FBISE SSC exam | Korean engineering scholarships

FBISE SSC exam from 26th
Islamabad, Mar 16: Annual examinations of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) under the aegis of Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) will commence on March 26.

According to a press statement, the FBISE has dispatched regular students' roll number slips to their respective educational institutions. The roll number slips of private candidates have been posted to them at their given addresses. App

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Korean varsities offer engineering scholarships
Islamabad: Seven leading universities of Republic of South Korea have offered 47 scholarships for Masters and doctoral studies to Pakistani students.

The offer was made by Shin Un, Ambassador of South Korea, in a meeting with Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Special Assistant to Prime Minister and Chairperson Higher Education Commission (HEC).

Ambassador Shin Un stated that this new offer is over and above the current collaboration of HEC with three other Korean universities namely Hanyang, Myongji and Seoul National University, wherein these universities provide subsidies to the HEC-sponsored students undertaking studies of Masters of Science in Engineering.

The meeting took place in the background of an earlier meeting between Ambassador Shin Un and Shahnaz Wazir Ali in mid-January 2009 when the HEC chairperson requested for the co-sponsorship of talented Pakistani students for higher education in South Korean universities.

The HEC chairperson greatly appreciated the gesture of the Korean government and particularly of the seven universities for offering the 47 scholarships, which would go a long way in further strengthening the education linkages between the two countries.

She also acknowledged the existing cooperation of the Seoul National University, Myongji University and Hanyang University with HEC under the GoP-funded Masters of Engineering programme. The News

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QAU hostels evacuated ahead of long march
Islamabad: Fearing students' participation in the lawyers' long march on the federal capital, the government on Saturday got Quaid-i-Azam University hostels vacated and directed its administration to keep vigil on the campus so that it is not used for any activity which could create law and order problem.

The university's proximity to the Presidency was the main concern and the government had reports that its students were planning to actively participate in the long-march. Therefore, the decision was taken to vacate the hostels, sources close to the development said.

In the wee hours of last night, the local administration along with the police came to the campus and asked the students to leave their hostels immediately. However, on the intervention of the university administration, it was decided that on Saturday the students would be asked to leave the campus until March 18.

A senior official of the QAU on condition of anonymity said it was shocking for everyone at the varsity when police appeared on the campus after midnight and asked the students to vacate their hostels.

"At least, the local authorities should have informed the university administration before hand for such an action.

Now when the whole country is under siege and public transport is off the roads, how could we ask the students, that too in the middle of the night, to leave the hostels? It was simply ridiculous," he said, adding the worst sufferers were the girl students.

In response to a question, he said over 90 per cent of students living in the hostels had left the campus and the remaining 10 per cent belonged to the far-flung areas and had no other alternatives; therefore, the university has allowed them to stay on the campus provided they do not create any law and order problem.

When asked, the official said the local administration had argued that due to the proximity of the QAU to Presidency and the Prime Minister House, it was decided to keep the campus free of any students' activity during the next few days.

Moreover, the police said they had received credible information that students from other universities had reached the QAU to participate in the lawyers' long march.

Meanwhile, other universities both in public and private sectors in Rawalpindi and Islamabad have also been directed to remain close at least for the next three days and stop their students from participating in the long march.

Nosheen Abbas adds: The students expressed anger at the government decision to evict them from their hostels.

 "I was sleeping when someone rudely knocked on my door at 8am," said a student. "They told us to vacate our hostel immediately since the police were planning to come and raid the building. But there's no transport!" he exclaimed.

The students who have come from far-flung areas in pursuit of education were harassed to the point of anger.

"This is tyranny and we shall protest. We will not stop our protest!" said one of the boys, who was in the midst of a protest outside the boys' hostel.

Omer Abbasi, a day scholar of the university, added that he had come from his home in Pindi specifically to help the students stand up for their fundamental rights. "The problem is that the students have been so depoliticised over time that they are not even aware of their basic rights."

A boy and girl were walking towards a bus stand with their pull-trolleys and lugging their bags on their backs. "We don't understand.

They have told us on such a short notice to vacate out hostels," said the girl student who was carrying her luggage out to the main road.

They were given only few hours of notice to vacate in a situation where there is no adequate transport that reaches far-flung areas such as Chitral and interior of Sindh from where many of these students have come from.

In addition, the students were deeply resentful about the fact that their studies were being disrupted and that they were being kicked out of their own rooms. "We are students with dignity and self-respect. Some are doing their research for their PhDs and here we are being treated like sheep and goats!"

"We were simply terrified," said a hijab-clad girl outside the hostel. When asked how their parents reacted to the situation, she responded, "we haven't even told our parents because they are so far away; they cant do anything."

Eviction condemned
A civil society organisation has condemned the eviction of students from hostels of the universities in the twin cities, saying the move will backfire.

The People's Rights Movement in a statement said the opportunity presented to mainstream political forces to establish supremacy of civilian institutions in the wake of the general elections last year was being whittled away by petty power politics and that it was the PPP that has the most to lose from this game. Dawn

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