Private schools countrywide strike against VAT
Private schools warn govt of countrywide strike
Islamabad, May 10: All Pakistan Private Schools
Management Association (APPSMA) Saturday held a protest demonstration against
the imposition of Value Added Tax (VAT) on private educational institutions and
warned the government of countrywide strike if the decision was not withdrawn.
More than a dozen representatives of private schools assembled in front
of National Press Club (NPC) here on Saturday. They were carrying banners and
placards inscribed with slogans "VAT unacceptable" and "Stop killing future of
students'. The protesters said the private sector was helping government
extend the education network in the country and benefiting million of students.
They said imposition of VAT had put the future of many students at
risk. APPSMA President Abrar Ahmed Khan addressing the protestors termed
the government's decision financial murder of private institutions. He said more
than 80,000 private schools were functioning in the country "According to
the 1973 constitution it is the prime responsibility of the government to give
education to every individual in the country but unfortunately government
instead of doing so was creating hurdles in this regard through such decisions,"
he said. He demanded that the government take back this decision otherwise they
had no option except to launch countywide protest. Daily times
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Private schools fees too high, says RCCI chief
Rawalpindi: The private schools are charging much higher fee from
the students, which is beyond the income of most of the people, Rawalpindi
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) President Kashif Shabbir stated this
while showing his concern over the situation. Talking to a group of journalists
at his office, Shabbir said most of the people belong to middle class and are
unable to pay such an amount in terms of fee and continue their children's
education. He was of the view that private institutions were fleecing people by
charging high fees from them. He said Pakistan's literacy rate was very low and
if private schools' monopoly were not brought to an end the country could not be
able to achieve its targets. He stressed the need for a uniform education system
throughout the country. app
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Oldest school loses land to encroachers
Rawalpindi: The first ever school built for the Muslims in Rawalpindi is
fast losing its land to encroachers and is left with only 16 kanals out of the
over 42 kanals it once owned, it has been learnt. The Government Islamia
Higher Secondary School, opposite Liaquat Bagh, has already lost its playgrounds
to alleged encroachers while its ownership on seven kanals is being questioned
by many others. According to a letter written to the secretary education
Punjab by the principal of the school in March 2010, the school was established
in 1886 by Anjuman-i-Islam Rawalpindi. The 42.3 kanal land was mutated
in the name of the Punjab government in 1972 when the institution was
nationalised under the martial law regulations. According to the letter,
a piece of land measuring seven kanals and three marlas was leased out to a
gardener of the school in 1947 when he started a nursery. After the
death of Farman Ali, the gardener, his son obtained a succession certificate and
started trying to transfer the valuable land in his name. Meanwhile, another
family living in Karachi claimed ownership on the land. In June 2008, a
sub-registrar refused to register a sale deed of the land by a woman in the name
of a private person saying the supporting documents did not confirm the
ownership of the seller. The alleged land grabbers moved the office of
the registrar against his subordinate and got the decision in their favour in
January 2010 and, subsequently, the sale deed was documented. In the meanwhile,
another party started claiming the ownership of the land. As a result, three
private parties and the school administration entered into litigation in
different civil courts. In the official letter, it has been alleged that
almost all documents including the sale deeds and identity cards to claim the
ownership of the school land have been found fake and bogus. In this regard, a
criminal case was registered in May 2005 against the private persons and revenue
officials for tampering with the documents, the letter contained. The
school administration has requested the education department to deal with the
encroachers with an iron hand and refer the matter to the Anti-Corruption
Establishment for criminal action against them. The secretary education
has also been requested to depute a legal officer to pursue the case and save
the precious school land from the alleged land grabbers. A former principal of the school said the institution's land had shrunk to
16 kanals after its playgrounds were gradually encroached upon and the gate
leading to the grounds on the backside was closed. He said the school
building was historical and it was visited by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah
in 1940 when he addressed a public meeting arranged by the All-India Muslim
League in the city. Old teachers of the institution stressed the need to save
the historical school and protect its land from land grabbers. Dawn
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Psychological impact on children: Students raise their concerns about terrorism in stage play
Islamabad: The terrorism that threatened the security of educational institutions not only affected the
educational activities last year with short intervals but also left a left a
psychological impact on the minds of children that might take years to
end. This psychological impact is evident from the fact that
schoolchildren have started choosing 'terrorism' as a theme for short plays to
be performed on different occasions. Most of the schools in the capital
remained closed last year due to security threats leaving children either
inquiring about the phenomenon of suicide bombing or chatting about it with each
other. These discussion and fear of being attacked led the children to
think and write about terrorism instead of thinking of social and other issues
related to overall development of a society. The students of Beacon House
School System (Margallah Campus) Islamabad are one such example. Innocent and
energetic students staged a play this week on the theme of terrorism and its
various facets with a solution as to how people, young and old, can serve what
is indeed a battle to save and build Pakistan. The 30-minute play at the
outset depicted scene of a family - a mother asking his son to continue his
study and being told by him that his father disallowed him. It is here mother's
dream that the boy gets higher education and joins the army. A big screen
in the backdrop simultaneously flashes visuals of drone attacks, troop movements
and scenes of bodies lying everywhere and terrified people screaming and running
around. The combination of an urge to get higher education and the
deafening sounds of bomb blasts and drone attacks shows the state of children
minds nowadays. As the play goes on, a suicide bombing occurs leaving
mayhem. After establishing the fact that terrorism is all about destruction, a
would-be suicide bomber appears in the following scene and laments mass killing
of innocent men, women and children. The scene depicts the children's wish see
an end to terrorism. A dialogue between a Maulana and man shows how and
what children think about religious leader. The dialogue actually shows
dissatisfaction of children about the role of religious leaders in the current
wave of terrorism. It illustrates the deep urge of the children to see their
religious leaders strengthening beliefs and moral values by preaching tolerance
and peace. Although the play shows the creative mind of youth but it also
raises concerns that how long this physiological war would go and how would it
shape the future of Pakistani youth. Daily times
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IIUI holds sports championships
Islamabad: International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) in
collaboration with Higher Education Commission (HEC) organised an intervarsity
rovering championship, with eight universities from across the country
participating in the event. The participating universities included
Karachi University, Bahauddin Zakriya University, Agricultural University
Faisalabad, Punjab University, University of Engineering & Technology (UET),
Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Government College University (GCU) and the host
IIUI. University of Faisalabad got the first position in the
competition, Bahauddin Zakriya University came second, GCU came third and Punjab
University secured the fourth position. Meanwhile, IIUI also organised an
intervarsity trekking championship in collaboration with HEC in Margalla Hills,
in which 18 universities participated, informed Manzoor Hussain Shah, Sports
Officer IIUI, who was the organising secretary of the event. Trekkers
started their journey from Track III and trekked through Monal, Talhar Mor, Chah
Jabbi and reached Kuwait Hostel, covering some 18km. According to the results,
Islamia University Bahawalpur got the first position while Punjab University and
AJK University grabbed the second and third positions respectively. A
colourful closing ceremony was arranged at IIUI Faisal Mosque Campus Auditorium.
Prof Talat Khurshid, Director General Sports HEC, gave away prizes and souvenirs
to the winners and runner-ups.
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Quiz contest held at Imperial School & College
Islamabad: The Imperial International School and College, F-10/3, organised an interclass quiz
programme, says a press release. The event was organised as a healthy
co-curricular activity to evaluate the intelligence and wittiness of the
students. The students of grade 1 to 6 participated in the competition. The
different groups of the students were formed. The participants were confident,
witty and demonstrated speedy thinking skills as well as team spirit. The quiz
questions were based on general knowledge, mathematics, sciences, Islamic
studies as well as ethics. Choir songs and short skits between the quiz rounds
further enlivened the programme.
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Ahsan Iqbal asks PM, CM to provide land for university
Islamabad: Former minister for education Ahsan Iqbal has appealed to Prime
Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to help
the project of establishing a world-class university in twin cities of
Rawalpindi and Islamabad by providing land for the project. He said
"International University of Management and Economics (IUME) is a landmark
project, which will bring world class education to Pakistan for Pakistani youth.
The first phase of the project shall be completed with cost of $25 million
through contributions of Pakistani businessmen and overseas Pakistanis."
The university is envisaged to produce leaders in various disciplines
with strong entrepreneurial spirit and sense of social responsibility so that
they become agents of change in our society. He said, "In Pakistan we are
losing the battle on knowledge front and must act with great sense of urgency to
develop new and dynamic engines of knowledge economy in order to put ourselves
on path of sustainable development and progress. "International
University of Management and Economics will be a research university and will
focus on finding indigenous solutions to our social and economic problems." The news
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