zahid said that it was not true that the newly appointed teachers were drawing more salaries than the previous management. "We write to the Foreign Office of Pakistan about our tasks here," Zahid replied when asked about some teachers going into litigation against the embassy.

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NWFP UET ceremony
Islamabad: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that job creation is priority of the PPP government, saying professional engineers with adequate education and experience can play an important role in establishing new enterprises, restructuring existing industrial and developing new products and services.

Addressing inaugurating ceremony of Jalozai Campus of the NWFP University of Engineering & Technology (UET), here at Governor's House on Monday, the prime minister said that encouraging entrepreneurship among engineers has the potential of big job creation and employment.

Those present on the occasion were included Governor NWFP Owais Ahmad Ghani, Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti and Vice Chancellor, UET, Syed Imtiaz Hussein Gilani.  He said that Jalozai Project of the University would have tremendous effect in every sphere of economic activity and appreciated the hard work and untiring efforts made by management of the university and officials of the provincial government converting the vision into reality.

The Prime Minister said that higher education is the engine that drives countries towards development and advancement. He said it is becoming increasingly clear that no significant improvement can be brought to any sector of the economy without introducing modern technology.

The Prime Minister said industry obviously depends directly on technology for efficiency and competitiveness, however, agriculture and the services sector also depends heavily on technology.  He was of the view that acquiring modern technology is a matter of survival for any nation, saying without actualizing this change agent, hope to defend our motherland, meet the increasing needs of our people, fight and alleviate poverty in our society, and in general, acquire and maintain a respectable place in the comity of nations.

Yusuf Raza Gilani said that that technology cannot be simply imported and assimilated to achieve long term and sustainable benefits. The assimilation, he said requires trained manpower to develop, design, manufacture, operate and maintain modern technology indigenously.

He stressed the nation should be cognizant that technology developing at a very fast pace and the technology of today, he said may become routine in five years, and obsolete in ten.  He said that it is not enough to get persons trained from abroad but must have the capacity to create and disseminate modern engineering knowledge ourselves. This is the proper role of engineering universities.  These universities, he said must be supported and strengthened to carry out research and development and spread the knowledge of modern technology to our youth.

The prime minister said there is a strong case for giving engineering education priority through targeted funding, not only so that we should assured means to produce the wealth to improve our economy, but also for meeting other desirable social and environmental goals. Engineers, he said can play a lead role in projects that clearly benefit society, such as infrastructure development, cleaning up the environment, designing prosthetic aids for the disabled, developing and maintain efficient transportation and communication systems, finding new sources of energy and in general, alleviating the country's poverty. There is a clear and unambiguous relationship between science and technology in a country and its level of development.

Prime Minister Gilani said that NWFP University of Engineering and Technology is the only Public Sector University entrusted with the gigantic assignment of providing engineering education and training to the entire province. The task given, he said has become more challenging when HEC fixed the target to double the students strength in UET Peshawar from 4000 to 8000 in a period of five years.

He said that it is heartening to note that the progress on the establishment of the university is according to schedule and most of the preliminary formalities have been completed. On completion, the students enrolment will be doubled up to 8000, the faculty five times up to 250 and introduction of state of the art laboratories would definitely make a huge difference in the academic ambiance.

The achievement, he said would naturally be viewed in the context of expectations to produce world class engineers who could serve the country's local needs. It will only be the quality output that would matter and submerge the cost within the benefits.

He said it is impossible to put a dollar value on each graduate engineer that joins the economy, it is quite evident from empirical date that investment tin science and technology is the one, singularly important, factor that ensures advancement and sustainable development.

Complimenting the contribution of all who have put in their minds and souls for this project, he said that such that institutions are rarely established and seldom can the country afford to divert its resources. Therefore, he said it is incumbent upon all to ensure that this institution pay back to the people who are awaiting progress and prosperity. APP

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IIUI Seerat conference
Islamabad: Da'wah Academy of International Islamic University (IIU) here on Monday organised a 'Seerat' conference for women as part of its silver jubilee celebrations and Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH).

Speakers at the conference urged the Muslim Ummah to follow the teachings Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to overcome their problems and for salvation. They said, Muslims are blessed with love of the Prophet (PBUH) but what they need is to abide by the teaching of the Islam follow golden principles of life. "Prophet (PBUH) is role model for the whole humanity in all spheres of life and Islam spread the message of peace to the humanity", they added.

They expressed the confidence that the Muslim would realise the need of the hour and overcome problems of extremism and terrorism by taking guidance from the life of Holy Prophet (PBUH). IIU Vice President Perveen Qadir Agha chaired the conference.

Other speakers who spoke on the occasion were Saqiba Rahim-ud-Din, Dr. Farhat Hashmi, Dr. Kousar Firdous, Dr. Zaitun Begum, Yasmin Hameed, Professor Munawara and Shagufta Omar.

The speakers brought into focus the dismal situation of human rights in the world especially the Arab peninsula during the time of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The human rights situation was worse in the case of women and children. They urged Muslims to ensure welfare of women and children and follow the noble examples of the prophet (PBUH).

They also touched on various aspects of life of Holy Prophet's life. They quoted the Qur'an, Ahadith and Muslim scholars saying that the faithful are fortunate that they have a role model set for them by Allah Almighty Himself. "The real path of Islam is none but one that was treated by the Holy Prophet. The Muslims can achieve heights and overcome their image problem if they follow the life style of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)".

A large number of women and young girls participated in the `Rehmatul-lil-Aalamin' conference. The conference marked conclusion of four day Silver Jubilee celebrations organised by IIU Da'wah Academy.

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PhD degree awarded
Islamabad: M Ramzan, a Faculty member at Bahria University, has completed his PhD in Mathematics under the supervision of Professor Dr. M. Ayub, chairman of the Department of Mathematics, Quaid-i-Azam University, says a press release. His title of PhD dissertation was 'Application of Wiener-Hopf Technique in Diffraction Problems.'

He has revived the Wiener Hopf technique (which is highly effective in Diffraction theory) not only in Pakistan but also in the Sub-Continent after a gap of about 10 years and has produced very high quality research papers, all published in International Journals with impact factor varying from 0.88 to 4.735.

Due to his outstanding performance in research, Bahria University has nominated him for the 'Izaz-e-Fazeelat' in research (Presidential Award) and President's Medal for Technology, 2010.

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College students protest
Islamabad: Citizens of the capital city demonstrated a protest against the recent price hike and increase in fares at Tramri Chowk here Monday, says a press release.

The protestors that included parents and students of Sultana Foundation College, Muslim Law College and Cosmetics University blocked the road by setting tyres on fire for hours that resulted in the public facing difficulty.

They demanded President Asif Ali Zardari to pay attention towards this speedy raise in fares that has created a worse situation for the citizens. They said the government on one hand raises the slogan of 'Roti, Kapra aur Makaan' while on the other, commits price hike.

The students of Sultana Foundation College criticised their college administration on increasing the college fee and bus charges, although it is a trust organisation. They vowed to continue their protest if decision on the increase in fare is not revised.

They said their parents have limited resources and could not bear this extraordinary cost. The news

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