Class 10 exams began | Schools, colleges open today

Class X general group annual examinations – 2009 begin today
Karachi, Mar 20: The secondary school certificate part-II (Class X) general group annual examinations – 2009, both for regular and private candidates, will begin on Friday, says an announcement by the Board of Secondary Education, Karachi (BSEK).

The examinations will be held from 9am to 12noon.

In all, 39,000 candidates (33,000 regular and 6,000 private) are registered for the examination. The regular candidates are 9,000 boys and 24,000 girls, whereas the private candidates are 3,000 boys and 3,000 girls.

The BSEK has set up a total of 476 examination centers (264 for boys and 212 for girls) at both government and private schools.

In all, 170 vigilance teams, each comprising two or three senior teachers, have also been formed to check the use of unfair means in the examinations. Besides, there will be 150 group leaders tasked with providing papers and answer scripts at the examination centers.

In addition to the BSEK vigilance teams, the city district government's executive district officer (education) has also formed vigilance teams to monitor the examinations. Dawn

Holiday not to affect matric exams
Karachi: Although a public holiday in the province has been announced on Friday (today), the eve of the martyrdom of Hur movement founder Pir Sabghatullah Rashidi, those institutions that are the centres of matriculation exams, which are to start today, will remain open and there will be no change in the examination schedule, read a notification issued by the Sindh government. Daily Times

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Schools, colleges open today
Karachi: All schools and colleges across Sindh will remain open on Friday, according to provincial secretary for education Rizwan Memon.

He said though the provincial government had announced a public holiday for Friday throughout Sindh, provincial chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah was persuaded by provincial education minister Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq to exempt schools and colleges as academic days in the province had already decreased considerably.

The University of Karachi will also remain open on Friday, a spokesman for the university said here on Thursday.

The Sindh High Court will remain open and benches will hear cases fixed before them on Friday, said an official announcement on Thursday.

Interviews have been scheduled and will be held as announced. Dawn

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Karachi University scientists honoured
Karachi: Renowned Pakistani scientists from University of Karachi (KU) have been honoured with 'Most Cited Paper 2005-2008 Award' for the paper titled 'Structure-activity relationships of tyrosinase inhibitory combinatorial library of 2, 5-disubstituted-1, 3, 4-oxadiazone analogues'.

According to a press release issued by the KU International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) on Thursday, the award was given by MIS Elsevier, Oxford, UK, to renowned Pakistani scientists, including Prof Atta-Ur-Rahman (former Chairman of Higher Education Commission), Prof Dr M Iqbal Choudhary (ICCBS Director), Dr Muhammad Tariq Hasan Khan, Dr Khalid Muhammad Khan and Mubina Rani. The said paper was published in Bio-organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Volume 13, Issue 10 (2005), which has reportedly been cited by over 30 scientists in their publications as per ISI index and Scopus.

The KU VC congratulated Dr Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary and his fellow scientists on this award, which he said, was a matter of an honour for the country in general and the KU in particular.

Meanwhile, Board of Advanced Studies and Research (BASR) has awarded six M.Phil, 17 Ph.D. and two MS (Surgery) in various disciplines.

The university has also extended the date of submission of registration forms of MA/ Double MA and Improvement of Division up to March 28. The News

KU approves conferment
Karachi: The board of advanced studies and research (BASR) of the Karachi University approved the conferment of 17 PhD, two MS and six M.Phil degrees, the registrar of the university announced on Thursday.

Prof Mohammad Rais Alvi said that the meeting of BASR was chaired by the vice chancellor of the university, Prof (Dr) Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui.

The PhD degrees have been approved for: Shagufta Perveen (chemistry-HEJ), S.M. Abbas Rizvi (European studies), Shamsher Ali (chemistry-HEJ), Sadia Zikr-ur-Rehman (chemistry-HEJ), Huma Ghaffar (Pakistan studies), Shamim Fatima (zoology), Mohtasheem-ul-Hassan (pharmacognosy), Mohammad Sualeh (pharmacognosy), Abbas Kumaili (Islamic learning), Shafaat Nabi Khan Sherwani (law), Zafar Ahmed Khan Sherwani (law), Bushra Jabeen (biochemistry), Dildar Ali (chemistry-HEJ), Iffat (chemistry), Obaid Ali (pharmaceutical chemistry), Syed Qamar Zehra Naqvi (chemistry-HEJ) and Syed Ghayoorul Hassan (public administration).

The candidates who would be awarded M.Phil degrees are: Ambreen Fatima (economics), Rubina Siddiqui (pharmaceutical chemistry), Shamsher Ali (chemistry), Faiz Mohammad (marine biology) Ghulam Mustafa (chemistry) and Fouzia Anwer (food science and technology).

Those to be awarded MS (surgery) degrees are: Dr Mohsen Naderi (MBBS) ophthalmology and Dr Syed M. Nadir Raza (MBBS) general surgery. App

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Skullduggery afoot at SMI as uncompromising principal ousted
Karachi: The change of Principals at the Sindh Madressatul Islam (SMI), which was announced on Thursday, is being seen as a move to replace a competent educationist who wanted to challenge alleged wrong doings at the Quaid's alma mater. Moreover, while one principal has not been transfered out and is on leave, a new one has been posted in.

It was announced on Thursday that Dr Mohammad Ali Shaikh has assumed the charge of Principal of SMI. It may be recalled that Dr Shaikh has served as Principal of SMI twice in the past. Investigations conducted revealed that the appointment comes while there is still an inquiry under way.

It has been reliably learnt that a group of federal government employees, who had been misusing the name of Federal Minister for Education Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani for personal gains, had orchestrated the ejection of the SMI Principal Colonel (R) Taj Muhammad Memon after he exposed and punished them for their misconducts.

The prevailing sentiment inside the SMI is one of the worry, believing that the future of this historic institution, which is the alma mater of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, is at stake.

Using their influence, a lobby of over a dozen people, supported by Federal Ministry of Education Camp Office Karachi, has successfully sidelined Col. Taj Memon, who had taken action against incompetent and corrupt staff.

Col. Taj Memon was first sent on a one month leave on January 27 as the Monitoring and Evolution Cell, Federal Ministry of Education, reportedly misled by the propaganda of the same lobby, began an inquiry against him. Col. Taj's contract expires on May 31 but the federal ministry kept extending his leave with the intention to ultimately throw him out.

The academic activities of the institution have remained disturbed for the last couple of months, due to the disturbances caused by grouping among teachers over the issue.

Sources, revealing the details of the plot to sideline Col. Taj, said that the Drawing and Disbursement Officer (DDO), SMI, Shah Muhammad Memon lobbied with Spokesman for Federal Ministry of Education, Bashir Bughio and planned the ejection the SMI principal. They have also involved some journalists to print fictitious news against him to mislead the federal government.

Col. Taj's refusal to overlook the misconducts and irregularities of both Memon and Bughio had hurt their mutual interests, led them to launching the campaign against him, sources added.

Bughio once allegedly asked Col. Taj to allow him to use the official vehicle of SMI for facilitating the guests of the Federal Minister for Education, but the SMI principal refused. On another occasion, Bughio sent the telephone bill of the residence of the minister to the SMI principal to have it paid – which was met with another refusal. Taj said that he still possessed the original telephone bill (amounting to Rs3,584) of the residence of the education minister that had been given to him to pay.

Similarly, DDO Memon, who was already warned by federal government for misconduct and corruption, was time and again turned away by Col. Taj.

"I didn't allow any corruption and their interests were hurt that's why they don't want me to resume the charge even for a single day," said Col. Taj when contacted. He added that the lobby of Memon and Buhio were misleading and exploiting the PPP-led federal government for their own benefits. "They even once tried to attack me and locked the doors of SMI and I had to call the police, who arrested them all," he further added.

Memon had previously used his influence for the appointment of his two sons, Ghulam Nabi and Muhammad Yusuf, to teachers' posts they were not eligible for. He also had his son-in-law, Nisar Ahmed Memon, appointed to the post of Assistant Accounts Officers – which stood abolished.

The ousted SMI principal said that when the corruption of Memon was exposed, he reported it to the federal government, which then conducted an inquiry. Memon was proven guilty of misconduct the government warned him in black and white.

Former Secretary Education Jehangir Bashar had ordered the inquiry against Memon last year and appointed Shabbir Ahmed, Deputy Secretary (Admin) to conduct it. In addition to appointment of his two sons and his son-and-law, the inquiry also probed the following acts:

Draft of an office order on 30-1-2003 to Shabbir Ahmed Qureshi, then Acting Principal, to grant advance increments to five teachers despite the fact that, among them, four, including his son, were not entitled for this.

Delaying the submitting of his replies to objections over the audit report for financial year 2005-06 despite being directed by the principal several times to do so.

Disobeying the principal's orders regarding the minutes of Student Fund Utilization Committee meeting in March 2007, which created difficulties in the utilization of the amount for the benefit of the institution.

Non-reply to an explanation letter served to him by the principal regarding handing over salary cheques to three teachers.

Creating a mutiny-like situation at SMI by preparing placards and banners to stage demonstrations against the principal at Karachi Press Club.

When contacted, an Inquiry Officer in the case, Anis, said that he forwarded his report to his seniors in mid February. Refusing to comment on the findings of his report, he said, "I am not the competent authority to comment and this case is being assessed at high level and the outcome will be announced by the authorities concerned." Responding to a question about delay in the decision and consecutive extensions in the leave of the non-functional principal, he said, "The high-ups of ministry can answer this question; my job was to conduct the inquiry and submit the report."

It is feared that if Memon is not removed immediately he will use his influence to appoint incompetent and ineligible people on 27 posts, currently vacant, just as he earlier appointed his sons and his son-in-law, thereby ruining a historical institution.

Memon, when contacted, rubbished all the allegations, saying, "I am being targeted by a particular group of people. Everytime a new government comes they start conspiring propaganda against me." Responding to a question he said, "The Board of Governors was the competent authority that appointed 22 JSTs and my sons were included among them. They were selected on pure merit."

He further said that both his sons have masters' degrees. Justifying his son-in-law's appointment, he said, "Nothing is in my hands; every decision is taken by Islamabad."

The DDO also denied the allegations regarding misuse of power and the blackmailing of the principal and other staff. "I abided by all my bosses including Taj Memon," he said. Asked about the inquiry of federal government against him, he said that it was settled.

Bashir Bughio, PRO Federal Education Minister, also denied the allegations against him and said that he had not sent any bill to the SMI principal. Regarding the personal use of SMI vehicles using the name of the education minister, he said that they have their own vehicles and they didn't use the vehicles of SMI which remain with the principal.

Sindh Madressatul Islam, established in 1885, is one of the oldest modern Muslim educational institutions in the subcontinent and has the distinction of being the alma-mater of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who studied there for there little less than five years. The News

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