|
|
|
|
A-Level students admissions | Curriculum change demanded
'A-Level students be allowed admission on open merit'
Lahore, May 05, 2008: Following the admission
of A-Level students on open merit at Lahore University of Management Science's
newly-launched School of Science and Engineering (SSE), experts and A-Level
students have urged Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) and the authorities
concerned to allow students to take admission in various medical and engineering
schools on an open merit basis.
The SSE has admitted both the A-Level
students and those of the Faculty of Science (FSc) on open merit in their first
batch of graduate classes in the fields of engineering, physics, chemistry,
mathematics, and computer sciences.
SSE Project Director Khurram Khan
Afridi said that around 200 students would be given admission in the
school after entry tests on an equal basis. "We have taken common topics from
the A-Level and FSc books and prepared the tests to provide all students with an
equal opportunity to join the school," he said.
Afridi said that the
admission test followed a straightforward format, and that any institute could
adopt the same, in the interests of students. He said that the kind of
educational certificates the students had earned did not matter, as long as they
had better schooling in their background. He said that students should be given
equal grounds to get scientific education in line with international standards,
so that they could play their due roles for the development of the country. He
said that the admission test mainly consisted of multiple-choice questions,
followed by interviews, and that any institute could easily adopt the same
criteria.
Impact is decisive: Edexcel London Examinations Regional
Development Manger Suhail Zafar said that any institute could take
A-Level students on open merit, but the formula adopted by the IBCC resulted in
a comparatively less number of admissions of foreign boards' students in local
institutes. "Every country has its own education policy, and we make such
policies for the betterment of the students and the country as whole. It is our
right to make the policies of our choice, but we should also keep the impact of
such policies in mind. I do not think that there would be anything wrong if we
go on competing with foreign boards by adopting the open merit policy, as it
would only increase our standard of education," Suhail explained. He also
pointed out that local institutions of international repute like Agha Khan
University and Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute were admitting students on open
merit.
A-Level student Zainab said that she wanted to do her MBBS after
completing her course. "It is a more difficult for A-Level students to join
local medical schools as compared to FSc students, because of the tougher rules
for A-Level students," she said.
She said that government should adopt
an open merit policy, because it would benefit the students studying from
foreign boards, and force the local boards to meet international standards.
Students, teachers demand changes to curriculum
Lahore: Students and teachers in colleges and universities of the city are demanding the
new government change the curriculum and include subjects of environment,
health, human rights and gender study in it.
They said that the
government should also establish a culture of practical research at higher
education levels. Subjects on certain local issues and industrial education
should also be included in study courses, they added.
Human Rights:
Wajeeha, a student of Kinnaird College (KC), said on Sunday that
there were so many issues in the country that could be included in studies.
Environment, health, human rights and gender study should be a part of the
curriculum, she added.
Maham, another KC student, said that arts
education should be upgraded and problems faced by the students of social
sciences should be addressed.
Umer Khan, a student of the Foreman
Christian College University, said that due to 'wrong' educational policies, the
curriculum was producing extremists and fundamentalists. He said that the
government should include religious harmony in the curriculum and frame a
uniform education policy, adding that the curriculum should also include special
subjects for minorities.
Practical research: Adeel Anjum, a student of
Government College University, said that the government and the Higher Education
Commission should focus on practical research, so students could gain practical
experience in their relevant fields by the end of their studies.
Uniform
policy: Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association
President Dr Mumtaz Ahmed Salik said that the curriculum should be developed
keeping in view the global educational requirements. He also called for a
uniform education policy.
Khansa Nazim, a faculty member of the Lahore
College for Women University, said that the curriculum at university level was
good, but there was a need to improve the curriculum at primary level.
She said that although the literacy rate was increasing, and the
percentage of female students was particularly satisfactory, parents in villages
were reluctant to send girls to school after primary and middle classes.
Punjab University Islamic Education Department Chairman Dr Maher Saeed
Akhtar praised the government for its efforts to review the curriculum and adopt
a uniform policy on education. He said that Federal Education Minister Ahsan
Iqbal had said that the government would frame a uniform education policy that
would remain in force for ten years and would benefit student of primary to
university levels. The minister had also formed the National Council for
Curriculum, which would discuss the flaws of the existing curriculum and would
review it, he added.
He said that the minister also had convened a
meeting of all provincial textbook boards to gather opinion on the revision of
the existing curriculum.
Zafarullah becomes new KEMU VC
Lahore: Prof Muhammad Zafarullah Khan became the new King Edward
Medical University (KEMU) vice chancellor (VC) on Saturday under a directive
issued by the Punjab Health Department.
He completed his MBBS in 1973
from the KEMU, then King Edward Medical College. Zafar was promoted to professor
of medicine in 1989 and then became dean of faculty of medicine at the KEMU in
2006. Daily Times
|
|
|
|
 |
| Post your Comments/ Views about the news. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Education News | | Updated: 25 May, 2012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
