FPSC employees suspended | Comstech scientists' grants

FPSC employees suspended for strike
Islamabad, Mar 06: Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) Secretary Bashir Ahmad Chohan on Thursday suspended the commission's 10 employees for violating discipline. The suspension from service will remain effective till further orders, said notices served on the employees. The suspended employees are among many, who are observing a hunger strike against alleged corrupt practices of the FPSC's senior officials including the secretary. Daily Times

Post your comments

Comstech announces grants for young scientists
Islamabad: The Organisation of the Islamic Conference Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (Comstech) Thursday announced fourteen grants amounting to 15,000 dollars each for young scientists up to the age of forty years for the projects of maximum 18 months' duration.

The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) would also collaborate in this vital effort aimed at encouraging the young scientists in the field of science and technology.

Comstech has set March 31, as the first and August 31, as the second deadline for submitting applications to either Comstech Secretariat in Islamabad, Pakistan, or to TWAS in Trieste, Italy. The aspiring young scientists must be resident nationals of any of the OIC member states.

Application forms and more information about eligibility conditions, requirements, and contact person's phone numbers, email and postal addresses is available at www.comstech.org and www.twas.org.

The programme aims at encouraging the pursuit of scientific excellence in OIC member states by identifying and supporting the best young scientists. It also aims at counteracting the brain drain and reducing the exodus of scientific talent from the Islamic countries.

The priority areas for research projects under this programme include earth sciences, engineering sciences, information technology and computer sciences, materials science including nanotechnology, pharmaceutical sciences and renewable energy.

Comstech-TWAS joint research programme for the scientists of the OIC member states is the outcome of a bilateral Memorandum of Cooperation as agreed by both the organizations on the eve of 25th anniversary celebrations and 19th General Meeting of TWAS from 10 - 13 November, 2008 in Mexico City.

During the meeting it was agreed that TWAS would provide 100,000 dollar annually with a matching grant of 100,000 dollar by Comstech per annum to launch the cooperative programme.

Comstech, OIC Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, founded in 1981 is based in Islamabad and strives to promote science, technology and research in the OIC member states. TWAS, Academy of Sciences for the Developing World is an autonomous international organization founded in Trieste, Italy in 1983 with the aim to promote scientific capacity and excellence for science-based development.

IHC to hear FSc student's plea against FBISE
Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court will hear today (Friday) a student's plea against the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) for not entertaining her application for re-assessment of her FSc papers.

The single bench of Justice Mohammad Munir Peracha will hear the plea of Maryam Syed.

Maryam Syed claims her application for re-assessment was turned down thrice by the FBISE in 2008.

She said in her FSc (Part-I) examination, she secured 405 marks while in Part-II she obtained 362 marks and due to dissatisfaction with the marks she applied for reassessment. But the board refusal deprived her of three valuable marks to clinch Grade-A in FSc.

The student said she had also filed application for re-assessment before the expiry of set date but only Farah Dogar's application was entertained.

'A Voyage of Learning' held at City School
Rawalpindi: Nowadays children do not have hobbies that we used to have in our schooldays. They spend most of their time in front of the TV and computers. It is strongly suggested that children should indulge in some healthy activity besides studies for the overall grooming of their personality.

Renowned cooking expert Kokab Khwaja shared these comments as she was invited as a chief guest at the 'Delightful Voyage of Learning' at The City School,Cantonment Nursery Branch, here on Thursday.

Kokab said that it is very good that children indulge in school activities and work on projects given to them with such expertise. Teachers should be equally encouraged as they are ones who motivate children to work hard and present their hard work in front of the excited parents who anxiously watch their children presenting their project with confidence and poise.

Headmistress Naveeda Riaz said "For a healthy competition we conduct such activities, which in turn, provide great courage and confidence to children.

In 'Delightful Voyage of Learning', classes were assigned different themes. The best part was that the children who were repeating the lines about their project never got tired of repeating them in front of guests and had the same energy level till the end of the programme. There were children dressed as policemen, doctors, patients, librarians, kings and queens. The topics given to them were people and places, shapes, colours, world around us, numbers, garden and insects, sounds, words and animals.

Post your comments

More education funds for Fata
Islamabad: Federal Minister for Environment Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi Thursday said that funds would be substantially increased and education infrastructure would be upgraded for promotion of education in the tribal areas.

The minister was talking to a delegation of students of Government Degree College Dara headed by In-charge of Fata Secretariat Special Programme on Education Abdul Nasir.

The minister said that educational institutions in use for other purposes would be evacuated and educational activities would be promoted with the help of the assistance from Fata Secretariat and other donor organizations. He directed Fata Additional Chief Secretary Habib Ullah Khan to increase the study tours for the students of Fata and also increase the scholarships for them.

He said that the students studying in other colleges of Fata and the institutions across the country must be included in the scholarship programme to promote the education in the tribal areas.

He said that the students from Fata have educational capabilities equivalent to the students from other parts of the country but they need moral and financial encouragement.

Community school 'faces closure'
Islamabad: The National Education Foundation (NEF) is likely to close down a community school in a slum near the Railway Carriage Factory.

The NEF had started a school in the slum some four months back on the request of Aims, an NGO, but due to lack of interest on part of authorities and non-payment of salaries the school is facing closure.

Initially four teachers were appointed in the school on a salary of Rs3,000, but now only one teacher is running the school as other three had left because of non-payment of their salaries.

At present Fakhar Zaman Kiani is working as a teacher on the salary package of Rs4,000 by the National Education Foundation. Fakhar said that out of one hundred students only thirty have been left in the school.

There is also a rift between the Aims and the NEF, sources said, adding that the National Education Foundation has decided to close down the school.

When contacted, NEF Assistant Director Kashif Sohail said "The National Education Foundation has the possession rights and the said NGO has nothing to do with the school." He added that it was their discretion to run the school or close it."

"All teachers are getting their salaries on time," he added.

When contacted, Aims official Waheed said "We had made these sheds and on our request the NEF had adopted the school and if NEF is no more interested we are ready to take it back." The News

Post your comments