Students disrupt HSC exam | APMSO an ongoing movement

'Students' disrupt exam, harass teacher
Krachi, June 11: In yet another incident of growing hooliganism in educational institutions, students belonging to a political party on Wednesday not only disturbed a practical examination during the ongoing HSC annual examinations at a reputable college of the city, but also took away the answer scripts of the examinees.

The incident occurred at the Adamjee Govt Science College when some students of a group affiliated with a political party entered the physics laboratory where 20 students of Class XI were busy taking their practical examination. The intruders asked the Internal Examiner, Assistant Professor Ghulam Mustafa, to allow three other students to take their practical exam, even though they were not in possession of practical journals.

The internal examiner, according to college sources, told the students who were not in possession of journals that they could take their practical examination some other day, as the practical exams at the college would continue till June 29, but the students belonging to the student organisation insisted that since the three students belonged to their party, they must be allowed to take the practical exam on Wednesday, or else other students would not be allowed to take their practical exams either.

The internal examiner then refused to allow the three students to take the exam, saying that since the journal carried three marks, he would not be able to award the marks to those not possessing it, and neither would he be able to allow them to take the exam.

Under the rules, possession of a journal is mandatory for an examinee at a practical exam.

At this point the students became infuriated, misbehaved with the internal examiner and grabbed him by the collar.

As soon as the news reached other teachers of the college, a senior professor of the college, Prof Ather Hussain Mirza, who was busy conducting the physics practical examination of Class XII students in another lab of the college, rushed to rescue his colleague.

According to Prof Mirza, he told the students that production of a journal at the time of a practical exam was necessary and as such they could not appear in the examination that day. "Shortly afterward, the students who were insisting that those not in possession of journals be allowed to take their practical on Wednesday left the laboratory, but after some time another group of 15 to 20 students entered the laboratory and took away the answer scripts of the students who were busy taking their practical exam."

He said that teachers of the physics department of Adamjee Science College had decided not to conduct any further practical examinations until the chairman and the controller of examinations of the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi take some concrete measures to ensure that such unpleasant incidents did not take place again.

In a similar incident, a group of students belonging to another political party had torn up the answer scripts of examinees on Monday when they were taking their MBBS First Professional (Part A) and LLB (Part-I) examinations at the University of Karachi on Monday. Karachi University had later rescheduled the papers, which will now be held on June 27 at the same time and centre as earlier. Dawn

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College teachers boycott practical examination
Karachi: Teachers of the Government Adamji Science College on Wednesday boycotted practical examinations and demanded the Chairman Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) to provide them foolproof security against the student wings of various political parties.

As per details, the interference of a political student wing into the said examination held at Government Adamji Science College on Wednesday caused anger among the teachers.

The members of a political student wing wanted the entry of three students in the physics practical exams, carrying three marks.

On the refusal from teachers, they forcibly entered the physics laboratory and disrupted the exams besides manhandling teachers. It is pertinent mention here that Adamji College was conducting practical examinations in two shifts. The first shift was started from 9am to 11am and second one would begin from 11am to 1pm.

During one shift, nearly 20 students can participate while practical exam carries 15 marks including 3 marks of practical general.

A senior teacher of Adamji College, Prof Athar Hussain, who is also a senior leader of Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA), said that during the second shift of the practical examination, activists of APMSO asked Assistant Professor Ghulam Mustafa to support them illegally.

On refusal, they adopted objectionable attitude with the senior teachers.

"I was asked to intervene into the matter but I warned them no student would be allowed in the exam without practical general, uniform and admit card. On my strict reply, they threatened me of dire consequences and left the laboratory."

"Manhandling of the teachers and transgression with teachers have become a routine while the authorities concerned do not pay any attention towards the issue", he said, adding that this situation has forced the teachers community to boycott practical examination scheduled to be held at Adamji College.

"The examinations will be held only after the authorities concerned make proper security arrangements for the teachers. Chairman BIEK, Prof Anwar Ahmed Zai and Controller Examinations can play vital role with regard to providing security to the teachers during the said examinations", he said.

Prof Hussain strongly condemned the manhandling of senior teachers at the hands of APMSO members and demanded the authorities concerned to clear the educational institutions of all sorts of political activities. The Nation

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APMSO an ongoing movement'
Karachi: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain said on Wednesday that All Pakistan Muttahida Students Organisation (APMSO) is not a traditional student organisation but is an ongoing movement that has continued despite blockades and conspiracies hatched by the forces of negative exploitation. In a message on the eve of APMSO's 31st foundation day, Altaf said that the ideology of the movement is spreading to every nook and corner of the country. He said that the APMSO is the only organization in the history of the country that produced MQM, a major political party for the masses. He congratulated APMSO on the occasion of the 31st foundation day saying that they had paid tribute to the martyrs, detained workers and missing workers of the party for their sacrifices for the ideology and struggle of the party. Daily Times

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USAID to launch Pre-STEP
Karachi: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with the Sindh Education Department has launched the Pre-Service Teacher Education Program (Pre-STEP) in Sindh, said a press release issued on Tuesday.

Pre-STEP is designed to improve the quality of basic education in Pakistan by strengthening teachers' education and skills. The programme will directly impact new and practicing teachers by helping them gain revised and upgraded teaching qualifications. The $75 million, five-year-long programme will operate throughout Sindh.

"We recognise the need for improving skills and qualifications of new teachers in order for Pakistan's overall education system to improve. We are committed to supporting Pakistan in its education reforms - helping to build the foundation on which future generations of Pakistan can lead in the development of their country," said USAID Mission Director Robert Wilson. Pre-STEP works in partnership with Pakistan's Higher Education Commission (HEC), the Federal Ministry of Education, and the provincial departments of education to build on existing structures and programs. The program will support 15 universities and 75 teacher colleges as instruments of change for academic standards in teacher education. The News

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CDGK schools await SMC funds
Karachi: Despite the release of much-awaited SMC funds for the CDGK run schools, the amount has so far not been distributed among the educational institutions causing inordinate delay to organise girl guides and scouts activities, it was learnt on Wednesday.

It may be noted here that SMC funds have been released after three years due to which various sports activities as well as maintenance and renovation work at these schools could not be started.

The transition of these funds could not be possible to some DDOs of various departments, well-informed sources said.

This year, Rs 148 million were released in the head of SMC funds one month ago, but still has not been distributed among the school heads and principals.

An official in officer in the education department, when contacted, said that funds had been released to the secondary and higher secondary schools for boys and girls.

Headmasters and sports teachers of various schools said that they were unable to initiate girls guide, scout and other sports activities in their institutions due to the delay in the release of SMC funds.

When contacted, DO education said that Rs 70 million had been approved two years back but the said amount was not released for unspecified reasons.

"However, Rs 148 million has been released and the distribution process has also been started among CDGK schools", he added.

The official further said the SMC funds have been approved according to the number of students enrolled in the schools at the rate of Rs 210 per student. He added that education department made all out efforts to get the funds before the start of summer vacations.

City Nazim Mustafa Kamal had approved the summary that would allow the use of School Management Committees (SMC) fund in co-curricular activities such as girls' guide, scouts and sports competitions.

It may be mentioned here that World Bank, in its recommendation about good governance and reforms in the Sindh education system, had stressed the proper use of SMC funds. The Nation

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