Government school teachers shortage

Shortage of schoolteachers persists
Rawalpindi, March 09: Despite recruitment of more than 1,980 teachers in the Punjab government schools, the shortage of teaching staff still persists in a number of academic institutions affecting the studies of students.

According to sources, out of the total shortage of 3,000 teachers, the Directorate of Education has recruited 1,980 teachers. The remaining shortage of teachers numbering 500 has yet to be met in the provincial educational institutions.

Sources said that the studies of students in elementary, secondary and higher secondary schools is being affected badly due to shortage of teaching staff in some subjects. According to sources, the shortage of teachers in government schools was 3,000 during the previous government of the PML-Q. Over last two years, the shortage of teaching staff has increased by another 500 teachers. It means that 1,000 posts are vacant.

Director (Administration and General) Khalid Javed Rehan said that the directorate had decided to fill 2,480 vacant posts out of 3,000 in 2008. However only 1,980 candidates appeared and joined different posts after clearing tests and interviews due to delay in the recruitment process.

The remaining candidates did not contact the department for appointment as they had joined other services due to delay in the recruitment process. However, he confirmed that the remaining vacant posts would be filled by the end of June this year.

Applications for filling the remaining vacant posts in elementary, secondary and higher secondary schools would be invited and the process of appointment would be completed in June, he said. The news

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Japan grants $92,003 for FATA schools' rehabilitation
Islamabad: The Government of Japan has decided to extend financial support of $92,003 to the Community Appraisal and Motivation Programme (CAMP), a non-governmental organisation, under the "Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects" for the rehabilitation of village schools and small infrastructure development in Mohmand Agency, FATA.

According to a press release issued by the embassy, the agreement for the project was signed on Monday, at the Japanese Ambassador's residence in Islamabad between Chihiro Atsumi, the ambassador of Japan to Pakistan and Naveed Ahmad Shinwari, chief executive of CAMP.

The press release states that the grant would be utilised for the restoration of 20 village schools in Mohmand Agency, FATA, along with the construction of sewage disposal plants for those schools.

At present, village schools in those areas are too decrepit to be used and have not been restored due to financial constraints. In addition, most of their sewage disposals are dumped due to lack of toilets.

Through this project, it is expected that educational environment and sanitary conditions for about 2,200 students in those areas will be improved.

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6 female students burnt alive
Rawalpindi: At least six female students were burnt alive and five people injured on Monday after a fire erupted at a girls' hostel in Saddar area of Rawalpindi.

The fire broke out at around 4:05pm at the hostel, with around 40 students in the building which houses a total of 145, said Zeeshan, director of the National Foundation Girls Hostel.

Deba Shahbaz, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122, confirmed that six students had been killed and five injured in the fire. She said rescuers had to evacuate several female students trapped inside the building.

Those killed have been identified as Farah, Sobia, Attiya, Iqra Naheed, Huma Rasheed and Naveeda Mazher. The injured – including a man – have been shifted to hospital, and their treatment is underway.

Witnesses said the fire broke out on the third floor of the building and quickly spread to rooms. "Thick clouds of smoke could be seen from a long distance," said one of the witnesses.

Preliminary investigations suggest the fire broke out because of a short circuit. However, Rawalpindi district administration officials have ordered a detailed inquiry and sealed the building.

Officials from Rescue 1122, CDA Fire Brigade, Civil Aviation Authority and GHQ Fire Brigade had extinguished the flames by 5:35pm.

Soon after the fire broke out, Rawalpindi police blocked all roads leading to the hostel, and senior police and district administration officials – including SSP (Operations) Yaseen Farooq, DCO Amdadullah Bosal, Rawalpindi Station Commander Brigadier Safullah Khan Niazi and SP Kamran Adil – arrived at the site to supervise rescue operations. Daily times

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ICU controversial lecture
Peshawar: Expressing serious concern over the arrangement of lecture for a 'controversial analyst' at the Islamia College University (ICU) campus, the Amn Tehrik here on Monday said the NWFP governor and the ICU vice-chancellor were responsible for disturbing the peaceful environment of the university for which they should be removed from their offices.

Addressing a joint news conference here, former president of Peshawar High Court Bar Association Abdul Latif Afridi Advocate, Awami National Party leader Hashim Babar, women rights activist Rukhshanda Naz, Pakhtun Students Federation leader Asad Mayar, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party leader Dr Said Alam Mahsud, National Party leader Mukhtar Bacha, convener of Amn Tehrik Idrees Kamal and others said the university administration had invited Zaid Hamid, a 'so-called' analyst, to deliver a speech in the university, which triggered violence on the university campus.

They alleged that Zaid Hamid was a controversial figure, who is also an enemy of peace. They declared that the Amn Tehrik had banned his entry into the province, where a lot of blood of the Pakhtuns had already been shed. The leaders announced a coordination committee that would have contacts with other student organisations to promote peace in the region.

They said Zaid Hamid was bent upon making the kids 'terrorists' and they would not allow him to accomplish his designs.

They also demanded of the ANP government to conduct a probe into the matter. The news

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SZABIST exhibition
Islamabad: A photographic exhibition was organised at Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) here on Monday.

Hunerkada Art Academy (HAA) Director Jamal Shah was chief guest at the exhibition, which featured snapshots taken by the SZABIST students. Artists, faculty members, students and people belonging to other walks of life visited the SZABIST campus to see the exhibition.

Shah appreciated innovative works contributed by the youngsters. He also appreciated the SZABIST's administration for encouraging talented young students to demonstrate their skills in photography.

The visitors took keen interest in the sceneries, which depicted various social and cultural aspects of the Pakistani society.

Meanwhile, an oath-taking ceremony was held at the Institute in which the office-bearers of SZABIST's student societies took oath. The societies relate to fine arts, literature, sports and information technology (IT). Daily times

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DPSC incident condemned
Rawalpindi: Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Captain (r) Zahid Saeed, who is also chairman of the Divisional Public School and College (DPSC), has condemned the Thursday's incident in the academic institution.

He said that soon after the incident he deputed Assistant Commissioner (General) Muhammad Nouman Afridi to probe into the matter and submit a report to him. According to the report, the commissioner said that 54 teachers and non-teaching staff refused to work under Principal Dr. Ubaidullah.

Zahid Saeed said that he was in a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif when he received information regarding the DPSC protest. "I would not bear such incidents in educational institutions at any cost," he said.

He admitted that there was a clash between teachers and principal, saying that he would resolve the issue in a couple of days. The annual examinations were just around the corner, but unfortunately neither teachers nor the principal showed patience to avoid the matter. "Two groups i.e. anti-principal and pro-principal have been formed at the BPSC, which would ultimately affect students," he said.

He said that he has called the principal and teachers to clear their positions about the incident. Responsible persons would face strict action, including dismissal from service, in a couple of days, he warned.

He said he had warned DPSC Principal Dr. Ubaidullah to change his behaviour some months back, adding that some mistakes were on part of teachers and some on part of the principal so both would action.

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UET Charsadda campus
Peshawar: Awami National Party (ANP) MPA Fazle Shakoor Khan here Monday demanded establishment of a campus of the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) in Charsadda.

In a statement, Fazle Shakoor Khan praised the UET Peshawar Vice-Chancellor Imtiaz Hussain Gilani for his efforts for approving a new campus at Jalozai. The MPA demanded of the government to seek support from the federal government to set up another campus in Charsadda.

The Jalozai campus would be constructed over 400 acres of land on Pabbi-Chirat Road. The campus would have eight faculties in the beginning and will offer about 200 international scholarships to the deserving students. The campus would enroll about 3,200 students.

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