Errors in KU semester mark-sheets irk students
KARACHI (PPI) – Errors and omissions in mark-sheets of many semester students of various departments of Karachi University have become a source of irritation for students and wakeup call for concerned authorities to rectify the system at earliest.
Many students studying in different departments of Karachi University witnessed inaccuracies in their recently issued semester mark-sheet, commonly known as ‘Performa’. Several sorts of mistakes were observed in these mark-sheets including false entry of subject marks, year of semester, and subsidiary subjects. In some cases candidates were mentioned fail or absent despite securing passing marks.
To make the matter further complicated the process of rectifying these mistakes is lengthy and cumbersome. Affected students complain that the procedure to get their Performa corrected is really annoying as they had to pay several visits to Semester Examination Cell (SEC), where they generally receive cold and uncooperative response.
Maimuna Ejaz, morning student at the Department of Mass Communication was grieved after getting her Performa. She said that she actually had got 80 marks in subsidiary subject Sociology, as it was also apparent in the marks list provided by her teacher; however, the Performa issued to her showed she secured just 54 marks in the same subject. Another student of the said department told that he had got back his Performa after entire processing from SEC with some errors still persisting. Interestingly one of the BS evening batch at aforementioned department has observed an unusual case as some 25 students amidst a total strength of 42 students in the class were declared ‘absent’ in their subsidiary subject International Relation. The affected students complained the problem was yet to be resolved.
Another common mistake was seen that the subsidiary subject mentioned on the Performa was different from what the students had been studying. Students at Chemistry Department and Food and Science Department said that they had not even issued a Performa since passage of two years.
It was learnt that these cases are not restricted to just few candidates, instead a large number of students in various departments have faced same dilemma and majority of them still await to get their Performa corrected. Some students have received what they called ‘tampered’ Performa as their marks, subjects and dates were manually corrected with green marking. “Similar marking can also be done by any person using a green pointer,” they observed.
Source: The Nation February 22, 2010
Revitalisation of universities urged
Karachi : Pakistan cannot effectively communicate with any country, including India, unless Pakistani universities are brought at par with international standards, said Hameed Haroon while speaking on Saturday at the Sarwar Nasim Memorial Lecture on “Communicating Pakistan to India”.
The lecture was organised by the Karachi University Teachers Guild (KUTG) at the University of Karachi (KU).
“Universities in Pakistan are groaning under the yoke of insufficient funds, absence of towering figures who can guide universities to the height of excellence, appropriate infrastructure and neglect from society. It is surprising that journalists, parliamentarians, NGO personnel and businessmen can go to India without any obstacles, but academics have to channel their application through the governor. We are looking at bigotry, it is unfortunate,” he remarked.
Haroon further drew the attention of the audience towards the fact that an elite system of education has been developed in Pakistan, where the affluent send their children abroad for education. Those who are not as fortunate have to go to public sector universities, which are substandard. The former group of people, he said, are not interested in doing anything that does not help them, while the latter have no proficiency in such things. This does not leave any avenue to talk with our eastern neighbour, he said.
“There could be no progress in the country, and other countries will continue to view us as ignorant and unreliable if we, the government, and society continue to ignore universities,” he asserted.
Haroon said that strategic faults remain even while communicating within Pakistan, claiming that a factional society, which in turn is divided on different issues, was responsible for such a phenomenon. He said that communicating with India becomes more difficult due to the lack of cohesion in the government. “Who will do that? The president, prime minister or the masses,” he asked.
Haroon said that Pakistan has to adopt a dignified, rational approach for self-identity. India with superior education and better political understanding has ignored or does not understand Pakistan. “We have to be accepted by others as a dignified state. India does not accept Pakistan as its equal. It patronises Pakistan,” he maintained.
“A country must show vibrancy, dynamism and qualities to communicate with their own people and other countries. It is a harsh fact that Pakistani rulers have been unable to take note of the masses that are suffering with deprivation, illiteracy and poverty. We have to tolerate people from other religions too. A safe and satisfied society is the base for a strong country. We have to achieve that goal,” he said.
The KU vice-chancellor hoped his university will come out of the deep slumber and apathy that has been the rule for a long time. Dr Aqeel Ahmed, Dr Shakeel Farooqui and others also spoke on the occasion.
Source: The News Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sindh University Campus clash leaves two injured
HYDERABAD, Feb 20: Two students were injured, one of them seriously, in a clash between activists of two nationalist organisations at the gate of Sindh University hostels on Friday evening.
Shahbaz Khaskheli, said to be of Jeay Sindh Students Fderation (A), suffered a bullet wound. Safiullah Sohriani of Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party who was hit in the head by an iron rod was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Liaquat University Hospital in Jamshoro. He underwent an operation on Saturday.
Shahbaz Khaskheli was taken to the city branch of the hospital.
Jamshoro police have registered an FIR against nine people on the complaint of Safdar Ali Sohriani.
An FIR has been lodged on behalf of the other injured.
On Saturday, a group of students tried to force others to boycott classes but police moved into action against them and reportedly arrested Iqbal Magsi and Awais Bachkani.
However, police have denied arresting any student.
Sources in the university told Dawn that on Friday five armed men had come to the university in a car without a number plate. They were caught and handed over to police but police have denied the claim. —Bureau
Source : Dawn Sunday, 21 Feb, 2010
PEF to manage dysfunctional schools
PUNJAB Education Foundation (PEF) Chairman Raja Muhammad Anwar stated on Thursday that the provincial government had offered PEF to take control of 150 dysfunctional public sector schools situated across the province, including 30 in Cholistan area of Bahawalpur district.
Addressing a press conference at the PEF head office, he said the total number of such schools was 1,050 in the province which were not working properly due to some reasons, including lack of teaching staff, dearth of students or the unavailability of suitable buildings.
Raja Anwar, who is also chairman of the Chief Minister’s Taskforce on Elementary Education, said such schools would be managed by the PEF in such a way that would guarantee delivery of quality education to the indigent students of the area.
“PEF is already working in 29 different districts at the moment but we are planning to expand our work in all the 36 districts of the province,” he said. He said the Foundation was working for the provision of quality education through private-public partnership to open the doors of knowledge to the poor students by providing them with monthly stipend of Rs 350 for elementary and Rs 400 each for secondary level students.
Raja Anwar, while announcing the constitution of Punjab Examination Commission (PEC) as an elementary board from the next year, said that necessary legal process was under way and added that the results of elementary exams was going to be announced on March 31.
“The result will be available on internet besides dispatching it through the post,” he added.
While talking about recently held elementary exams, he said that 1,360,745 students appeared in 5th class and 952,899 students appeared in 8th class exams, conducted by the PEC in Punjab. He said that no registration fee was charged from the students or the schools for these exams.
He said the paper marking rate had been increased from Rs 150 to Rs 400 for teachers and Rs 300 to Rs 500 for resident inspectors.
He said registration of all private schools in Punjab would commence from April 15, 2010, adding that instructions in this connection had been issued to EDOs (Education). “An independent regulatory authority for private schools is also in the offing,” he added.
Finance Dept denies BISE more funds
LAHORE: The Punjab Finance Department on Thursday turned down a request by the Education Department for the provision of Rs 750 million as a supplementary grant to meet the expenditures of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE).
In December 2009, employees of various unions, along with BISE workers, observed a complete pen-down strike and held protests. They were protesting the Punjab chief minister’s (CM) announcement regarding the abolition of examination and registration fees for students of public sector educational institutions. They claimed that since the educational boards were autonomous bodies and generated revenue on their own, the CM’s decision would have an adverse financial impact on education boards.
President for Employees Association BISE, Muhammad Aslam, said the protest would continue until the government provided funds to the Education Department. “The government should either reverse the decision or provide funds immediately; otherwise, no exams would be conducted,” he said.
karachi university ba datesheet 2010
