The Education Thread [Archive] - Page 2

July 16th, 2007, 08:40 PM

LAHORE, July 15: The first policy on plagiarism will come into force in the country from next month, it is learnt here.

“The Higher Education Commission has been working on the policy since long and its draft will be submitted to the HEC board for approval in its meeting scheduled for the first week of August,” HEC Adviser (quality assurance) Riaz Qureshi told Dawn on Sunday.

He said the draft proposal had recommended that a plagiarist should be given a punishment not less than removal from service, a penalty that no university in the country is practising at present due to absence of any law or policy.

Both teachers and research scholars of all varsities would be asked to ensure before submitting their work for publication that it must not contain any portion of plagiarism, he added.

Besides, those whose publications already contain some part of copying material will be asked to delete the same on their own, otherwise they will face strict action from their respective institution once it is alleged from any quarter and subsequently proved.

In the absence of any law and policy, the higher education institutions have been facing problems in initiating action against the alleged plagiarists. The HEC’s warning to teachers and students that it has `zero tolerance’ against intellectual theft is bearing no fruit either.

Though the Section 66 of the Copy Right Ordinance 1962 says that a plagiarist or a person who knowingly infringes or abets the infringement of copyright is liable to punishment up to three years or a fine of Rs100,000 or both provided the complaint is filed by the author of the work, but it is not being implemented here. No varsity enforces this law on its alleged plagiarist.

The Punjab University had claimed that it could not award heavy penalty to its five plagiarists of Centre for Higher Energy Physics (CHEP) as neither the varsity calendar nor the government legislation provided any legal cover in this regard.

Dr Qureshi said the PU had yet to inform the HEC formally about the penalty it had imposed on the five teachers, including the chairman of CHEP, for plagiarising the work of foreign authors. He said the commission had also asked the PU to report it on the status of another alleged plagiarist of the psychology department by July 26.

He said the commission had already stopped development grants of the PU following its failure to take strict action against the plagiarists. He said the HEC had also sought intervention of Governor Khalid Maqbool, who is chancellor of public sector universities in the province, in the matter and hoped that he would not spare the teachers and research scholars accused of intellectual theft.

Mr Qureshi further informed that at least 15 to 20 cases of plagiarism had surfaced in different varsities and the commission wanted them (universities) to conduct a thorough probe and must go hard on those who proved guilty.

PU registrar Prof Naeem Khan told this reporter that the varsity had already penalised the five faculty members the way the Government College University dealt with the head of economics department. He said the varsity had already briefed the governor on the issue and it was not supposed to inform the HEC in this respect.

He said the varsity had also submitted the case of alleged plagiarist of psychology department to the dean of life sciences for review. However, the registrar claimed that he had been cleared of charges by the first inquiry.

On a question whether the PU is planning to take the HEC to the Council of Common Interest for freezing its development grant, Prof Khan said it had no such intention as it had forwarded the case to the governor for mediation. Earlier, the PU administration had claimed that it would challenge the commission in the CCI for its `arbitrary decision’ of freezing its grant.

July 31st, 2007, 01:45 AM

LAHORE, July 30: Pakistan has won for the first time an international award in mathematics at a contest held at Hanoi, Vietnam, from July 19 to 30.

Pakistan had participated in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). After a tough contest participated by maths students from a large number of countries, a six-member national team of Pakistan won the bronze medal and an Award of Honour.

The winner was Zaeem Husain of Aitchison College, Lahore. Other members of the team were Muhammad Fahd Waseem, Mustafa Abbas, Saif Sultan, Sohaib Afzal and Awais Tariq.

Team leader Dr A D Raza Chaudhry, who is director-general of the GCU’s School of Mathematical Sciences (SMS), said in a message from Hanoi on Monday the victory had proved that Pakistani students could also win silver and gold medals in less than six years, but they needed expert coaching in mathematics.—Reporter

siamu maharaj

July 31st, 2007, 03:34 PM

Edwardes

July 31st, 2007, 03:37 PM

Good job, next year they should aim for GOLD! Anyways who won Gold and Silver?

July 31st, 2007, 05:09 PM

Oh..actually its not what it seems.

There are 6 problems of mathematics to be solved ( 3 on each of the 2 days of the event within a given time of 4hrs 30 mins). Each problem is worth 7 points. And there are 6 contestants from each country.

They add up the individual points on the problems to get the score of the individual

from the regulations :
" The total number of prizes will not be more than half the total number of Contestants. The numbers of first, second and third prizes will be approximately in the ratio 1:2:3."

And that is how they decide on the medals for the individual players. So one of the 6 pakistani got a bronze medal while another one got an honorary mention(he solved atleast one problem correctly).

For overall country position, top 3 are Russia, China and Vietnam.

Metropole

August 1st, 2007, 08:50 AM

KARACHI: Plans are ready for the construction of Sir Syed Towers, a 14-story multi-purpose building project of the Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association. The building is to be constructed on the association’s 4,200-square yard plot on M.R. Kiyani Road, opposite the Arts Council of Pakistan. According to the association’s sources, the design of the building has been finalised and approved.

The association was also allotted a nine-acre plot in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, and additional land covering 10 acres was obtained for a sports ground. Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) is a major achievement of the association.

Through the association’s efforts, a 200-acre piece of land has been acquired in the Education City next to Aga Khan University to provide SSUET with a permanent campus, and to create an Information Technology park, another multi-billion-rupee project.

The land was bought at Rs 50 million while its official price today is Rs 400 million. With 4,500 students at SSUET, 1,300 students in the allied institution of Aligarh Institute of Technology and another 1,200 students in the Continuing Education Programme, 100 in the Masters programme and four doing a Ph.D., the university has held nine convocations so far. The first convocation was held on March 27, 1998, the centenary of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. app

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\08\01\story_1-8-2007_pg12_3

Khanrak

August 2nd, 2007, 06:05 AM

Just a note about the braindrain from Pakistan. Granted, its not a great thing that Pakistani professionals leave, but then again, those professionals make MUCH more money abroad than in Pakistan, and can thus send back large amounts of money in remittances.

Edwardes

August 3rd, 2007, 02:22 AM

Metropole

August 5th, 2007, 11:24 AM

http://epaper.dawn.com/Web/Article/2007/08/05/004/05_08_2007_004_004.jpg

transistorized

August 5th, 2007, 01:40 PM

Hey Karachite, didnt they use to select 2 scholars from Pakistan in the 90s?

Metropole

August 5th, 2007, 07:04 PM

Yeah, apparently Pakistan used to get 2 before.

August 6th, 2007, 02:11 AM

LAHORE, Aug 5: A block allocation of Rs455 million was made for development projects of the Punjab University during a meeting of vice-chancellors and project directors of four public-sector universities held here on Sunday. Governor Khalid Maqbool chaired the meeting.

According to the decisions, the university will spend Rs30 million on launching speech therapy classes at its special education department, Rs74 million on College of Information Technology and Rs60 million on College of Art and Design. It plans to upgrade the laboratories of the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology at a cost of Rs50 million and spend an equal amount on the acquisition of modern equipment for the College of Emerging Technologies.

It was also decided to establish a College of Statistical Actuarial Sciences on a 12-acre tract on the Punjab University New Campus, opposite the Jinnah Hospital. The project is estimated to cost Rs150 million. It was also decided to allocate 430-acre land in Kala Shah Kaku for the Government College University, Lahore.

Ongoing development projects at the PU, the GCU, the Lahore College for Women University and the Fatima Jinnah Women University were reviewed and priorities for development projects under block allocation also made during the meeting.

The governor approved new projects of Rs115 million for the FJWU which would spend Rs48 million on purchase of new equipment for its biotechnology, microbiology and chemistry laboratories, build a sports complex at a cost of Rs35 million and its sub-campus in Sialkot, requiring Rs30 million.

The sports complex will be built behind the science block of the university campus in Rawalpindi. It will have a sports hall for 150 students, gymnasium, volleyball, badminton and basketball courts.

The FJWU’s new campus is being developed out of the Rs35 million block allocation made by the provincial government. The university has acquired 286 acres at a village near Rawalpindi. The ancient Haveli Sojhan Singh in Raja Bazaar has also been handed over to it.

The governor said Haveli Sojhan Singh had been handed over to the FJWU for the establishment of an art and craft school on the pattern of the Naqsh School of Art, established by the National College of Arts at Shahalami.

The officials decided to establish a school of horticulture art at Haveli Sojhan Singh and establish Sialkot campus of the FJWU on 200 acres on Aimanabad Road. It was also decided to allocate 25-acre land in Kala Shah Kaku for the LCWU new campus and build its Jhang campus at a cost of Rs450 million.

The government had already provided 25 acres for the campus in Jhang while another 25 acres were under acquisition. The governor directed that BA (Honours) classes of the Lahore College for Women University should be started in a rented building in Jhang to save the girls from coming to Lahore or Faisalabad.

August 14th, 2007, 02:34 AM

LAHORE, Aug 13: The federal government will allocate some Rs25 billion for the faculty development and upgradation of 17 public sector universities under the Public Sector Development Programme.

Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool said this while speaking at meetings with deans and project directors during the visit of University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Punjab University (PU) and later at a meeting with officials of the University of Education at the Governor’s House here on Monday.

The governor said the Higher Education Commission (HEC) would issue grants to all public sector universities in phases for the completion of development projects as well as faculty development during the next five years.

At the PU, the governor held a meeting with its acting vicechancellor Prof Dr Arif Butt, registrar Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan, deans and senior faculty members.

Briefing the governor, the acting VC said the university’s statutory bodies had prepared development projects worth Rs5.58 billion for the upgradation of different departments.

The governor directed the PU administration to prepare a PC-I for the establishment of centre for corporate social responsibility, college of governance and management and international school of Islamic studies.

During a visit of the UET, the governor held a meeting with Vice-Chancellor Muhammad Akram and university faculties deans.

The VC informed the governor that the university had developed uplift projects worth Rs6 billion that included upgradation and expansion of the UET main campus in Lahore, Kala Shah Kaku and Faisalabad campuses.

He said the students enrolment would rise to 2,600 each at UET Kala Shah Kaku and Faisalabad campuses during the next five years.

Khanrak

August 14th, 2007, 05:11 AM

How does one reverse the brain drain?

High wages and Western standards of living must be available in Pakistan before people return. Those high living standards dont have to be the norm in Pakistan, but they should be available to people.

August 16th, 2007, 04:21 PM

ISLAMABAD, Aug 15: The government has given a further 70 per cent increase in the salaries of university teachers who have been hired under a new service structure mainly to lure back expatriate Pakistanis serving in foreign universities.

A full professor working under Tenure Track System (TTS), a performance driven service arrangement, was getting Rs175,000, which was successful in attracting quality teachers from abroad. However, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) still thought their salaries was not enough and persuaded the finance division to increase the salary of a professor to Rs312,000.

“The finance ministry has approved a summary to give a 70 per cent increase in salaries of university faculty working under Tenure Track System (TTS). As a result a professor’s monthly salary would increase to Rs312,000 or $5,000,” Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Attaur Rehman said.

He was chief guest at a reception organised by the European Commission (EC) in honour of Erasmus Mundus Scholarship awardees at Serena hotel.

According to this phenomenal increase in the salaries of university teachers, a teacher would be drawing five times more salary than a federal minister of the country, Dr Rehman said.

He claimed that due to the encouraging salary structure and working conditions, Pakistanis who were serving in foreign universities had started coming back to the local higher education institutions.

TTS is a performance-based service structure. Under the TTS, a faculty member would be on probation for a period of six years during the initial period of appointment and his/her services would be confirmed only after two thorough external reviews of his/her research and teaching achievements after the third and sixth year by a committee of eminent foreign experts.

In response to a question, he said going through a strong filter, at present over 200 teachers of various public sector universities have got the TTS which is open to everyone who has qualified for it.

When asked how did he justify huge chunks of money being driven to the HEC whereas reportedly lower level education was being neglected in the country, he said: “Last year Rs211 billion was spent on the entire education sector of the country, of which only Rs28 billion were given to HEC”.

According to international standards the ratio of expenditures between primary to higher education should be 2:1, whereas in Pakistan it is 7:1, Dr Rehman clarified, adding that it was just a misconception that the HEC was getting more money than the school level education.

At present less than three per cent of the country’s youth between 17 to 23 years is registered for the higher education compared to the 85 per cent of the same age group in South Korea. At present 54 per cent of the country’s population — 58 million — is below the age of 19 years which is a great opportunity for the country, he said.

It is the best time to invest in the education sector, otherwise, the country would be losing this once in a life time opportunity, the HEC chairman said.

However, unfortunately the government has not been able to increase the overall education budget in the country. This year it has only earmarked 2.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Dr Rehman said.

Speaking on the occasion, the European Commission (EC) ambassador to Pakistan said EM scholarship aimed at enhancing the quality of European higher education by fostering cooperation with third world countries. Its ambition is to improve development of human resources and promote dialogue and understanding between peoples and cultures.

This year the EC has selected 45 students from throughout the country who would be doing their masters in various European countries in different disciplines.

A student would be getting 42,000 Euros for a two-year master programme. He said so far the EC had sent 180 students from Pakistan on EM scholarship scheme. Those students who applied for this scholarship are grilled through a tough selection process.

Intoxication

August 16th, 2007, 10:11 PM

The thing is that only 3% of Pakistan's population has studied uptill university level compared to 30% of India's population. You guys can search for this figure on the net.

EDIT: My mistake I was wrong the figure for India is 4% compared to Pakistan's 3% (2.9%).

oogabooga

August 17th, 2007, 04:37 PM

^^ ofcourse, you are right. we could do a lot more with a better educated labor force in the IT industry. unfortunately, that takes time, but the govt. is making a lot of effort and foreign universities have been opened, existing universities have had their facilities upgraded, given more funding. it will take time for these things to have their effect. i mean if someone sstarts an undergraduate program today in IT at a uni that was newly opened. it will be atleast 4 years before they can go out and start makeing a contribution to the IT industry

just as an example. the higher education budget this year is Rs. 28 billion

if you go back to 2000, it was only Rs. 600 million!!! so thats a massive amount of money the govt. is spending on higher education

I was reading an article on a speech recently given by Chairman HEC (Higher Education Commission) Dr. Ata-ur-Rehman, in which he stated that the ratio of spending on primary education as compared to higher education is 2:1 around the world, but in Pakistan the ratio is 7:1. Out of Rs. 210 billion budget for education, only 28 Billion is set aside for the HEC, whichis testament to the above mentioned fact.

So the Government is definately doing its job by allocating more funds for Primary Education. The HEC definately should be given more funding. The federal allocation for education is only 2.4% of the GDP! When will our rulers understand that empowering the peole through education will bear more fruit then spending the national wealth on other less important things.

siamu maharaj

August 17th, 2007, 06:14 PM

From what I know, they give out a lot more scholarships and send pupils abroad for higher studies. You usually get to see their ads in the newspapers.

spyk

August 17th, 2007, 08:23 PM

its because primary education is a must. cuz everyone MUST get primary education. otherwise they can't even read, illiterates. and pakistan is a BIG country, 169 million. so the cost of educating all those kids is very high. and thats the first priority. and slowly but surely, the ratio will be improved as the govt. has increasingly more funds at its disposel

oogabooga

August 17th, 2007, 08:33 PM

August 17th, 2007, 08:58 PM

I was reading an article on a speech recently given by Chairman HEC (Higher Education Commission) Dr. Ata-ur-Rehman, in which he stated that the ratio of spending on primary education as compared to higher education is 2:1 around the world, but in Pakistan the ratio is 7:1. Out of Rs. 210 billion budget for education, only 28 Billion is set aside for the HEC, whichis testament to the above mentioned fact.

So the Government is definately doing its job by allocating more funds for Primary Education. The HEC definately should be given more funding. The federal allocation for education is only 2.4% of the GDP! When will our rulers understand that empowering the peole through education will bear more fruit then spending the national wealth on other less important things.

They are paying a fair amount of attention to education nowadays. Considering that just 7 years ago our Higher education budget was 600 million and now it is 28 billion. More can be and should be done, but this is one sector that is the progressing quite good.

Unfortunately, what is happening today should have happened decades ago. But there is no use crying over spilled milk. Actually, being very closely related to this sector, I am happy at the progress rate. Pump in too much money overnight, and you will have suboptimal utilization and corruption. You can't recover from past mistakes overnight..you just have to learn your lessons and work for the future.

I am quite sure we will reach the universal spending rate of 4% of GDP very soon but educating a nation and improving quality of education is a long term process- one that requires decades. I am sure the 8 new foreign collaborated universities would go a long way in improving our standards.

oogabooga

August 18th, 2007, 04:04 AM

They are paying a fair amount of attention to education nowadays. Considering that just 7 years ago our Higher education budget was 600 million and now it is 28 billion. More can be and should be done, but this is one sector that is the progressing quite good.

Unfortunately, what is happening today should have happened decades ago. But there is no use crying over spilled milk. Actually, being very closely related to this sector, I am happy at the progress rate. Pump in too much money overnight, and you will have suboptimal utilization and corruption. You can't recover from past mistakes overnight..you just have to learn your lessons and work for the future.

I am quite sure we will reach the universal spending rate of 4% of GDP very soon but educating a nation and improving quality of education is a long term process- one that requires decades. I am sure the 8 new foreign collaborated universities would go a long way in improving our standards.

Amen to that! :yes:

spyk

August 18th, 2007, 08:33 AM

i just read somewhere that that govt. hopes to raise literacy to 86% by 2015 :D

Intoxication

August 19th, 2007, 09:02 AM

^^ That is true! I think I even posted that in this thread.

Intoxication

August 19th, 2007, 10:00 AM

Grace Clark told the conference that only 2.9 percent of Pakistanis had access to higher education. No Pakistani university was included in the 500 top universities of the world. There was a notable shortage of PhDs at Pakistani universities. The libraries and laboratories were ill-equipped and it was her observation that Pakistani libraries kept their books locked up. Many of the departments at Pakistani universities were “basket cases.”

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_17-4-2005_pg7_37

Intoxication

August 19th, 2007, 10:06 AM

The same figure of 3% can also be found at the website of "Higher Education Commission, Pakistan"

At present only 2.9% of our students aged between 18 to 23 have access to higher education (as compared to 68% of the same age group in Korea). The present plan aims at doubling the enrolment over the five year period by increasing the capacity of existing higher education institutions and, where necessary, establishing new ones.

http://www.hec.gov.pk/new/main/msg_chairman.htm

singaporean

August 25th, 2007, 06:47 PM

ISLAMABAD, Aug.25 (Xinhua) -- A two-day international conference on education is scheduled to be held in southern Pakistan's Sindh province, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Saturday.

Under the theme "Role of Medium of Instruction and Examination Methods in Learning Process," the conference will open at a hotel in Hyderabad of Sindh province on Aug. 28, according to the report of APP.

The Faculty of Education University of Sindh Jamshoro will organize the conference which will be attended by a large number of scholars from universities, education boards, and colleges from Pakistan, the United States, Nigeria and other countries in the world.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-08/25/content_6603628.htm

zees

August 28th, 2007, 04:05 PM

For links: http://www.studygurus.com/pakistan.htm

* Agha Khan University
* Air University
* Al-Khair University
* Allama Iqbal Open University
* American University of Hawaii, Punjab Campus
* Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology Pakistan (APIIT PAK)
* Asian Management Institute
* Bahauddin Zakariya University
* Bahria University
* Balochistan University of Engineering & Technology, Khuzdar
* Balochistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences
* Baqai Medical University, Karachi
* CECOS University of IT & Emerging Sciences
* City University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar
* College of Business Management ( CBM )
* COMSATS Institute Of Information Technology
* COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore
* COSMIQ Institute of Technology
* Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi
* Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Karachi
* Foundation University Islamabad
* Gandhara Institute of Medical Sciences
* Gandhara University
* Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering and Technology
* Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan
* Government College University Lahore
* Greenwich University
* Griffith College Dublin Ireland, Karachi
* Hajvery University
* Hamdard University
* Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture, Karachi
* IndusTec Institute of Computer Science
* Institute of Business & Technology
* Institute of Business Administration (IBA)
* Institute of Business and Management Sciences & Computer Sciences
* Institute of Management and Technology, Lahore
* Institute of Management Sciences, Lahore
* International Islamic University
* Iqra University - Karachi Clifton Campus
* Iqra University - Karachi Main Campus
* Iqra University - Main Website
* Islamia University, Bahawalpur
* Isra University
* Jinnah University for Women
* Karachi Institute Of Economics And Technology
* Karachi Institute of Information Technology
* KASB Institute of Information Technology, Karachi
* Lahore College for Women University, Lahore
* Lahore School of Economics, Lahore
* Lahore University of Management Sciences
* Liaquat University Of Medical & Health Sciences Jamshoro
* Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro
* Mohi-ud-Din Islamic University, Azad Kashmir
* Muhammad Ali Jinnah University
* N.E.D. University of Engineering and Technology Karachi
* National College of Arts, Lahore
* National College of Business Administration and Economics, Lahore
* National Textile University, Faisalabad
* National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences
* National University of Modern Languages
* National University of Science and Technology
* Newports Institute of Communications and Economics, Karachi
* Northern University, Nowshera
* NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar
* NWFP University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar
* Pak-AIMS (American Institute of Management Sciences)
* Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences
* Pakistan Naval Academy, Karachi
* Pakistan Virtual University
* Planwel University
* Preston University, Pakistan Campus
* Punjab Institute of Computer Science
* Punjab University College of Information Tecnology
* Pyramid Education Center
* Qauid-e-Awam University of Engineering Sciences & Technology
* Quaid-i-Azam University
* Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology
* Riphah International University
* Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar
* Scholars Group of Colleges
* Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur
* Shaheed Zulifkar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology
* Sindh Agricultural University
* Sir Syed Institute Of Technology Islamabad
* Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology
* Textile Institute of Pakistan
* University of Agriculture Faisalabad
* University of Arid Agriculture
* University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir , Muzaffarabad
* University of Baluchistan
* University of Central Punjab, Lahore
* University of Engineering and Technology Lahore
* University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar
* University of Engineering and Technology Taxila
* University of Faisalabad
* University of Hazara, Dhodial, Mansehra
* University of Health Sciences, Lahore
* University of Karachi
* University of Lahore
* University of Northwest
* University of Peshawar
* University of Sindh
* University of the Punjab
* University of Veterinary & Animal Science
* Zia-ud-Din Medical University

zees

August 28th, 2007, 04:06 PM

http://www.studygurus.com/universities

thePakMan

August 28th, 2007, 04:57 PM

Thanks bro

Pakia

August 29th, 2007, 05:08 PM

Since so many local institutes claim to be accredited with foreign colleges, does someone knows or can list the names of universities or other educational institutions that are fully recognized by universities in Europe & north America.

zees

September 1st, 2007, 06:05 AM

zees

September 1st, 2007, 06:05 AM

* By 2004, AKU had produced 1,100 doctors, 900 of whom went to the US for further training

In Pakistan, students who are accepted into medical school are congratulated - only half-jokingly - on three counts: that they will become doctors, that they will become certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties, and that they will soon be living in the United States.

Pakistan has contributed approximately 10,000 international medical graduates (IMGs) to the United States, even though it faces a shortage of physicians. Take the case of Aga Khan University Medical College in Karachi. By 2004, it had produced 1,100 graduates, 900 of whom had gone on to graduate medical training in the United States - despite the fact that doing so costs up to $20,000 (a fortune for most Pakistanis) and means leaving the comforts of one’s home and culture.

The United States represents an overpowering lure: a rigorous system of graduate medical education, a merit-based structure of professional rewards, and a culture of academic nurturing. And, of course, material rewards. In Pakistan, an intern earns approximately $150 per month (the same salary as an unskilled, illiterate worker), whereas a US intern can afford to live independently - and expect a better quality of life after residency.

Information from Pakistani medical institutions indicates that only about 300 of the 10,000 US-trained Pakistani physicians have resettled back home. Why did this minority choose to return? Aga Khan’s experience is instructive: the majority of the medical school’s 40 or so alumni who have repatriated from the United States have joined its faculty.

Motives for returning include aging parents and family ties, a desire to raise children in a familiar culture, and an emotional need to be home. But for many Aga Khan returnees, the attributes of the university and its hospital were key: teaching, research, and clinical care are patterned after the US model, and salaries permit a comfortable lifestyle. Ultimately, attractive career prospects have to be the draw.

The challenge is local capacity to absorb highly trained physicians. US-trained physicians represent a small fraction of Pakistan’s 116,000 doctors, but they return with ambitions to set new standards for clinical practice, education, and research and to influence academic medicine, health policy, and public health. To do so, they must negotiate local circumstances for which they are unprepared: exhausting clinical demands, an impoverished population, an environment in which malnutrition is a significant cause of death, collapsed health care delivery systems, and patients who respond to an unjust society with mistrust. Inevitably, they also face questions from local professionals about the appropriateness of US training for practice in Pakistan.

Discussions with expatriate physicians indicate that many more wish to return but cannot find suitable jobs. Like many poor countries, Pakistan has both severe shortages of health care professionals and a high level of unemployment among physicians - a paradox caused by inadequate and inappropriate investment in local health care systems. Elite medical academies in developing countries are frequently derided as manufacturers of a product that, out of place in its environment, enters a workforce supply chain leading to the West. The answer, however, is not to lament the irrelevance of these institutions but to advocate for more - for they can attract back highly trained professionals who have the potential to assume leadership roles. Repatriated Aga Khan graduates have won grants from major international agencies, established nonprofit research organizations, joined hospitals serving refugee populations, and led disease-control programs. Such academic institutions can play pioneering roles if they reorient their priorities to match their countries’ needs - producing professionals with a strong public health ethic, establishing rigorous graduate programs in which trainees are paid good wages, and developing relationships with alumni that can help sustain rewarding careers in challenging environments.

Exhorting physicians to serve in environments to which their skills are ill-suited will not lure IMGs home. Barriers to immigration in individual countries are almost meaningless in a globalized world. For example, as immigration laws in Western countries are tightened, Pakistani physicians are seeking jobs in the Middle East. We believe that developed countries that import physicians to meet their own demands have a moral obligation to invest in improving health care systems in countries that train substantial segments of their workforce. Such investments provide employment opportunities for the diaspora of health care professionals, benefiting health in developing countries.

As a first step, the U.S. medical community can support IMGs who want to repatriate. U.S. academic medical centers could work with institutions in developing countries to develop training programs oriented toward global health, availing themselves of growing funding opportunities for such endeavors.

One approach is to offer motivated IMGs mentoring to equip them with skills needed in their home countries. The scheme could be formalized through international cross-appointments for mentor and mentee at each other’s institutions and a bilaterally recognized role for the mentor. Such initiatives are desperately needed; properly done, repatriation of IMGs can help diminish vast disparities in health care.

Saad Shafqat and Anita K.M. Zaidi in New England Journal of Medicine. 356(5):442-443, February 1, 2007.

Dr Shafqat is an associate professor of neurology, and Dr Zaidi an associate professor of pediatrics and microbiology, at Aga Khan University Medical College

moved_on

September 2nd, 2007, 03:50 AM

^^what's the point. These ppl bring foreign exchange to Pakistan, support them, since we cannot provide decent jobs to these remarkable doctors spread all over North America

Arsalan

September 3rd, 2007, 01:47 PM

The size of the following image is 277 KB. Please wait while it loads completely.

http://i16.tinypic.com/5zn9xcw.jpg

oogabooga

September 3rd, 2007, 02:00 PM

Arsalan

September 3rd, 2007, 02:17 PM

Hmmm... Somebody here once told us that the literacy rate in Wah Cantt. was the highest in Pakistan because the military ordnance factories and research facilities are based in Wah Cantt and it also has the highest number of scientists and engineers than in any other city of Pakistan?

I think it is true and Wah has 100% literacy rate. There are many other small towns/villages where literacy rate is above 95%. That list is district-wise and Wah is a in Rawalpindi district.

Arsalan

September 3rd, 2007, 02:22 PM

Literacy rate in Wah Cantt is 100%. It is the highest rate of literacy in any region of Asia. There are near about 115 educational institutes with near about 50000 students.

Source: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/pakistan/wah.htm

From Wikipedia:

This small city (having area not more than 35 km) has two chartered Universities, one Medical College, one Engineering College and lot of schools.

UnitedPakistan

September 3rd, 2007, 04:30 PM

Yes, that was me who was talking about Wah's literacy.

zees

September 3rd, 2007, 04:44 PM

siamu maharaj

September 3rd, 2007, 05:36 PM

Hmmm... Somebody here once told us that the literacy rate in Wah Cantt. was the highest in Pakistan because the military ordnance factories and research facilities are based in Wah Cantt and it also has the highest number of scientists and engineers than in any other city of Pakistan?
I told that. My mom's from there. Of the major cities (its population is 0.5 million), it's the most literate. It's for some odd reason a really unknown city. There're a lot of people who haven't even heard of it.

zees

September 3rd, 2007, 06:23 PM

Literacy rate of Hunza is also one of the highest at 90% to 99%

siamu maharaj

September 3rd, 2007, 07:21 PM

Yeah, I think those Aga Khanis. What's the population size?

UnitedPakistan

September 3rd, 2007, 07:26 PM

The entire Northern Areas are going to have higher literacy rates compared to the rest of Pakistan because of the Aga Khan foundation. I have never seen so many good schools and so many kids enrolled in any other area of Pakistan. I was so proud to see this and it just makes you feel like we might just have a bright future.

zees

September 5th, 2007, 03:45 PM

http://express.com.pk/images/NP_KHI/20070905/Sub_Images/1100256317-1.jpg

------------------------
www.digitallibrary.edu.pk
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www.hec.gov.pk
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moved_on

September 5th, 2007, 06:21 PM

^^It is really sad to see NWFP regions have one of the lowest rates, Peshawar seems very dismal compared to Quetta. It does not include AJK where the literacy rates are also higher. Some areas in Balochistan need immediate help.

Intoxication

September 5th, 2007, 06:53 PM

'Literacy Rate in Azad Kashmir nearly 62 pc'
Pakistan Times Kashmir Bureau Report

MUZAFFARABAD (Azad Kashmir): About 62 per cent people in the state of Azad Jammu Kashmir have entered into the category of literate class in the year 2004, says a report compiled by the AJK Planning and Development Department here on Sunday.

According to the report, this figure leaves behind the literacy rates of all the four province of Pakistan. The report says out of 62 per cent about 55.47 per cent are people at the age of 10 or little above of them, the report adds, 70.52 per cent are male and 40.46 per cent female lot.

The report further states that of the total strength of the educated, 32 per cent remain at the primary level, 25 per cent reach to middle classes, 14 per cent are those who do their matriculation. Similarly, 4 per cent receive education at the intermediate level and 2.2 per cent are graduates.

The people who hold master degrees make up 0.9 per cent of the total tally, while role of professional education such as Engineering, Medical and Information Technology is 0.09 per cent.

A source in the education department informed that in 1947, a total of 291 educational institutions were functional in the state of which 254 were primary schools, 30 middle and 6 high schools. The source told that at that time the state had only one college to provide education at the intermediate level.

http://pakistantimes.net/2004/09/27/kashmir5.htm

UnitedPakistan

September 5th, 2007, 07:59 PM

Good!

Now it is time to bring Balochistan to second on that list and work up the more developed provinces.

Abid Siddiqui

September 5th, 2007, 08:05 PM

Goood

Goood

Parha Likha Pakistan

siamu maharaj

September 5th, 2007, 08:18 PM

I'm not exactly sure if those 2000 BC tribes are interested in studies all that much.

Intoxication

September 5th, 2007, 08:21 PM

UnitedPakistan

September 5th, 2007, 08:44 PM

Kick the MMA and the Female education will get kicked up by itself.

zees

September 6th, 2007, 06:07 AM

Its easy to concentrate on Azad Kashmir as its a small area with a small population. Balochistan is going to be a hard task. NWFP does good in male literacy, which is on par with Sindh's and Punjab's male literacy, but its female literacy rate is appalling.

I dont think Balochistan is going to be a hard task because its entire population is equal to Karachi. and even in the list Quetta is at number 8 compared to Peshawer which is at number 28.

Kick the MMA and the Female education will get kicked up by itself.

Even in Karachi, the literacy rate of Pashtun females are very low. And 99% of males studying in Madrassas are Pashtuns.

moved_on

September 6th, 2007, 02:43 PM

Given Karachi's 17 million pop, Karachi's standing kicks ass.

Intoxication

September 7th, 2007, 03:01 AM

I dont think Balochistan is going to be a hard task because its entire population is equal to Karachi. and even in the list Quetta is at number 8 compared to Peshawer which is at number 28.

Balochistan's population might be equal to Karachi, but unlike Karachi, its scattered around the province. A province which easily takes up more than 40% of Pakistan's land area. Making it harder to reach everyone. On top of that Balochistan is easily the most inaccessible province of Pakistan. Its going to be hard to reach to all the communities scattered around Balochistan, with there being an inadequate road network, or in some places there being no roads at all.

Quetta might be doing well but look at all the other regions of Balochistan on the list. They seem to be way down the list, including Gwadar which has a meagre literacy rate of 22-25%.

UnitedPakistan

September 7th, 2007, 05:55 AM

A lot of the population of Balochistan is also nomadic...

zees

September 7th, 2007, 08:14 AM

Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Atta ur Rahman said on Thursday that the Federal Cabinet has approved the Tenure Track System (TTS) that will allow academics in universities to receive inflated salaries between Rs 80,000 to Rs 312,000, based on their performance.

He gave the details of the TTS in a press conference held at the HEJ Institute of Chemistry, at the University of Karachi (KU).

“This will be a six-year contract between the incumbent teachers and the universities that have opted for the system. The track record of the teacher will be checked and he/she will be offered the contract on the premise that the tenure will be for the stipulated period of time and will be monitored to see the performance of the teachers,” he said and added that the basic requirement for the contract will be PhD degree.

An assistant professor will be offered a salary ranging from Rs 80,000 to 162,000, an associate professor will receive Rs 120,000 to 225,000 and a full professor will get Rs 180,000 to 312,000. The Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, has maximum numbers of teachers who have been selected for TTS.

According to Dr Rahman, the HEC has put 40,000 books on line that can be downloaded free of cost by the students of the public sectors universities while the private universities will be charged nominal fee for the same. The books are on Science & Technology, Medicine, Social Sciences, Agriculture and other disciplines. The HEC has also initiated Rs 35 billion scholarships for 1000 meritorious students who will be sent to European countries that include France and Germany, China and South Korea but not the United Kingdom because of its expensive fee structure. “It has also managed US$ 150 million scholarships in collaboration with the Fulbright Scholarship,” he said. Students of Natural Sciences will get 70 per cent while students of Social Sciences will get 30 per cent of the scholarships.

Dr Rahman said that till now 1,350 students have been sent abroad and 35 of them have returned after completing their studies and added that they have been offered lucrative jobs and research opportunities on their return to minimise the chances of their staying in the host countries.

He reiterated the HEC’s instance of zero tolerance on plagiarism and said that hopefully the menace will be eradicated from Pakistani universities. The HEC will use the software protocol to check the possible plagiarism and stern action will be taken against the offenders. He refuted the news appearing in a section of Urdu press that HEC had made English compulsory for the students of Masters Classes. According to him the HEC was considering a compulsory proficiency in English for the MPhil and PhD students but no such step was even being considered for the students of Masters Classes.

September 13th, 2007, 06:55 AM

that wasnt really an education news,traPPed.

September 15th, 2007, 03:16 AM

http://epaper.dawn.com/Web/Article/2007/09/14/153/14_09_2007_153_003.jpg

September 16th, 2007, 04:47 PM

http://www.cda.gov.pk/cda-latest/documents/investment/54.jpg

Khanrak

September 21st, 2007, 12:56 PM

The thing is that only 3% of Pakistan's population has studied uptill university level compared to 30% of India's population. You guys can search for this figure on the net.

I know this is an old quote, but I found a figure in this article http://khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/business/2007/September/business_September468.xml&section=business&col= which says that India produces 2.5 million graduates per year. If 30% of Indias 1.1 billion people really are college graduates, then that makes ~330 million college educated Indians. But if they graduate only 2.5 million people per year, then it would take over 100 years to educate 330million people... and that assumes that India's population would remain the same over 100 years!

I think college graduates from the past 45 years are probably still alive, which means that a bit less than 10 million people per year must graduate per year from college in India for there to be about 330 million grads.

Intoxication

September 21st, 2007, 01:10 PM

^^ Thanks for correcting me! Suncity already corrected me by showing me that the figure for India is 4% compared to 2.9% for Pakistan.

Intoxication

September 21st, 2007, 05:49 PM

Success inspires Success: Girls' Stipend Program in Pakistan

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/PAKISTANEXTN/Images/293050-1178740548831/3765841-1178740612922/edu560x231.jpg

In Pakistan, it is estimated that only 57 percent of girls and women can read and write and in rural areas only 22 percent of girls have completed primary level schooling as compared to 47 percent of boys.

In 2003, the Punjab government with assistance from the World Bank implemented the “Girls' Stipend Program” which provided cash stipend of Rs. 200 to families to ensure their daughters attend school. As a result girls’ enrollment in secondary schools in the 15 poorest districts in Punjab increased by 60 percent from 175,000 to 280,000 since 2003. This project was extended to include high school girls as well.

“Girls are less able than boys to take public transportation or walk to school in Pakistan’s social context, and the cost of private transport – roughly equivalent to the 200 Rupees stipend - was the binding constraint for poor families” said Khalid Gillani, Secretary of Education in Punjab Province.

Another example is Pakistan’s national Bait –Ul-Mal program which was started after the 2005 earthquake. This program extended food support for poor households on the basis of conditional cash transfers. A pilot child support program is currently being developed aiming at increasing enrollment of these poor households at the primary level.

In Punjab province, the Bait-Ul-Mal along with the Punjab Government’s education program has shown impressive results. At a school in Kasur district, 90 9th graders are elbow to elbow on the floor in a roughly 20 by 15 foot classroom. As girls going to school increased significantly, the program is now facing new challenges in hiring more teachers, building new schools, and ensuring that the quality of service is maintained.

The Pakistan government is currently drafting, “National Strategy on Social Protection” which according to Zobaida Jalal, Federal Minister for Social Welfare and Special Education, “… is to direct support to the ten percent most vulnerable households through Girls Stipend programs for education, health and livelihoods.”

In order to sustain the success of this program, the Punjab government is undertaking reforms aimed at improving education quality through better governance and accountability.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/0,,contentMDK:21336444~pagePK:146736~piPK:146830~theSitePK:223547,00.html

transistorized

September 21st, 2007, 06:04 PM

I really like this stipend program, but another thing they should do is start offering both breakfast and lunch at school. If they are able to provide decent quality meals, that would not only be a huge weight off parents' shoulders, but it will also entice poor kids to attend school more regularly.

moved_on

September 21st, 2007, 06:10 PM

we have similar program in canada, called school breakfast program--it really helps the needy.

Intoxication

September 21st, 2007, 06:37 PM

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTSOUTHASIA/Images/SARliteracyrates.gif

transistorized

September 21st, 2007, 06:37 PM

we have similar program in canada, called school breakfast program--it really helps the needy.

They actually have similar programs throughout the developed world.

Of course, you can argue about the feasibility of such a program in a country where many schools don't even have a walled boundary, but then again its govt's responsibility to have that infrastructure in place. Once the infrastructure is there, it really shouldn't cost the govt a whole lot more to setup this program - they just need to hire a kitchen-lady and giving her money to buy food supplies. I doubt it would cost more than Rs5/kid/day.

Edit: i am talking about a very basic meal plan, perhaps a couple of dishes only.

Intoxication

September 21st, 2007, 06:39 PM

They actually have similar programs throughout the developed world.

Of course, you can argue about the feasibility of such a program in a country where many schools don't even have a walled boundary, but then again its govt's responsibility to have that infrastructure in place. Once the infrastructure is there, it really shouldn't cost the govt a whole lot more - they just need to hire a kitchen-lady and giving her money to buy food ingredients. I doubt the net expense would be more than Rs5/kid/day.

Edit: i am talking about a very basic meal plan, perhaps a couple of dishes only.

No Biryani?? :cry: :(

September 22nd, 2007, 01:01 PM

RAWALPINDI, Sept 21: The South Korean Research Foundation (KRF) has awarded a grant for the design and development of a wireless sensor network research testbed at the Institute of Information Technology (NIIT) of the National University of Science and Technology (Nust).

This is a collaborative research effort between NIIT, PakistanSeuol National University, KAIST and Ajou University, South Korea.

Prof Arshad Ali and Prof Kihyung Kim are the key contributors to this research project from NUST-NIIT, and Ajou, Korea respectively. Ajou University has been ranked overall among top 10 Korean universities, for the last five consecutive years.

The sensor network testbed to be established at NIIT will be part of the IPv6-based low-powered wireless personal area network (6LoWPAN) which is a futuristic ongoing research project at the Ajou University.

The test-bed will be a pervasive IPv-enabled network which will communicate seamlessly with other devices and hosts on the internet

September 28th, 2007, 11:51 PM

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Student Union, IIU Islamabad organized an Iftar dinner Thursday in IIU New Campus. The People's Republic Ambassador was the chief guest.

Chinese ambassador Luo Zhao Hui in Islamabad said the China has planned to establish engineering university in Islamabad. He further said Pak-China relation providing advantages to our Chinese students studying here.

The ambassador welcomes the Pakistani students to come in China for their studies. He further thanked the students and faculty members.

Earlier Dr Anwar Siddiqi said the IIU is now general university. He said we want to stream line the admission process of Chinese students. The IIU wants Chinese government should recommend their students to us. So that we can get more brilliant students who are really motive to get education from here.

He further said this is the propaganda about International Islamic University that here we are giving the training of Jahad. This university is open; anyone can come and see what we are teaching here. We will never encourage any type of militant activity in IIU. He told the IIU is hoping to establish department of Chinese language.

Dr Anwar welcomed the Chinese students and said the Chinese students have full support of the university.

Dr. Hussain during his address congratulated the Chinese students for the upcoming National day of China. He said the relation between Pakistan and china is from heart to heart and these relations are time tested.

At the end Dr. Anwar presented shields to the Chinese Ambassador. The Ambassador also presented shield to Dr. Anwar and other faculty members.

October 1st, 2007, 12:57 PM

TOBA TEK SINGH, Sept 30: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has approved establishment of Comsats University in Toba Tek Singh, a Pakistan Muslim League (PML) lawmaker told a ceremony here on Sunday.

Addressing people at the annual industrial exhibition of the Government Vocational Training Institute, National Assembly member Mian Farhan Latif said the university would be completed in five years with an estimated cost of Rs800 million. He said Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi had allocated 50acre land for the university near Chak 322-JB Shahzada on TobaGojra Road. He said the Punjab government had released Rs35 million for the establishment of a University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, campus on 66 acres near Chak 349-GB.

October 2nd, 2007, 12:58 AM

ISLAMABAD: The Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) and the University of Glasgow signed an agreement in September on an academic exchange between the two universities to develop various disciplines and equip their students with the latest information.

An official of the QAU said the agreement would be helpful in promoting education and academics through joint research. He said lectures and symposia would be another addition to providing opportunities to students and faculty members to enhance their knowledge though sharing their experiences. The official said the agreement would provide students and faculty members a platform to expose themselves to the latest development in various disciplines. staff

October 2nd, 2007, 01:22 AM

Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Education Science and Technology, which met at the Parliament House with Senator Razina Alam Khan in the chair, has observed that the revolutionary steps taken by the HEC were yielding excellent results and promoting quality research in different fields.

It stated that e-books programme launched in Pakistan had enabled the students and researchers to utilise the research material of other foreign universities and conduct quality research on different subjects.

The committee underlined the need for introducing the systems of video conferencing and e-books access to the universities in the far flung areas of the country with a view to bringing them in the mainstream of knowledge-sharing and research-oriented environment.

The committee expressed the hope that steps taken by the HEC for the promotion of higher education would prepare our generations to meet future challenges and also contribute towards socio-economic prosperity of the country.

Earlier, HEC Chairman Dr Attaur Rehman in his briefing stated that the steps like video conferencing and digital library had created more opportunities in various disciplines and had increased the accessibility of Pakistan students to world class universities.

Dr Sohail Naqvi, HEC executive director, informed the committee that Pakistan Education and Research Network (PERN) was a dedicated IT action plan of the government to interlink public and private sector universities of Pakistan for establishing integrated data banks, collaboration and development activities.

It was informed that the network was being upgraded and expansion made to meet the growing needs of academicians and researchers in the country. He said video-conferencing and digital library facilities would render better results in future as more than 40,000 international books and 23,000 journals were made available to the students and researchers under the e-books programme. The committee, however, urged the HEC top brass to impart training to the students and teachers to appropriately utilise such facilities to ensure provision of quality education and research at higher level.

The meeting was also attended by Senators Tahira Latif, Rehana Yahya Baloch, Maluvi Agha Muhammad, Sajid Mir and Prof Muhammad Ibrahim Khan. Senior officials of HEC were also present.

October 4th, 2007, 10:56 AM

LAHORE: The TUSDEC and Epsilon Engineering International, an internationally recognized institution, have agreed to form a joint forum to initiate dialogue on industry-university linkage for fast track technology upgrading in Pakistan.

The decision was taken in a meeting here on Wednesday. The participants were of the view that to initiate development of constructive Industry-University Linkages there is a dire need to dissolve the existing mistrust between the two bodies. It was added that even if universities provide the knowledge base for product development as desired by the industry, the latter lacks the automation for mass production of any newly designed products.

It was reviewed that countries, which demonstrate strong industry-university linkages, have confidence in their university research and development departments. They facilitate their researchers to work for them and extend funds directly compensating for the services the universities offer them.

In Pakistan, efforts have been made to recognize the value addition industry-university collaboration can endlessly offer. Some universities have been observed to take such initiatives. Yet, such attempts are marked by reluctance on part of both institutions. Universities feel that industries do not appreciate and utilize their product development and other research facilities.

On the other side, industries find it easier and less expensive to import desired products and product parts rather than invest time and energies in their design as well as face issues such as lack of automation for mass production of the new designed products.

The meeting analysed that the industry in Pakistan lacks the concept of establishing research and development units for product improvement. The industry should be guided to benefit from the expertise available at universities, which can productively contribute towards product development and so on.

October 5th, 2007, 01:37 AM

October 5th, 2007, 01:40 AM

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is committed to achieving Millennium Development Goals including elimination of disparity at all levels of education by the year 2015.

According to reports issued by ministry of education policy and planning wing, "Enormous investment is required in building schools for girls and providing qualified and trained staff for these institutions. Investment is also required in building infrastructure at existing schools and creating the requisite environment in which learning can take place.

"The cost of education has to be reduced to make it affordable to parents especially in rural areas. Incentives should be provided by the state so that parents are tempted to send their girls to school. Education must also be made relevant to meet current and emerging societal needs. Demand for education must be generated in the rural communities.

"The investment in girls secondary education stood at Rs 5347.987 million. Enrolment increased by 84,746. This increase in enrolment is encouraging especially where such increases have taken place in the more backward districts of the province.

"In the year 2005-06, the per capita cost of sending a girl through the secondary school declined marginally from Rs 3,698 to Rs 3,561. This decline may be due to a variety of reasons such as same strength of teaching staff and reduction in non-salary expenditure. Very little, if any, decline has come through improvements in the service delivery.

"In the year 2005-06, expenditure on girls higher secondary education stood at Rs 2602.384 million. This amount was used to finance the education of 189,456 girls. The per capita cost in the year 2005-06 for this level of education amounted to Rs 13,736. The increase in per capita cost is substantial as compared to 2004-05 especially when this increase in cost of education fails to demonstrate improvement in quality or service delivery.

"In the case of girls college education, the district government Khanewal did not furnish any data on the ground that the responsibility had been provincialised and the entire record together with staff had been transferred to the provincial authorities. Resultantly, the data refers to 35 district governments in the Punjab.

"In the year 2003-04 the district governments invested an amount of Rs 2642.659 million to finance the studies of 316,667 girl students at college level. The per capita cost at this level of education stands at Rs 8,345 which is lower than the per capita cost for higher secondary education in 2003-04. Due to insufficiency of data it is not possible to analyse the reasons for the lower cost. In the following year an amount of Rs 3057.784 million was invested to finance the studies of 329,983 girl students at a per capita cost of Rs 9,266.

"It would be interesting to compare this cost with the cost of male students at this level of education. It is highly likely that the cost in case of boy students would be lower because of the higher number of enrolment.

"In the year 2005-06, an amount of Rs 3999.598 million was invested to finance the education of 345,775 students at a per capita cost of Rs 11,555. "Irrespective of factors contributing to the rapid increase in per capita cost, this cost of education limits the ability of the district governments to open new institutions or to expand those colleges where teacher student ratios are high. The rising per capita cost did not contribute to improvement in the quality of education.

"This was a major factor that finally led to the decision to amend the Local Government Ordinance and provincialise the subject of college education. It would take the provincial government several years to repair the damage that has been inflicted on the system.

"Analysis of the financial data presents various difficulties due to non-uniform recording of expenditure. Out of the 35 district governments in Punjab, seven district governments do not maintain segregated expenditure data in respect of secondary and higher secondary education.

"This is the reported position during the three financial years under review. It is not known if the education managers in the case of these seven districts carry out any cost benefit analysis or work out the per capita cost of girls education at the secondary and higher secondary levels and compare it with similar cost incurred for boys education. It is safe to presume that no such exercise is undertaken as this would have necessitated the development of segregated expenditure figures for both secondary and higher secondary level of girls education.

Intoxication

October 5th, 2007, 02:18 AM

I follow the MDGs very closely, hope we achieve them or do well enough to get close to them.

siamu maharaj

October 5th, 2007, 08:14 AM

I just looked on Wikipedia for what MDG is. Seems like a huge task. Hope we get close to them, or ideally achieve them.

Intoxication

October 5th, 2007, 05:18 PM

^^ http://www.dfid.gov.uk/countries/asia/pakistan/mdgs.pdf

This link gives quite a clear view of how Pakistan is doing in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

October 5th, 2007, 05:45 PM

^^ nice find traPPed.

Damn..those 80's and 90's. They are the worst years in our history. Hopefully, they won't come again ever. Imagine our education and overall progress if those 2 decades had been like the 60's and even 70's.

October 6th, 2007, 12:57 AM

ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has planned to establish central research laboratories at the premier research universities across the country, an HEC official said Friday.

The official said the laboratories would be centralised and equipped with the required facilities. "Support to these laboratories will be provided by a dedicated staff of engineers, trained in the proper utilisation of the respective instruments," he added.

The official said the universities would submit mega projects keeping in view their research requirements that would be reviewed at the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council. He said the HEC was working with the planning division to ensure the fulfilment of development needs of various public sector universities in a befitting manner.

At present, the development expenditure of the universities is allocated on the basis of performance and need, where the need is defined both in terms of the particular requirements of that institution as well as the need for improvement in the higher education at a macro level.

The HEC is pursuing a university computerisation and networking programme to provide public sector universities with funds for the computerised infrastructure. With the installation of local and wide area networking system, the project is furnishing universities with modern communications systems, supporting local intranet and internet accessibility.

The official said the digital library programme would effectively help promote research activity besides empowering the universities with the requisite information technology resources. He said the increased research activity must be complemented by the provision of high quality services and infrastructure to revitalise universities into world-class seats of learning.

HEC to set up Islamia University sub-campus in Rahimyar Khan: The CDWP of the Planning Commission has approved a project, submitted by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), to establish sub-campus of the Islamia University Bahawalpur in Rahimyar Khan

The major objectives of the project include development of higher education facilities in the academic disciplines. Currently, five academic departments including management sciences, computer science, commerce, education and education training are being offered at the campus to provide higher education facility to 573 students. The other objectives include ensuring equal study opportunities for rural areas at a relatively cheaper cost.

A recent survey reveals that 11,947 students are studying at bachelor level in the degree colleges of District Rahimyar Khan. The opening of a sub-campus would facilitate the young graduates hailing from low income families.

About 30 per cent of the students, studying at the Islamic University of Bahawalpur, are the residents of Rahimyar Khan.

Some of the youth from low income groups have not access to higher education, because of poverty and higher inputs costs, despite the fact that some of them are intelligent and hard working.The establishment of a sub-campus will create adequate infrastructure to bring quantitative and qualitative improvement and increased access to higher education to this specific area for playing its positive role in socio-economics development of the country.

October 9th, 2007, 01:27 AM

ISLAMABAD: The federal education ministry has devised a strategy to introduce a common syllabus throughout the country and abolish what it referred to as the disparity of education. The same kind of syllabus will be studied in all educational institutes till 2008 while the O- and A-Level system will be eliminated in 2010.

According to well-placed sources, the syllabus for 27 subjects from class one to the intermediate level has been sent to all the provinces and will be effective from 2008. The education ministry has also decided to impose a common study system in the country by abolishing different types of education systems like the O- and A-Levels. The ministry authorities were of the opinion that the Cambridge system created inequity in the education system.

Federal Education Minister Javed Ashraf Qazi declared the new education system as one of the best curriculums in the world while education experts, students and teachers hope it will improve the education standards of the country.

siamu maharaj

October 9th, 2007, 08:06 AM

X-entric

October 11th, 2007, 12:17 PM

much needed step. Like they say, its never too late.

Intoxication

October 11th, 2007, 12:32 PM

I'm not too sure about this. What is the guarantee that the new education system would be any good? I don't buy the statement that it will be 'one of the best curriculums in the world'. O- and A-Levels should not be eliminated, they provide good quality education for those who can afford it. I don't want this move by the federal education ministry to result in "dumbing down" of our already appalling education system. Atleast let those who can afford O- and A- levels receive a good quality education!

October 11th, 2007, 07:28 PM

I'm not too sure about this. What is the guarantee that the new education system would be any good?
It could hardly be worse than the existing one.

I don't buy the statement that it will be 'one of the best curriculums in the world'. O- and A-Levels should not be eliminated, they provide good quality education for those who can afford it. I don't want this move by the federal education ministry to result in "dumbing down" of our already appalling education system. Atleast let those who can afford O- and A- levels receive a good quality education!

While I am not a fan of eliminating the O/A-Level system, but let look at it this way. A syllabus depends on how it is taught first, and then the contents. O/A-level schools in pakistan charge high fees and hence have better teachers too. Eliminating it might not really affect it as private schools would still charge more and have better teachers.

Now comes the question of syllabus...I dont really know what the new syllabus is but the main problem with the old one was that the books were not really thought-provoking.

All you needed to do was some 'ratta' and you were sure the questions would come from the excercises given in the books..to which there are solved solutions available. IF that could be eliminated, then the syllabus would be OK even though I would like some foreign authored books especially for the physics, chemistry and mathematics and I think the O-level ones are quite good.

First of all, there need to be various books for each subject not just one and secondly, questions should NEVER be from the books. Then teachers might also need some refresher courses and a summer-school type thing on how best to approach the book.

Lets see how it goes.

siamu maharaj

October 11th, 2007, 08:04 PM

Thing is that I'd NEVER trust a local education system. To many reasons to be listed here.

Intoxication

October 12th, 2007, 04:42 AM

It could hardly be worse than the existing one.

This is 'Pakistan' and 'Education' that we are talking about here, so its hard to be hopeful. Boy am I glad I left Pakistan before they managed to fuck up the already messed up education system.

October 17th, 2007, 03:41 PM

http://epaper.dawn.com/Web/Article/2007/10/17/004/17_10_2007_004_005.jpg

Another good move in the right direction. We would have new science and technology universities and with all the ongoing Foreign PhD programs, hopefully these new universities will have better staff too.
:banana:

Red aRRow

October 29th, 2007, 05:05 PM

http://epaper.dawn.com/Web/Article/2007/10/29/011/29_10_2007_011_006.jpg

siamu maharaj

October 29th, 2007, 11:41 PM

http://epaper.dawn.com/Web/Article/2007/10/29/011/29_10_2007_011_006.jpg
That's good news for those who have to refer to a lot of books.

globetrek

October 30th, 2007, 08:26 AM

That's good news for those who have to refer to a lot of books.

How about peer-reviewed journals... do students have access to comparable sites such as PUBMED?

singaporean

October 30th, 2007, 11:59 AM

ISLAMABAD, Oct 29: The National Law University (NLU), established by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), will start classes for the first batch in March next year.

The NLU, a federal university with campuses in all the four provinces, is offering a five-year LLB degree programme for the students.

According to a press release issued here on Monday, the land for the proposed NLU and its permanent campuses has already been acquired in the federal capital and all the four provincial capitals. The university will have linkages with other international institutions imparting law education and carrying out research. The university will work to enhance the quality of legal profession, the bar and the bench.

The faculty will be hired on Tenure Track System with attractive salary packages approved by the Ministry of Finance recently. It may be added that last year, the HEC had sent 25 law graduates to the top universities of the world for higher studies in LLM and PhD. These young professional on return will be offered jobs in the NLU.

The NLU will select the first batch of students from all over the country in February/March next year. The students will be admitted after a rigorous test process.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/10/30/nat18.htm

singaporean

October 30th, 2007, 12:01 PM

KARACHI: The city by the sea has beaten the rest of the country for the top slot on the literacy rate ladder, according to statistics mentioned by the Pakistan Millennium Development Report of 2006. In 1998, Rawalpindi was at the top slot, followed by Karachi, Lahore, Jehlum, Gujrat, Sialkot, Quetta, Chakwal, Abbottabad, and finally Gujranwala, rounding off the top 10 most educated districts in Pakistan. Seven years later, however, the positions have changed slightly. Karachi now holds the top slot, followed by Rawalpindi. Lahore has maintained its position at number 3, while Chakwal has moved up four places (from number 8 to number 4). Gujranwala is up five places (from number 10 to number 5), Jehlum and Gujrat have dropped two places to numbers 6 and 7 respectively, Quetta has dropped one place to number 9, and Sialkot has dropped a whopping four notches to number 10 (from number 6 in 1998). urooj zia

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\10\30\story_30-10-2007_pg12_2

singaporean

October 30th, 2007, 12:32 PM

* Pakistan has highest infant mortality rate in subcontinent
* Report says govt spending more on development

Staff Report

KARACHI: Sindh and Punjab have, among the four provinces, shown the highest increase in literacy rates between the fiscal years 2001-02 and 2005-06, according to a report released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

Punjab currently has the highest literacy rate, 56 percent (47 percent in 2002), followed by Sindh at 55 percent (46 percent in 2002). NWFP follows with a literacy rate of 46 percent (38 percent in 2002). A growth rate of two percent was recorded in Balochistan, which showed a literacy rate of 38 percent at the end of the 2005-06 fiscal year.

Overall, however, according to the report, indicators for the education sector in Pakistan “do not reflect an encouraging situation, even among the South Asian group.

“While developed countries enjoy higher literacy rates, underdeveloped nations struggle with the issue of low literacy rates. In the league of developing nations, however, some have been able to drastically improve their literacy level while some still lag behind. The latter category also includes Pakistan,” the report reads.

These statistics [from the education sector] also have repercussions on national productivity levels. Another portion of the report speaks about how a shortage of skilled and trainable labour in Pakistan is a key bottleneck for productivity growth. “It is therefore important that Pakistan’s ample human resources be productively harnessed by improving access to primary level education, policies to reduce the dropout ratio at the secondary level, and increased opportunities for vocational training,” the report read.

Highest infant mortality rate: Pakistan has the highest mortality rate for infants (70 per 1,000) and children under the age of five (101 per 1,000) in the subcontinent, according to another report by the SBP.

The report maintains, though, that a comparative analysis of basic health indicators of Pakistan reflects that the country has shown significant improvement in terms of per capita health spending, life expectancy, infant and maternal mortality rates, immunisation of children, and human and physical health infrastructure. The situation, however, is not satisfactory when compared to countries in South Asia and East Asia.

“Life expectancy in the country is relatively low as compared to most countries [in South and East Asia] while mortality rates indicate more dismal conditions — Pakistan has the highest rate in the mentioned group,” the report says. This can mainly be attributed to factors such as poverty, low health spending, lack of infrastructure and lack of awareness..

Total developmental spending on health as a percentage of GDP has witnessed a static trend compared to the year 2000 and a declining trend compared to the year 1990.

Total per capita spending on health, however, stands at $18, which is substantially less than the WHO-recommended figure of $34 for Pakistan.

Moreover, only $5.31 per capita out of $18 is contributed by the government, “which does not seem sufficient for the provision of better health facilities”.

Also, a lack of resources has “restricted the mobility and outreach of the staff by hampering their activities,” while a shortage of qualified staff, appropriate equipment and medicines in Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Units (RHCs) have also adversely affected the needs of the growing local population. Moreover, the report says, the government’s effort to increase the number of women health workers has been unsuccessful in meeting the target.

In addition to this, the inability to reduce high maternal mortality rates is impacted by factors such as lack of trained staff, and medical problems such as haemorrhage, infection, and obstructed labour.

“In this regard, there is a need to increase investment in public health facilities and programme to prevent maternal deaths,” the report says.

Awareness-raising programmes about family planning, on the other hand, appear successful as family planning techniques are gaining more acceptance in the general public and fertility rates are declining.

Good news: There is good news over the horizon, however, because “in order to overcome the challenges faced by the health sector, the government has started allocating more funds in terms of development and non-development per capita spending”, the report said.

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\10\30\story_30-10-2007_pg7_25

siamu maharaj

October 30th, 2007, 12:38 PM

UnitedPakistan

October 31st, 2007, 01:46 AM

I don't why some of us are so afraid of them drafting a new education system?

If Atta-ur-Rehman is working on it then it will be a good job!

Intoxication

October 31st, 2007, 02:34 AM

Where are Islamabad and Wah?! Wah = most literate city by a mile, no other city in Pakistan comes close.

I've noticed that Islamabad isn't included most of the times. I'm guessing its because its NOT part of any province. Its in federal territory so maybe they treat it differently.

UnitedPakistan

October 31st, 2007, 03:03 AM

Yes, I think they don't rate the Territories otherwise Northern Area's would have some towns on that list thanks to the AGDN.

siamu maharaj

October 31st, 2007, 06:54 AM

I've noticed that Islamabad isn't included most of the times. I'm guessing its because its NOT part of any province. Its in federal territory so maybe they treat it differently.
Makes sense. But they should still have Wah. I don't like how it's always shafted.

November 3rd, 2007, 02:27 AM

KARACHI: A six-member team of French experts from the French Society for Export of Educational Resources (SFERE) is interviewing over 500 PhD candidates for 247 Higher Education Commission (HEC) scholarships for doctoral studies in France.

The French team is headed by George Pierron Director (SFERE), Marc Griette, (Universite LYON), Mark Chippaus, (Universite Marseille), Jean Francoise Grongnet (Agrocampus Rennes), Joel Soumagne (former Professor SUPELEC) and Anne Marie Jolly (Ensait Roubaix).

Interviews are being conducted for MS/MPhil leading to PhD in selected fields of basic and applied sciences, economics, finance and social sciences. Over 400 HEC scholars are currently studying in France.

The HEC-SFERE Programme initially sent selected scholars every year but the number has dramatically risen to 200.

Candidates who are selected are required to undertake a five-month language programme at Alliance Francaise institutes in Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Faisalabad. They will also have to take an advanced French Language course before joining university. Interviews are being conducted in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

Intoxication

November 4th, 2007, 01:44 AM

In Pakistan, the central organization of the Wakhi is the Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association Pakistan (WTCA), an organization that is registered with the Government of Pakistan and which works with the collaboration of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Lok Virsa Pakistan. The Association is working for the preservation of the Wakhi Tajiki language and culture, as well as documenting their poetry and music. The literacy rate among Wakhi Tajiks in the northern areas of Pakistan is about 60%.

Radio Pakistan Gilgit relays the Wakhi radio programme "Sadaye Baamy Dunya", the voice of the roof of the world. The Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association has arranged more than twenty programmes since 1984, which includes cultural shows, musical nights, and large-scale musical festivals with the collaboration of Lok Virsa Pakistan, the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCSP), and Pakistan television. In 2000, the WTCA won a "Best Programme" organizer award in the Silk Road Festival from the President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf. A computerized codification of the Wakhi script has been released, which will help to promote the language development programme and documentation of Wakhi poetry, literature, and history.

http://www.answers.com/topic/wakhi-language

Intoxication

November 4th, 2007, 01:52 AM

Dera Ghazi Khan

Educational Institutes/Facilities

Dera Ghazi has a literacy rate of 95 percent. It also has three government-run colleges; one for boys, and two for women. Government college has been established as a university. Other campuses include Multan sub-campus, Education University, and the Agricultural University under construction. Finally, there are the Campuses of Alama Iqbal Open University, Virtual University, Commerce College, Technology College,the Institute for Special Children, an Inter-College, and many governmental and private institutes which educate the people of Dera Ghazi Khan.

http://www.answers.com/topic/dera-ghazi-khan

Intoxication

November 4th, 2007, 01:03 AM

Notable tribes of Islamabad:

Dhanyal is one of the largest tribe living in Potohar plateau and Lower Himalayas. This tribe traces their lineage to Ali ibn Abi-Talib. Most of the Dhanyals are setteled in the cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabadand in Murree Hills. Other branches of the tribe live in Kashmir, Abbotabad, Sialkot and Hazara.

Dhanyals are famous for their bravery. Members of this tribe were recruited into the armies of the Mughal Empire, British Empire and after Independence, into the Pakistan Army.

After independence however the Dhanyals in urban areas have turned to other fields such as education, medicine, engineering and business and social sciences. The literacy rate of this tribe is 100%.

http://www.answers.com/topic/islamabad-capital-territory?cat=technology

Intoxication

November 4th, 2007, 01:12 AM

People of Hunza

As much as the valley is famous for its beauty, the people of Hunza are noted for their friendliness and hospitality. The local language is Brushuski but most people understand Urdu and English. The literacy rate of the Hunza valley is believed to be above 90%, virtually every child of the new generation studies up to at least high school. Many pursue higher studies from prestigious colleges and Universities of Pakistan and abroad.

http://www.answers.com/topic/hunza-valley

Pakia

November 9th, 2007, 12:28 AM

November 04, 2007
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/education/images/edu3.jpg

Learning from the Indonesians

By Sana Rizwan Farid

THE Lal Masjid debacle once again brought to the limelight the issue of madrasa reforms. There seems to be a general belief amongst the western population and media that madrasas’ help promote intolerance and extremism and are the recruiting grounds for terrorists. In fact the 9/11 commission report issued in the US seemed to consider madrasa education, especially in Pakistan, as a root source of problems. Although acknowledging that it is only a small minority of madrasas that encourage extremism and radicalism, the question still remains how can the Pakistani government help change the system while still maintaining the benefits of the madrasas’?

Under the current system madrasas provide an education heavily focused on religion. Many poor families, especially those coming from rural areas, send their kids to madrasas where they are provided with free board, education (albeit only religious) and two square meals a day. In addition, many families strongly believe that children need religious education along with secular education. Hence families at times transfer children from secular schools to religious schools for a short period of time to obtain religious education before once again resuming their mainstream education.

I think in order to overcome the drawbacks of the madrasa education (intolerance and a very narrow view of religion) while still maintaining their social welfare system, Pakistani policy makers will do well to observe the Indonesian religious schools also known as Pesantrans. These pesantrans are noted for teaching a moderate form of Islam.

The pesantran that I had visited was located in Bogor Indonesia, located close to the Indonesian capital Jakarta. It was a Muslim religious high school run by the department of education and the department of religion. I visited the school and wished all religious schools could be similar.

The school was coed, and provided both secular and religious education to boys in girls in a mixed class room setting. There was free interaction between the two sexes. The female students and teachers wore the hijab but this in no way restricted their freedom of interaction. The students prayed together, but during breaks took out a guitar and joined in singing the latest local pop songs as well. The school had very consciously mixed religious education while also maintained elements of the Indonesian culture. The students were also members of girls and boys scouts groups where they were taught to be self sufficient. The school catered to both the day students as well as boarders.

I spent six months in Jakarta and I realised that this school was not a one of its type but that this was the system of religious education in Indonesia. It was easy to recognise these students all over Jakarta as well as in many parts of rural Indonesia with their long white skirts for girls and white uniform for boys. There are more than 14,000 Pesantrans in Indonesia and they provide the same benefits as do the madrasas in Pakistan. They provide room and board and education in areas where even the government has not been able to create schools.

I feel the religious and secular mix that they have in Indonesia will allow the youth to be more tolerant not only of other religions but also of those who tend to be different within our own religion. In addition the mixed classes and interaction allow a certain level of respect and tolerance between the genders and I strongly believe that Pakistan will gain much to learn from them.

The government of Pakistan would do well to invest some resources in figuring out what it is that makes these pesantrans work so well in Indonesia and what is the reason that almost 20% of the student population in Indonesia obtains their education from these schools and high schools and why is it that Indonesia is still able to maintain its reputation as a moderate Muslim country even with such a widespread madrasa system?

The writer is an analyst for Georgetown University in Washington DC.
Sanafarid@gmail.com
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/education/education4.htm

November 11th, 2007, 01:43 AM

ATTOCK: Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi will announce a grant of Rs 1.2 billion for the construction of Engineering Institute at PAC Kamra during his visit to tehsil Fatehjang, District Attock on Sunday, November 11.

District Nazim Attock Maj (r) Tahir Sadiq said this while addressing a reception arranged in his honour at the residence of Syed Raza Haider Naqvi at People's Colony here Saturday.

On the occasion, Senator Sardar Mehmood Khan, Tehsil Nazim Qazi Khalid Mehmood, PML-Q Distt President Sardar Mumtaz Khan,

Distt President Ladies Wing Jaffery, Media Advisor Distt Nazim Tanzeem Iqbal Pashi and other notables of UC-I were also present. Attock Nazim said in this context a MoU would be signed by the authorities of the government of Punjab and PAC Kamran tomorrow.

Tahir Sadiq said in the Engineering Institute 50 per cent seats would be reserved for the students of Attock and courses constituted in this institute would be of job-oriented. He said that work on the new building of COMSATS Institute of Information Technology would start soon which was Rs 3 billion project.

He said so far 875 students had graduated from this institute adding that a cricket stadium was being constructed for which the Cricket Board would provide an additional grant of Rs. 47.5 million. Tahir Sadiq said about 13,000 people had been provided job opportunities while 2300 constables were being inducted in the Police Department.

November 17th, 2007, 01:50 PM

Higher Education Commission (HEC) has launched a pilot project for the implementation of Oracle’s People Soft Campus Management Solution in 6 public sector universities of Pakistan.

The launching ceremony of this pilot project was held here Friday at a local hotel. Chairman HEC, Dr Ata ur Rehman was the chief guest.

Ms.Samina Rizwan, Regional Director SAGE West, Oracle Corporation, Aamir Gilani, Regional Manager, SAGE West, Oracle Corporation, also attended the ceremony.

The launching ceremony was organised by Oracle, which has been operating in Pakistan since 1997. It helps Pakistani businesses, government departments, non-government organisations and education institutions through its 74 certified partners, to adopt integrated information technology infrastructures to achieve higher work efficiencies. Oracle has more than 1100 customers in Pakistan, spanning top organisations in the public and private sector. Some of Pakistan’s best organisations run their business on Oracle based solutions.

According to Dr. Sohail Naqvi, executive director HEC, the Commission recently signed an agreement with Oracle partner, Techlogix, to implement Oracle’s People Soft Campus Solutions at its affiliated universities. Initially, six out of the 74 public sector universities funded by HEC will implement People Soft Campus Solutions.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr.Ata ur Rahman informed that an amount of Rs35 billion have been approved for the manpower and another Rs25 billion are in pipeline for Human Resource Development.

He informed that Pakistan is the first country in the world, which has the access of 42 text books in information technology and 23,000 general books. Besides this video lectures and special programmes are arranged on IT. At present IT is operational in two universities and over the next three years all universities would have admission system. If IT is used effectively, it would flourish in the next 25 years all over the country, he added.

Earlier, addressing the participants Dr. Sohail Naqvi stated that pilot project is a new and challenging era for the education sector. Higher Education institutions face increased global competition to attract and retain students.

Today, they expect easier, more convenient, personalised access to information and self-service transactions with their chosen education institution. Oracle’s Peoples Soft Campus Solution, which is used by over 700 education and research institutions around the world, offers HEC with one of the most advanced student information systems available globally-providing a complete solution for managing all aspects of a student’s life at the university.

Red aRRow

December 6th, 2007, 12:12 PM

http://epaper.dawn.com/Web/Article/2007/12/06/002/06_12_2007_002_002.jpg

Intoxication

December 6th, 2007, 03:44 PM

^^ COOL! More cities with more teachers. Wonder if the teacher per pupils ratio has gone down or not. Seems as if Lahore has the most amount of teachers.

spyk

December 6th, 2007, 08:19 PM

it shows no. of teachers in universities in the whole of pakistan?

Intoxication

December 7th, 2007, 11:16 AM

Looks like it. Though our population has also increased since 2000 and 1993.

Plasma.

December 7th, 2007, 05:43 PM

Very good sign guys, thanks for the info.

spyk

December 7th, 2007, 10:46 PM

^^ wow. there was almost no progress from 1993 to 2000!!!

Plasma.

December 8th, 2007, 04:28 AM

^^ wow. there was almost no progress from 1993 to 2000!!!

cough*bibi *cough cough* Nawaz*cough :ohno::bash:

thePakMan

December 9th, 2007, 04:45 AM

Rs 67 million being spent on three projects at Sindh University
Saturday, 22 September 2007
HYDERABAD An amount of Rs 67 million is being spent for completion of three new development projects at Allama I. I. Kazi Campus University of Sindh Jamshoro. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has allocated funds for completion of these projects.
Which included 80-bedded double story building for boys Hostel, new building of the Institute of Art and Design and extension building of the Institute of Commerce. The university spokesman informed that double-story building of boys hostel was being established at an area of 46,000 sq-ft with the cost of Rs 33.875 million and at present the project was on finishing stage.

The hostel would cater the need of 240 students, the spokesman said and added that accommodation would be provided to the students enrolled for new sessions. The new hostel would have the facilities of Mess, Library, Internet and Mosque.

The construction project of the building of the Institute of Art and Design is also being carried out with an amount of Rs 23.5 million. After completion, it would be one of the beautiful buildings of the Campus, the spokesman informed.

The building of the Art and Design is being constructed at an area of 34,000 sq ft comprising six studios, computer laboratory, exhibition hall, library as well as offices of the faculty members.

thePakMan

December 9th, 2007, 04:48 AM

^^ wow. there was almost no progress from 1993 to 2000!!!

Dude its advertisment. In Nawaz and BB era they also made such claims. Its hard to trust all the new advertisements. I wonder if this is an election compaign or what? :lol:

I am not saying there was no improvement in education sector but the numbers just doesn't make sense.

I just hope it is true.

oogabooga

December 9th, 2007, 06:07 PM

Dude its advertisment. In Nawaz and BB era they also made such claims. Its hard to trust all the new advertisements. I wonder if this is an election compaign or what? :lol:

I am not saying there was no improvement in education sector but the numbers just doesn't make sense.

I just hope it is true.

That Ad was published by an NGO not the Government. Let me also add that one would have to be biased and dillusional to a grave extent to dismiss the efforts the work Dr. Ata-ur-Rehman did for our educational institutions in the Musharraf era!

Once again we find thePakMan dismissing all the ground realities to further his petty partisan agenda. :no:

spyk

December 9th, 2007, 06:08 PM

^^ this is prob. an NGO. not a govt. of pakistan ad.

secondly, you can look at the budgets and tell that it's most likely true.

the higher education budget has increased by about 45 times since 1999, so it probably is true. you can see the budget remained stagnant through the 90s.

this is prob. true

thePakMan

December 9th, 2007, 06:33 PM

I don't know how much money was allocated for the budget. Yes with the increase of budjet its possible however i was only concerned about the source.

The focus should be now on both quality and quantity of education. Lets just hope it continues like that.

:cheers:

siamu maharaj

December 9th, 2007, 08:01 PM

I don't know about schools and stuff, but a lot of money has gone into higher education.

pakboy

December 10th, 2007, 07:56 AM

PAUT campus being set up in DHA, says Maqbool

Staff Report

LAHORE: A campus of Pakistan-Austrian University of Technology (PAUT) is being established on 130 acres in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) under the Universities of Engineering Science and Technology of Pakistan (UESTP) project.

According to a statement, Governor Lt Gen (r) Khalid Maqbool said this while talking to a six-member delegation of educational experts from Austria, led by Federal Science and Research minister Dr Johannos Hahn, at the Governor’s House on Sunday.

Honorary Consul of Austria in Pakistan Sarmad Amin, Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman Dr Ataur Rehman, HEC advisor Dr Haroon Ahmad, executive director Dr Sohail Hussain Naqvi, Federal Commission coordinator Javed Masood and Dr Khalid Mehmood, the project director of UESTP – being set up with the collaboration of international reputed universities of Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Sweden and China – were also present on this occasion.

Welcoming the Austrian delegation, Maqbool said Lahore was an important cultural and educational centre of the country and was also known as the centre of engineering economy.

He said campuses of Pakistan Germany University of Technology on 480 acres and Pakistan China University of Technology on 320 acres would also be established in Muridke, near Lahore, on under-construction expressway between Lahore and Sialkot. He said the three universities would have their own technology parks.

The governor said due to establishment of the technical universities, various industries would be benefited from the expertise of international-level technical experts. “Pakistani industrialists will be able to introduce their new products through these technology parks,” he said.

Maqbool said the talented Pakistani youth would graduate from those reputed universities in Pakistan. “The entrepreneurship culture will also be promoted in the country,” he said.

Home | National

Arsalan

December 13th, 2007, 07:42 AM

ISLAMABAD: The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) has transferred 13.707 million pages to 13,556 researchers and scientists under its Literature Search Service (LSS) during this year.

The service has been designed for active researchers of the OIC region who frequently require abstracts of current research in fields similar to their own research work, a senior COMSTECH official said.

‘A major challenge before COMSTECH today is to promote scientific research, so that it takes roots in the OIC region,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

The official said information was the key to the growth of knowledge and dissemination of information was crucial for the scientific enterprise. “In today’s world, there is a tremendous proliferation of journals and many of them, especially those published by commercial firms, are expensive and out of reach for most of the OIC universities and research institutes,” he added.

“The increase in subscription prices of journals and databases have further jeopardised the ability of OIC libraries to procure journals for their scientists,” he said.

Keeping in view the problems of the OIC researchers, the official said, COMSTECH had decided to address the problem by initiating a free scientific literature search service with an electronic database, covering a large number of journals.

“Now it covers agricultural sciences, biology, environmental sciences, and life sciences, physical, chemical, earth sciences, engineering and computing technology,” he added.

The official said the LSS was the most popular service in the OIC member states including Pakistan, and since its start the service had continued to improve, both in its quality and content while procedure has also been constantly refined.

Talking about COMSTECH’s Travel Grants Programme, the official said financial assistance was provided to scientists who had been invited to present papers at international conferences and seminars in 2007. “Special consideration is given to those who have been invited as keynote speakers and have an offer of partial support by the host institute,” he said. COMSTECH has awarded three travel grants to scientists of three OIC member states including Iran, Turkey and Pakistan, he added.

singaporean

December 19th, 2007, 12:01 PM

ISLAMABAD: Higher Education Commission will appreciate and welcome a linkage programme with Technical University of Liberec of Czech Republic and close cooperation in the Textile Engineering sector, Dr. Sohail H. Naqvi, Executive Director HEC said while talking to three member Czech Republic delegation here Tuesday. The Czech Republic delegation led by Dr. Militky, Technical University of Czech Republic visited HEC to explore the possibilities to enhance bilateral cooperation between Czech Republic and Pakistan in the sector of higher education in different disciplines particularly in textile. Dr. Riaz-ul Tariq, Member Academics while giving presentation on HEC programmes and future strategies in higher education sector, informed the delegation that Germany, France, China, Austria and Italy under linkage programme are establishing their campus in major cities of Pakistan. Any positive proposal coming from the universities of Czech Republic in Textile Engineering will be appreciated as Pakistan is weak in this sector. In order to bring constructive change in higher education institutions HEC is stressing on human resource development and training of faculty, he said. Dr. Militky informed that Czech Republic University of Textile Engineering is imparting education in all disciplines and its Textile department can help Pakistan in the latest research made in Textile Chemistry, Textile Material Engineering Technology, Yarn structure and design nonwovens, NonFiber. He said Czech Republic is on the European Textile group which has been found by European Union. Dr. Riaz-ul-Haq Tariq, Member Academic HEC said that National University of Textile, Faisalabad and Technical University of Liberec can formulate a joint venture which HEC will support. He was of the opinion that garment Industry can also get help from the technical advancements made in the textile engineering and clothing engineering.

http://www.regionaltimes.com/19dec2007/national/university.php

sourierservice

December 20th, 2007, 07:18 AM

City Nazim inaugurates educational projects
Thursday, December 20, 2007
By our correspondent

Karachi

The City District Government, Karachi, is working on a project to improve educational institutions in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town at a cost of Rs1 billion. In the first phase establishment and improvement of six different institutes costing Rs.310 million has entered the final stages.

Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of these projects on Wednesday. Town Nazim Wasey Jalil, the EDO, W&S, Nisar Sario, other officers of the city government and elected representatives were also present on this occasion.

The projects include construction of a Girls Degree College in Gulistan-e-Jauhar at a cost of Rs71.619 million, establishment of a polytechnic institute in Sachal Goth at a cost of Rs.91.280 million, conversion of GGSS university campus into model school at a cost of Rs.30.594 million, introduction of post-graduate courses in the Degree College, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, costing Rs.87.062 million, conversion of KDA Primary School, COD Hills into model school with a cost of Rs.20.756 million and construction of additional facilities in Khatoon-e-Pakistan Government Girls College, Stadium Road costing Rs.17.972 million.

Nazim Karachi on this occasion while talking to representatives of media said that provision of quality education to students had been included in the priorities of the Haq Parast leadership.

He said that the standard of these government schools will not be below that of any Grammar School in the city. Training of teachers has been arranged to get this objective and already over 700 teachers have been trained in the latest technology.

Intoxication

December 21st, 2007, 08:44 PM

Adult Literacy Rate (% ages 15 and older) (2004) 49.9

Female Adult Literacy Rate ( % ages 15 and older) 36
Female Adult Literacy Rate (as % of Male Rate) 57

Female Youth Literacy Rate (% ages 15-24) 54.7
Female Youth Literacy Rate (as % of Male Rate) 72

http://www.genderandtrade.org/gtinformation/164162/164412/164900/pakistan/#economic

I found this ^^

Intoxication

December 21st, 2007, 09:15 PM

Makes sense. But they should still have Wah. I don't like how it's always shafted.

There's your answer Umais:

I think it is true and Wah has 100% literacy rate. There are many other small towns/villages where literacy rate is above 95%. That list is district-wise and Wah is a in Rawalpindi district.

Intoxication

December 21st, 2007, 09:22 PM

Adult Literacy (% 15+)

1950: 18.9
1960: 16.3
1970: 21.7
1980: 26.2
1990: 32.8
2000: 47

Mean Years of Schooling (15 + years)

1970: 1.5
1980: 2.1
1990: 4.2
2000: 3.9

http://www.yespakistan.com/HDF/whywedoit/hdinpak.asp

siamu maharaj

December 22nd, 2007, 08:12 AM

There's your answer Umais:
Thanks. I didn't know that.

singaporean

December 23rd, 2007, 10:17 AM

The caretaker CM ordered action against a mobile company which intended to install its tower in the residential area of Bhurgari Mohalla when a complaint was submitted to him.

Earlier, the chief minister inaugurated Mir Ghulam Mohammad Khan Talpur Engineering College, which is being established at a cost of Rs1,295 million. The college would have four disciplines i.e. petroleum, textile, chemical and engineering. At least 300 students be admitted to the college.

animals: Arrival of sacrificial animals for Eidul Azha is less than the previous year, as a result of which their price have shot up making it impossible for middle class people to purchase animal of their choice.

A random survey of the improvised cattle Piris on Tuesday revealed that an average price of animal i.e. buffalo, cow and goat was quoted double than the last year. The low income earners, as a result, contributed their share in sacrificial animal.

Similarly, the price of goat has also gone up, which varied at the Bakra Piris at Kazia canal ground and Golarchi road ground. The prices ranged between Rs6,000 to Rs15,000. Most of the people have decided to purchase the sacrificial animals from the villages from where they got healthy animal at an affordable price.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/12/21/local20.htm

singaporean

December 23rd, 2007, 10:21 AM

http://www.uniquepakistan.com/news/general/american-school-in-pakistan-20071221.html

naash2002

December 23rd, 2007, 04:50 PM

siamu maharaj

December 23rd, 2007, 08:33 PM

I believe it'd be around 5,000 /month.

Intoxication

December 23rd, 2007, 09:22 PM

Literacy rate increases to 54 per cent

ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (APP): The literacy rate in the country has increased to 54 per cent as compared to 45 percent registered in 2001.According to official sources, the increase in the literary rate has been achieved through various measures taken in this regard along under National Education Policy (1998-2010) which is currently under review to include to participation of all the stakeholders and ensuring ownership of the policy by federating units and other stakeholders.

The overall literacy rate (10 years & above) was 45 percent in 2001 and it has been increased to 54 percent in 2005-06, indicating a 9 percent increase over a period of only five years.

The literacy rate for non-poor went up from 51 percent in 2001 to 59 percent in 2005 whereas for poor it improved from 30 percent to 40 percent in the same period.

Males literacy rate (10 years & above) increased from 58 percent in 2001 to 65 percent in 2005-06 while it increased from 32 to 42 percent for females during the same period.

Province wise literacy data shows that Punjab is at the top in the improvement of literacy rate followed by Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan.

According to the Education Census 2005, there are currently 227,791 educational institutions in the country. The over all enrolment is recorded at 33.38 millions students with teaching staff of 1.357 million.

http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11049&Itemid=2

Intoxication

December 23rd, 2007, 10:12 PM

Primary schooling enrollment (in percent)

1960 20.4
1965 27.4
1970 30.3
1975 38.2
1980 32.1
1985 35.8
1990 47.5
1995 57.3
2000 60.5
2005 68.1

Secondary schooling enrollment (in percent)

1960 3.4
1965 4.6
1970 5.7
1975 7.0
1980 6.4
1985 7.3
1990 9.6
1995 12.2
2000 11.6
2005 12.0

Literacy rate

1960 16.7
1965 16.8
1970 20.9
1975 24.3
1980 26.1
1985 28.8
1990 33.8
1995 39.6
2000 47.1
2005 52.5

Public spending on education (in percent of GDP)

1960 0.9
1965 1.8
1970 2.5
1975 2.2
1980 2.0
1985 2.7
1990 2.7
1995 2.2
2000 2.0
2005 2.5

Human Capital and Economic Growth: Pakistan, 1960-2003 (http://www.cf.ac.uk/carbs/research/centres_units/wired/Human_Capital_and_Economic_Growth.pdf)

spyk

December 26th, 2007, 05:02 PM

Hi Guys. I hope someone can help. I am contemplating of sponsoring a child to study in Rawalpindi/Islamabad. Can anyone please give me an indication as to the the yearly tuition fees I would need to pay from say nursery education to A levels in a good school.

Many Thanks in advance.

You should contact The Citizens foundation. Just google it. As far as I know, they are the leading NGO in terms of providing education to poor children in Pakistan.

Apart from that, I think Shahzad Roy also has a charity working on education and stuff. I can't remember what it's called. Oh, it's Zindagi Trust.

It might be a better idea to donate to these charities regularly rather than trying to sponsor someone directly, as, the same amount of money spent might help more children due to economies of scale and stuff. These people are already in the business.

Apart from that, I have never heard of a charity that sponsors children in Pakistan, like the ones you find for children in Africa.

But, either way, you're effort and contribution will not go wasted. They will help both individuals and our collective society :)

December 28th, 2007, 01:18 AM

gECD9__6Ma0

International Islamic University, Islamabad.

January 5th, 2008, 02:06 PM

ISLAMABAD, Jan 4: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has invited applications for award of subsistence allowance to unemployed graduates under “support to scientific talent” scheme.

The selected candidates would be paid subsistence allowance of Rs10,000 per month on merit for a maximum period of one year.

According to details, all M.Sc and Graduates having 16 years of education in fist division or equivalent grade in the disciplines of physics, chemistry, chemical sciences, biological sci ences, pharmacy, mathematics, statistics, economics, computer sciences, earth sciences, engineering, electronics, veterinary sciences and agriculture are eligible for this allowance.

HEC has advised the applicants to submit a certificate from the university or college to the effect that the candidate will be given teaching assignments if selected under the scheme by the HEC.

Moreover, the amount would be paid upon the submission of regular progress reports from heads of the institutions.

Intoxication

January 13th, 2008, 04:30 AM

Year 2005

Pakistan

School enrollment, primary (% gross) 87

Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort) 70

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) 50

South Asia

School enrollment, primary (% gross) 113

Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort) 72.3

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) 58.4

Low Income Countries

School enrollment, primary (% gross) 104

Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort) 71.1

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) 60.8

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/0,,contentMDK:21441267~pagePK:146736~piPK:146830~theSitePK:223547,00.html

Pakia

January 13th, 2008, 05:39 PM

gECD9__6Ma0

International Islamic University, Islamabad.

:applause: So good to see more & more women obtaining higher education and environment for conducive for that goal.

Ita about time that we start seeing education as an extremely vital investment into country's future, not just another expense.

Literacy rate increases to 54 per cent

http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11049&Itemid=2

:applause: Need to reach atleast 80% in 10 years esp. among females, as Pakistan's half the population is currently under 18 years of age.

January 13th, 2008, 05:50 PM

^^ Lets hope we donot get feudal lords or else it wont remain even at the current levels.

Plasma.

January 16th, 2008, 08:03 PM

36,000 schools built, renovated in Punjab

* Rs 6.974 billion provided g 1,800 employees to benefit

LAHORE: The National Logistics Corporation (NLC) has undertaken construction, renovation and extension work of 36,000 schools in Punjab under the Education Sector Reform Programme (ESRP).
Punjab NLC Project Director Brigadier (r) Muhammad Ali Saeed told journalists that the provincial government had provided Rs 6.974 billion initially for this purpose.
“Of the total 36,000, work on 4,348 schools will be completed by November this year and developmental work on 2,000 schools is under way at a fast pace, while 600 schools have already been handed over to the Punjab Government after completion,” he said. Under the Health Sector Reform Programme (HSRP), he said, the provincial government provided Rs 2.855 billion in funds to the Corporation for renovation projects of Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centres (RHCs). The NLC project director further said that out of the total 2,456 units, 1,305 would be completed by November this year.
He said that a grant of Rs 2.85 billion would be spent on the construction and extension of 139 colleges in the first phase and work on 56 colleges had already been started, while 216 colleges would be renovated in the second phase of the project.
Brigadier (r) Saeed said the corporation would also construct 176 new patrolling posts and undertake extension work of existing 347 posts that would cost a total of Rs 2.52 billion. The corporation was also awarded a Rs 1.3 billion project for construction and renovation of 30 urban and 26 rural police stations, he said, adding that the NLC would complete both the projects within 18 months after receiving funds from the provincial government. Brigadier (r) Saeed said the NLC, from its profits, would construct 35 new schools- six elementary and 29 primary schools- throughout Punjab at a cost of Rs 140 million. Under this project, construction of four schools has already been underway, he said, similarly the corporation would recycle profits from the ESRP.
In addition to district offices, the NLC established regional offices in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan and Bahawalpur, where 1,800 employees including retired army men are performing their duties.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\01\16\story_16-1-2008_pg7_35

singaporean

January 18th, 2008, 10:09 AM

KARACHI, Jan 17: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has issued directive for finalising the process of the appointment of pro-vice chancellors and preparation of master plans for all public sector universities of Sindh.

“With growing teaching and research activities at the universities, it has become imperative that vice-chancellors get enough time to work in these fields,” he said while chairing a high-level meeting. A report prepared by the monitoring unit, set up for higher education, also came under consideration.

Project Director and Special Secretary Higher Education, Governor’s House, Aftab Lodhi, apprised the meeting of the details of the project.

The governor stressed the public sector universities would be made a model in relation to their environment, facilities and buildings. He observed that with the establishment of the Provincial Monitoring Unit, a significant improvement in the performance of these universities was visible.

The meeting was informed that the tenure of the monitoring unit was being extended for another three year term. It was established at the Governor’s House by the Higher Education Commission in 2005 with an allocation of Rs5.5 million.

Giving details of the ongoing projects, Mr Lodhi said that at present, 94 projects costing Rs12.66 billion were being executed at 11 public sector universities and institutes and 36 of them had since been completed.

These included 19 projects of Karachi University costing Rs1.38 billion, 11 projects of the Sindh University costing Rs977.7 million, 15 projects of the NED costing Rs3.69 billion, seven projects of the Agriculture University (Tandojam) costing Rs785.89 million, eight projects of the Shah Abdul Latif University (Khairpur) costing Rs292.94 million, five projects of the Quaid-i-Awam University (Nawabshah) costing Rs702.10 million, 10 projects of the Liaquat University of Health Sciences costing Rs883.36 million, five projects of the Dow University of Health Sciences costing Rs1.595 billion, nine projects of the Mehran University costing Rs1.328 billion, four projects of IBA costing Rs397.99 million and one project of IBA Sukkur costing Rs32.54 million.

The meeting was further informed that the problem of transport for the universities had also been resolved to a great extent.

According to Mr Lodhi, land has been acquired for establishing a campus of the Sindh University in Mirpurkhas.

The governor suggested that till the establishment of a permanent campus, a building should be acquired on a temporary basis to start academic activity.

He also called for promoting sports at the universities and regulating the hostel facilities as per the prescribed rules and regulations. However, he added, the hostels must not be allowed to be used for undesired activities.

Mega projects

Sindh (caretaker) Chief Minister Justice (Retd) Abdul Qadir Halepota has said that the government is working on mega projects relating to education, communication, health and water sectors, and these projects will be completed within the stipulated time to ensure provision of all basic necessities of life to the masses.

He was talking to different personalities who called on him at the CM’s House here on Thursday.

The chief minister told them that engineering colleges were being established in Badin, Jacobabad and Larkana and the institutions would help promote higher education in these parts of the province, besides producing experts in the field of engineering. Through these institutions, people of Sindh would be able to compete in local as well as international job markets.

Justice Halepota pointed out that Sindh was rich in minerals and agricultural produce, and stressed: “What is needed is the will and determination to play our role in the province’s progress with honesty and due dutifulness.”

He said that Pakistan was facing an energy crisis at the moment and steps would have to be taken on war-footing in order to meet its energy requirements. He was of the view that the Thar coal project could play an important role in this regard.

The chief minister said that talks were being held with the federal government on fixing a price structure for Thar coal. “Sindh will present its case to the federal government at the next meeting on the subject,” he added.

He said that strict security measures had been taken in Karachi and other parts of Sindh to ensure complete peace during Muharram. Religious congregations and mourning processions were being monitored through close-circuit cameras, he pointed out.

The personalities who call on the chief minister included former ambassador Mansoor Alam, former MPA Dr Bahadur Khan Dahri, ex-NBP vice-president Fazal Kazi, Sindh Excise Minister Dr Karim Mahar, IT Minister Jam Karam Ali, Education Secretary Dr Mohammed Ali, Labour Minister Arif Ali Abbasi and former commissioner M.M. Usmani.—APP

http://www.dawn.com/2008/01/18/local15.htm

try to educate these Jahil people as soon as possible.

Intoxication

January 19th, 2008, 12:12 AM

http://epaper.dawn.com/Web/Article/2007/12/06/002/06_12_2007_002_002.jpg

Go on this link. http://www.thetrustinstitute.com/education.html
Its animated.

Intoxication

January 19th, 2008, 03:02 AM

Literay Rate of all the districts in Pakistan! (http://www.sindhedu.gov.pk/links/literacyrate%20pak.htm)

Literacy Rate Aged 10+ (Top 5):

1. Islamabad 72.38%
2. Rawalpindi 70.45%
3. Karachi 65.26%
4. Lahore 64.66%
5. Jhelum 63.92%

Literacy Rate Aged 10+ (Bottom 5):

97 Jhal Magsi 12.28%
98 Kohlu 12.15%
99 Dera Bugti 11.73%
100 Kohistan 11.08%
101 Musa Khel 10.37%

Literacy Rate Aged 15+ (Top 5):

1. Islamabad 70.20%
2. Rawalpindi 67.50%
3. Karachi 63.58%
4. Lahore 62.98%
5. Jhelum 60.00%

Literacy Rate Aged 15+ (Bottom 5):

97 Kohlu 11.47%
98 Naseerabad 11.45%
99 Dera Bughti 11.36%
100 Kohistan 10.50%
101 Musa Khel 10.24%

I've had a BORING and highly UNPRODUCTIVE day today (actually the whole week's been unproductive). So to make myself feel useful, I've made a Literacy map with the information from the above post and this (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=15150629&postcount=282) post by Arsalan (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/member.php?u=125965).

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii109/traPPed_2008/10Literacy.jpg

^^ Creating this map has made me depressed. Though do keep in mind that many districits coloured maroon, red or black don't have a very large population. Even though geographically they are huge. Where as those coloured blue, green, yellow or orange do have a large population.

This map is for those Aged 10+.

Intoxication

January 19th, 2008, 04:19 AM

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii109/traPPed_2008/15Literacy.jpg

^^ Like the previous map that I made, data is fully available for Balochiostan, NWFP and Punjab's districts. But there is data missing for 6 districts of Sindh.

Intoxication

January 19th, 2008, 05:11 AM

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii109/traPPed_2008/ProvincesLiteracy.jpg

Sources: this (http://www.pakistantimes.net/2004/07/15/national4.htm) and this (http://pakistantimes.net/2004/09/27/kashmir5.htm)

singaporean

January 20th, 2008, 11:17 AM

KARACHI, Jan 19: The education department has prepared the PC-I of three new engineering colleges in different districts of Sindh.

Officials said that one engineering college would be established in Badin, Larkana and Jacobabad each. Around Rs1,200 were needed for the construction of one college, they added.

Initially, each college would have courses in one faculty from the new academic session which would hopefully begin this year, officials said and added that new faculties would be introduced in a phased manner. “According to the plan these colleges would be fully functional by four years but from this year we’d start them with at least one technology,” said a source, adding that on completion of all the four phases, every college would be offering three technologies with a total 280 seats.

Sources said that the construction of three colleges would start only after a couple of meetings of the officials of education and planning and development departments. They would also meet federal government officials to decide about the share of the provincial and the federal governments in funding the project.

Sources said that new engineering colleges in these districts would save the students of these areas from hardships they faced while traveling long distances to study engineering subjects.

New VC

President Pervez Musharraf, who is also the chancellor of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST), has appointed Prof Dr Mohammad Qaiser, as the university’s vice-chancellor for the next five years, it is learnt.

Dr Mohammad Qaiser has also served as the head of the botany department, registrar and dean of science faculty of the University of Karachi. He is the third regular vice-chancellor of the FUUAST and overall seventh since 2002 when the Urdu College was given the status of a university.

The FUUAST had been without a regular vice-chancellor for the last two years. Prior to Dr Qaiser’s appointment, Dr Kamaluddin was the in-charge vice-chancellor of the university.

Training course

A training course is being launched for primary and junior school teachers so that they could be equipped with modern educational techniques and groom their students in a better way.

The course being launched under the Sindh Elementary Teachers Training Programme, was discussed at a meeting in the education department which was chaired by Sindh (caretaker) Minister for Education and Literacy Shujaat Ali Baig. The minister noted that 35,000 primary teachers would be trained under the programme.

Project Director Naimatullah Shaikh told the meeting that the two week training programme would be launched at the Government Elementary College, Hyderabad, where the first batch of 300 primary and junior school teachers will be imparted the training.

The meeting was told that the education minister would inaugurate the programme on Jan 21.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/01/20/local8.htm

Intoxication

January 22nd, 2008, 12:32 AM

Youth literacy rates by country

http://mysite.verizon.net/huebler/2007/20070715-literacy.png

Adult literacy rates by country

http://mysite.verizon.net/huebler/2007/20070708-literacy.png

oogabooga

January 22nd, 2008, 01:52 AM

singaporean

January 22nd, 2008, 12:31 PM

LAHORE: Peshawarites, especially the technically minded, can finally obtain training in designing and manufacturing products. This has come about as an advanced CAD/CAM centre equipped with the latest computers and software became operational on Monday. This brings the total number of such facilities set up by TUSDEC (Technology Upgradation and Skill Development Company)in the country to five. According to a TUSDEC spokesman here Monday, the company has already set up NIDA (National Institute of Design and Analysis) in Lahore and Advanced CAD/CAM Centres in Karachi, Quetta and Sialkot. NIDA Lahore is playing its role as the hub for these centres. The newly established Peshawar centre will offer courses in Engineering Design, Electrical & Electronics, Civil / Architecture, Mechanical Drafting and Interior / Furniture design as just some of the planned courses. The Centre is aimed at producing innovative designers instead of only software operators. CAD/CAM technology developed in the United States in 1950s, has been instrumental in the promotion of digital manufacturing in developed as well as developing countries. The major dividends of this technology are improved product quality, cost-effectiveness and decreased production and ‘time to market’ time. In Pakistan, very few industries are making use of this vital technology, mainly due to scarcity of skilled manpower trained in CAD and CAM techniques. The spokesman hoped that the establishment of NIDA and advanced CAD/CAM centres in different cities of the country would go a long way in bridging the technology gap besides helping Pakistani products compete effectively in the international market. He went on to add that TUSDEC was always open to consider branching out into the smaller towns and invited those interested educational establishments or institutes to come forward as potential franchisees/partners to grow the concept.—Agency

http://www.regionaltimes.com/22jan2008/money/advance.php

Red aRRow

January 22nd, 2008, 08:20 PM

http://express.com.pk/images/NP_KHI/20080122/Sub_Images/1100336365-1.jpg

:banana: :banana: :banana:

January 22nd, 2008, 09:14 PM

I heard from fellow friends in pak that it's really quite a good collection.

Intoxication

January 22nd, 2008, 11:12 PM

Literate Regions circled:

Aged 10+

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii109/traPPed_2008/10circled.jpg

Aged 15+

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii109/traPPed_2008/15circled.jpg

January 22nd, 2008, 11:15 PM

Look at Sindh :ohno:

singaporean

January 23rd, 2008, 12:12 PM

Look at Sindh :ohno:

whos is responsible? feudals and landlords...............

Intoxication

January 24th, 2008, 01:50 AM

There seems to be a correlation between the areas marked in these maps and the areas marked in the prosperity (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=17888019&postcount=85) map.

The most literate areas of Balochistan are Quetta and Ziarat and theses two places also do well in the HDI index. Haripur and Abbotabad are the best places in NWFP, with the highest literacy rates and also the highest HDI rank. In Sindh its Karachi and in Punjab its the northern and central areas of the province who do well on both literacy and human development.

Intoxication

January 24th, 2008, 02:10 AM

^^ Oh I almost forgot to add! Islamabad kicks ass in literacy and human development, as "it BEST place in glorious nation of Pakistan"

MTF

January 24th, 2008, 05:13 PM

These maps are depressing but good work trappy!
Look at Dera Bugti, its in bottom 3 for both age groups! All these feudals should be killed or should be hanged by their balls!:bash: I wanna use one word for them M********Ds!

Red aRRow

January 24th, 2008, 06:23 PM

DesiSoul

January 24th, 2008, 10:36 PM

Muslim university to be established by Aga Khan KARACHI, Pakistan, Jan 24 (APP):

A Muslim university would be established by the Aga Khan and the Ismaili community with a total investment of about $ 500 million, the president of the Aga Khan Ismaili Council, Iqbal Waljee, said in Karachi on Thursday. He said 1,000 acres of land has been acquired for the purpose on Super Highway in Karachi. The Aga Khan will lay the foundation stone, he said adding that acadamic activity will start from 2011. Waljee said the silver jubilee year of the Aga Khan as the spiritual head of the Ismaili community is being marked from July 2007 to July 2008 and will be marked by a series of high profile programmes including the lecture series by Karen Armstrong on intellectual traditions in Islam.(Posted @ 21:11 PST)

- DAWN

January 26th, 2008, 10:12 AM

ISLAMABAD: Three Pakistani universities and St Andrews University, Scotland have agreed on joint PhD programmmes in social sciences and humanities, said a Higher Education Commission (HEC) press release on Thursday. The three Pakistani universities are Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad, Government College University (GCU), Lahore, and the Punjab University (PU).

It said the HEC would fund the programme for 125 students. The duration of five years has been proposed for the programme that will commence from February 2009. It said that Economics, Finance, Management, International Relations, Psychology, English Literature, History, Anthropology and Mathematics had been selected for joint PhDs. HEC Academics Member Dr Riaz Tariq, former Fatima Jinnah Woman University vice chancellor Dr Najma Najam, Prof Dr Iftikhar Hussain Baloch of the PU, Prof Dr Pervez Tahir of the GCU and Dr Hafeezur Rehman and Dr Aliya H Khan of the QAU attended the meeting held at St Andrews University from January 13 to 20 to design a plan for the initiation of the programme.

Each Pakistani university will sign an appropriate protocol with the St Andrews University for operational plans in different departments, the press release said, adding that intensive training courses in academic English for young Pakistani faculty members would also be arranged.

St Andrews University, that is ranked the best in Scotland and the fourth in the UK, will also assist the Pakistani universities in developing career service centres. The Pakistani post-doctoral researchers in humanities and social sciences, having difficulty in pursuing further research, will be offered by St Andrews to continue their research. It said the programme would assist the Pakistani universities for capacity building in the research of social sciences and humanities.

singaporean

January 26th, 2008, 03:01 PM

Staff Report

KARACHI: Mehreen Nazar, Aman U. Saiyed and Yaseen Ahmed Meenai are three Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi faculty members, who have been selected by the Higher Education Commission for the ‘Best University Teachers Awards’ for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006. A total of 103 teachers will be honoured at a ceremony in Islamabad today.

These awards are in recognition of their contribution to the field of higher education and to honor their achievements. The ceremony will be held today, Jan 26, at 11:00 a.m. at the HEC Auditorium, Islamabad with Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman.

The winners have been selected for the awards, based on the evaluation of the students and staff of the IBA. Aman U. Saiyed (for the year 2004) has been a Lecturer at the Department of Accounting and Law at the IBA since July 2003. He has an M.B.A. from Georgia State University, Atlanta (1978). His areas of special interest are Investments, Financial Management, Valuations, Mergers and Acquisitions and Risk Analysis. He has just finished writing a book on Financial Accounting with text and Pakistani cases.

Mehreen Nazar (for the year 2005) has been a Lecturer with the Accounting and Law Department since May 2002. She has an LL.M degree in International Law from Temple University, Philadelphia. Nazar also has six years professional experience in Civil Litigations as an advocate. She is a member of Pakistan Women Lawyers Association (PAWLA). Her areas of special interest are Service and Labor Laws.

Yaseen Ahmed Meenai (for the year 2006) has been a Lecturer with the CCS (Centre for Computer Studies) for the last two years. He has an MSc. degree in Statistics from the University of Karachi (1999) and served for six years at the Department of Statistics, KU, before joining the IBA. As a Ph.D. student, he has read papers at three international conferences. His areas of expertise include Mathematics and Statistics.

In addition to these three faculty members, two other IBA teachers who received the Best University Teachers Awards earlier are Dr Mahnaz Fatima (2001) and Dr Qazi Masood Ahmed (2002).

The HEC established the awards for one faculty member of each of the 50 public universities in the country. The award consists of a certificate and Rs 100,000.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\01\26\story_26-1-2008_pg12_5

siamu maharaj

January 26th, 2008, 10:02 PM

Dr Mahnaz Fatima

One of the best teachers that could ever teach you.

Intoxication

January 26th, 2008, 10:03 PM

Dr Mahnaz Fatima

One of the best teachers that could ever teach you.

I'm guessing she was your teacher? :dunno:

siamu maharaj

January 27th, 2008, 09:20 AM

I'm guessing she was your teacher? :dunno:
Yes

singaporean

January 27th, 2008, 01:51 PM

JAMSHORO: The Higher Education Commission (HEC), Islamabad has awarded Best Teacher Award 2005 and 2006 to Professor Dr. Muhammed Aslam Uqaili, Professor Department of Electrical Engineering and Professor Dr. Aftab Ahmed Memon, Chairman Department of Telecommunication Engineering of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro.
The university spokesman informed here Saturday that Best Teachers Awards were conferred to them by Professor Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman Chairman Higher Education Commission at a Ceremony at HEC Auditorium, Islamabad on Saturday (today). Professor Dr. Muhammed Aslam Uqaili and Professor Dr .Aftab Ahmed Memon has also received cash award of Rs 0.1 million.
The Vice-Chancellor Mehran University Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan Rajput, all Deans, Directors, Chairmen, Officers heads of the different departments, scholars, students and parents of the students congratulated Dr. Muhammad Aslam Uqaili and Dr. Aftab Memon for being declared best teachers.
LUMHS third prof. BDS bi-annual exam from Jan. 29
The Additional Controller of Examinations Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Jamshoro has informed that MCQ Theory Programme of Third Professional BDS Bi-Annual Examinations 2008 would commence from January 29, 2008.
The examinations would be conducted at Liaquat University Jamshoro. Their schedule is being issued separately, he added.
Meanwhile, the Controller of Examinations LUMHS has informed that Theory Examinations of Diploma in Family Medicine 2007 would be commenced from January 29, 2008. The examinations would be conducted at Liaquat University Jamshoro at 11 a.m., he added.

http://www.regionaltimes.com/27jan2008/heartland/HEC.php

cntower

January 27th, 2008, 10:45 PM

If they divided the literacy rates up based on age (10-20, 20-30,30-40,40-50 etc...) it would be wiser, because by looking at this map it's quite depressing, but it's not showing the full picture. The younger generation are WAY more educated, I'm sure you'd see a positive trend in which the districts are getting better.

Least I hope so.. :)

siamu maharaj

January 28th, 2008, 07:34 AM

singaporean

January 28th, 2008, 11:28 AM

Dr Abdullah G Arijo, Department of Parasitology, Sindh Agricultural University Tandojam, and Dr Mather from University of Rhode Island (URI) have said that in Pakistan, more than 75 percent of the rural population practices livestock husbandry, and a majority of these people depend upon livestock for their subsistence. Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) and other significant tick-transmitted pathogens of humans and animals are endemic to certain regions of Pakistan and have the potential to cause significant human morbidity and mortality and impact on Pakistan's agricultural economy and the livelihood of its rural citizens.

This project proposes to establish a molecular entomology laboratory at Sindh Agricultural University (SAU) to build Pakistani capabilities to study and prevent tick-transmitted diseases in Pakistan.

The project will focus on developing high-throughput transcriptomic, functional genomic, and proteomic systems and strategies aimed at identifying tick salivary proteins that can produce strong delayed-type hypersensitivity or DTH-like responses, antibody responses, or a combination of both, that correlate with protection from tick-borne disease (TBD). It may be that this novel approach will accelerate anti-tick and TBD vaccine development by informing the vaccine candidate selection process.

Moreover, functional genomic screens involving inhibitory RNA are expected to identify novel pharmaco-therapeutic targets for disrupting tick feeding and pathogen transmission. In addition to continued work on methodology development at the University of Rhode Island (URI), the project will also use a series of experiential training workshops at SAU to train Pakistani faculty researchers and students in the cutting-edge techniques needed to build and advance an appropriate molecular biology capacity that can be applied to various programmes for preventing tick-transmitted diseases in Pakistan.

Dr Mather and his colleagues at URI will continue their studies on vaccine and small molecular targets to disrupt feeding of black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) and transmission of the agents causing Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. Dr Arijo and his fellow researchers at SAU will (1) develop TBD surveillance and assessment capabilities to identify and prioritise vector tick species in Sindh province; (2) establish a capacity at SAU to conduct TBD diagnostics using rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assays without requiring specialised biocontainment facilities; and (3) focus vaccine and pharmaceutical discovery research on important Pakistani tick species identified by the activities described in aims 1 and 2.

Researchers from the University of Rhode Island's Center for Vector-Borne Disease are teaming with colleagues from Pakistan to help the south Asian nation address its growing tick problem.

"Unlike in Rhode Island where abundant deer tick populations cause alarming numbers of Lyme disease cases in humans, one of the major tick-related problems in Pakistan is the impact of tick-transmitted diseases on livestock," said URI Entomology Professor Thomas Mather, director of the Center.

"In Pakistan, ticks also transmit a virus to humans known as CCHF, sometimes called the Asian Ebola virus because of its contagious and deadly similarity to African Ebola."

The project is part of the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded $6.9 million U.S.-Pakistan Science and Technology Cooperative Program, which provided a $290,000 grant to the URI researchers. The Higher Education Commission in Pakistan provided matching funds. The grants will help establish a molecular entomology laboratory in Pakistan, and a research and training program focused on anti-tick vaccine development similar to one at URI.

"Pakistan is an agricultural country in which livestock play an important part, so if we have even a modest tick infestation, it can result in a significant loss of meat and milk production and a negative impact on the economy," explained Abdullah Arijo, associate professor of Parasitology at Sindh Agricultural University and the lead Pakistani researcher on the project. "Veterinary pathogens transmitted by ticks especially threaten the livelihood of rural Pakistanis."

Arijo said that 75 percent of the residents of his province are farmers that rely on one or two buffaloes and a small flock of goats to feed their family. Farmers currently apply insecticides to their animals and release poultry into their fields to feed on the ticks, but tick numbers remain high. The Pakistani researcher spent a month this fall at URI to learn how Mather and his team are addressing the tick problem in Rhode Island while also gaining hands-on experience with the high-tech equipment and methods Mather and URI Assistant Professor Shahid Karim are using to discover an anti-tick vaccine.

"It has been a very beneficial experience for me here, to see the infrastructure in the lab and learn the protocols used for developing a vaccine," said Arijo, whose research also includes creation of detection kits for tick pathogens.

When Arijo returned to Pakistan in late November, he planned to purchase the equipment used in the URI labs and begin training his staff and other researchers in its use. "Dr Arijo will then be able to use the same techniques and methodology in his research that we use here, making it easier for us to work together," Karim explained. "And we will be able to continue helping him with any technical issues that may arise in his work."

http://www.uniquepakistan.com/news/general/sindh-agricultural-university-to-establish-molecular-entomology-laboratory-in-pakistan-20080128.html

singaporean

January 28th, 2008, 11:32 AM

HYDERABAD, Jan 27: A foreign-funded project on capacity building for water management in urban areas has been launched at the National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry (NCEAC) University of Sindh.

For the three-year research project, funds to the tune of $70,000 will be provided by the British Consulate. The project is jointly developed by the NCEAC, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology and Sindh Agriculture University in collaboration with the Exeter University, UK.

A meeting in this regard was held at the NCEAC on Saturday which was attended by Dr David Bulter and Dr Fayaz A. Memon of the Exeter University, NCEAC Director Dr M. Iqbal Bhangar, Dr Rasool Bux Mahar and Professor A. K. Ansari of the MUET and Professor Saleh Soomro of the SAU.

The research project aims at treatment and re-use of grey water in urban areas. Grey water is waste water from bathrooms and sinks in buildings which goes down the drain. Under the project, grey water can be recycled and safely reused for plantation. The project will be helpful in view of water shortage prevailing in the cities.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/01/28/local17.htm

singaporean

January 28th, 2008, 11:48 AM

Governor Sindh Dr. Ishratul Ibad Khan is arriving on a day visit here in Hyderabad on Monday. During his visit, the governor would formally inaugurate the conversion of 110 Sindhi medium schools into English medium schools of the District Government. Later, he would lay foundation stone of the construction of flyover at Shahbaz Chowk and also would speak with mediamen at District Nazim Secretariat

http://www.uniquepakistan.com/news/general/dr-ishratul-ibad-to-inaugurate-school-in-pakistan-20080128.html

singaporean

January 28th, 2008, 11:52 AM

To facilitate the deserving women and making them stand on their feet, 150 vocational training centres of Pakistan Builtul Maal are providing free training to widows, orphans and poor girls in diverse skills, while five centres will be functional shortly, Muhammad Sarfraz, Managing Director of Pakistan Baitul Maal said. At present six major projects are being run under the PBM and out of these six, projects, vocational training centre is major project for social security of women.
Vocational training centres have been established throughout the county since 1995 where widows, orphans and the poor girls are being given training in variety of skills to make them self-sufficient and earn their livelihood in respectable manner.

“Standard strength of trainees in each centre is 60. Presently, 8,862 trainees are getting training in these centres by introducing training in latest market driven skills like computer, beautification, cooking, glass painting, tie and die and traditional skills (handicraft) of the local area”, Muhammad Sarfraz said.

“Up till now 24,954 students have been trained. Budget of one centre is Rs 0.925 million”, he said.
“For women prisoners the PBM has also planned to open VTCs in jails. In this connection, two VTCs at Haripur (NWFP) and Hyderabad (Sindh) jails have been opened”, he added.
“Poor always remained first priority of the government and the basic idea behind executing the programme was to provide free training to deserving women, which could help them to earn sufficient amount,” he added.

The PBM was established in 1992 with an objective to help the poor, needy and infirm people irrespective of their caste, creed and religion. Muhammad Sarfraz joined the BPM in 2000 and initiated a number of new programmes to make the performance of PBM more effective.
Monitoring and Evaluation Wing of the PBM carries out planned and surprise visit of vocational /Dastkari schools throughout the country in order to ascertain functioning as per laid down policy and submit report to the Managing Director.

On successful results and positive feed back of VTCs, the PBM broadened the scope of its activities by converting its existing VTCs into Diversified Vocational Dastakari Schools (DVDS) at each province during financial year 2002-03.
While talking about DVDS, the PBM Managing Director said, “Presently, 12 DVDS have been set up where training in latest marketable skills like computer, beautification, cooking beverages, fishing, dress designing, machine and hand embroidery fabric and block printing and zari work is imparted.”

To a question, he said to address problems of poor section it is urgent to indulge them in healthy activities that would help them to play important part in development sector.
“Our coverage now spreads to almost 30,000 beneficiaries of Individual Financial Assistance (IFA), 13,440 children have been weaned away from hazardous labour and given primary education and more than 1.61 million beneficiaries were given financial assistance through intermediary civil societies in 100 projects”, he said.

http://www.uniquepakistan.com/news/general/150-training-centres-for-destitute-in-pakistan-20080127.html

January 29th, 2008, 11:52 PM

RAWALPINDI: Literacy rate in Rawalpindi district jumped to 70.5 percent from 74.5 percent in 2007, the District Government Literacy Department claims. The literacy rate is stated to be the highest all through Punjab. The Punjab literacy department had recorded Rawalpindi’s literacy rate in 2006 at 70.5 percent against the province’s average literacy rate of 44.09 percent. The city had reported 64 percent literacy rate in 1998.

A literacy department had conducted a survey in the city’s 10 union councils (UCs) including Kuri Dolal, Mohra Noori, Banda, Adiala, Sihal, Kalar Syedan, Darnohian, Thatta Khalil, Tret and Khadiot in 2006. The survey found 90.3 percent children between five and 14, and 83.5 percent people of 15–35 years of age literate. Executive District Officer (Literacy) Jamshaid Iqbal said there were two reasons for high literacy rate in the city, one better public awareness about importance of education and second migration of people to urban areas. He said people migrated to urban localities for better education and facilities. He said the literacy department had planned to set up 140 non-formal basic education schools (NFBES) and 200 adult literacy centres (ALCs) in the 10 UCs. However, the survey revealed that there was requirement of 355 ALCs in the ten UCs, he said. He said his department would require funds to open the required number of ALCs.

January 29th, 2008, 11:55 PM

* Teaching hospital to have 300-bed capacity, with 2,500 undergraduate students

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to set up a modern hospital cum medical university in collaboration with the Harvard Medical International, USA, at a cost of Rs 18 billion. The university will be built at the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Islamabad.

Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Attaur Rehman said this while giving a briefing to Caretaker Prime Minister Muhammadmian Soomro during a meeting at the Prime Minister House on Tuesday. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Dr M Akram Sheikh and senior officials were also present on the occasion.

Dr Atta said that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard had been signed between the DHA and the HEC on Monday. The Harvard Medical International, USA, will provide assistance in terms of planning and execution of the project, he added.

Hospital capacity: “Initially it will be a teaching hospital with a capacity of 300 beds, which will be further expanded to 500 beds. A total of 2,500 students will be taught at the graduate level, while additional 600 seats will be available for postgraduate research courses,” he added.

Dr Atta said the Harvard Medical International had entered a long-term relationship with the DHA to help build a health and education complex on 100 acres of land in Islamabad. The postgraduate research will focus on neuro science, tropical diseases and other related disciplines.

Soomro said that the establishment of such a state-of-the-art hospital cum university would go a long way in bridging the gap of modern medical facilities available in the country.

Soomro appreciated the initiative taken by the DHA to set up a modern hospital cum medical university in the capital. Stressing the need for establishing more quality institutions in other discipline, he said the proposed hospital and medical university was the need of the hour, which would not only cater to the needs of the local people but international students as well.

The prime minister said the project would ensure provision of all modern medical facilities making it possible for the students to benefit from the latest medical technology for their research and would also make latest medical treatment available to the people in the country. He said such kind of projects would help ensure resource mobilisation in the country.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\01\30\story_30-1-2008_pg11_1

Intoxication

January 30th, 2008, 01:08 AM

Plasma.

January 30th, 2008, 02:50 AM

Intoxication

January 30th, 2008, 04:27 AM

Look at Sindh :ohno:

Balochistan looks worse than Sindh. Sindh is the only province which has districts with missing data, thats why it might look bad. Grey parts are those with missing data. There is data available for all the districts of the other 3 provinces.

Intoxication

January 30th, 2008, 04:38 AM

moved_on

January 30th, 2008, 04:42 PM

singaporean

January 31st, 2008, 08:09 AM

If they keep building state-owned universities in ISB there will be one uni/capita in the capital. I guess Pindi already has medical colleges and the preference should be given to central Punjab, AJK, NA and NWFP.

I agree with you' they should have universities in southern punjab(Bahwalpur Rahimyarkhan, DG khan, M'ghad). Eastern and southern sindh should also have some attention in higher education.

singaporean

February 1st, 2008, 08:49 AM

PESHAWAR, Jan 31: A science and technology park will be established in Nowshera’s Jalozai area and funds for the project will be sought from the Higher Education Commission.

The decision was taken at a meeting held here on Thursday under caretaker Chief Minister Shmasul Mulk. Mr Mulk directed for acquiring a land of over 100 acres near the site of the University of Engineering and Technology in Jalozai.

He also directed the authorities to start planning another S&T park for Peshawar, said a handout issued here on Thursday.

The chief minister said the science and technology park should be an independent body working closely with the engineering university. He said the authorities should make arrangements for seeking funds for the project from the HEC. He said the provincial government would support the project with all means. He directed the authorities to form a council and an executive council which should look after issues involving the project. The council will be headed by the chief minister himself and the executive council’s in-charge will be vice-chancellor of the University of Engineering and Technology.

Caretaker information minister and UET vice-chancellor Imtiaz Hussain Gillani said the S&T park would collaborate with the UET, HEC and foreign organisations in a series of projects.

Another handout issued here on Thursday said a meeting held under NWFP Minister for Environment Ejaz Ali Durrani had decided to establish a campus of the Hazara University, a postgraduate girls college and a vocational training institute in Haripur.

The case for acquisition of land for the university campus would be sent to the authorities for approval and a meeting in this regard would be convened under the chief minister soon, the handout said.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/02/01/local24.htm

singaporean

February 1st, 2008, 09:08 AM

ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro has constituted a committee to settle the issue of tariff with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) for electricity generated by wind-powered plants and submit its report within 10 days.

At a high-level meeting held here on Thursday to review the energy situation, he asked the members of the committee to hold talks with Wapda, KPT and Pakistan Steel on the possibility of setting up plants at their premises to generate power from wind.

The committee will also hold talks with the Heavy Mechanical Complex, Karachi Shipyard, Pakistan Steel and the Engineering Development Board for manufacturing wind turbines and solar panels.

According to a statement issued after the meeting, the prime minister asked the Secretary of the Cabinet Division to finalise recommendations for the use solar energy for street lights and billboards and a phase-wise shifting of public sector buildings to solar energy.

The prime minister approved setting up of a petroleum university for education, research and training in the sector.

He said short- and long-term measures should be taken to enhance the power generation capacity and tap energy resources like wind, sunlight and coal.

He called for coordinated efforts by the ministries and departments concerned for developing alternative sources of energy and conserving energy.

He said that all the available resources should be utilised for increasing energy production to ensure sustainability of economic growth and development.

He appealed to all sections of society to share responsibility towards this national cause and use energy in a proper manner.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/02/01/nat16.htm

Intoxication

February 1st, 2008, 09:51 AM

If they keep building state-owned universities in ISB there will be one uni/capita in the capital. I guess Pindi already has medical colleges and the preference should be given to central Punjab, AJK, NA and NWFP.

You like to exaggerate don't you! It's pretty impossible to build more than a million universities in one single city. Central Punjab isn't actually doing too bad. But yes, more educational institutions should be built in AJK, NA, NWFP, Balochistan, Southern Punjab and Sindh (excluding Karachi).

moved_on

February 1st, 2008, 10:01 PM

^^I stand to what I said earlier.

Intoxication

February 2nd, 2008, 02:44 AM

^^I stand to what I said earlier.

:blahblah:

February 3rd, 2008, 12:50 AM

KARACHI: A team of students from Aga Khan Higher Secondary School (AKHSS), Karachi has won the Intel National Science Olympiad (NSO). Arif Pyar Ali, Zehra Suleman and Sara Moiz, developed a drug therapy with Selvey nano particles to cure Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections.

Raja Ahsan Mahmood (Project, ‘Variable Colour Thermometer’) and Mohammad Owais (Project, ‘Ultimate Control’) both students of the Pak-Turk International School, Peshawar, were the winners in the individual category. These students will now represent Pakistan at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia, US.

More than 300 students and teachers from across Pakistan attended the olympiad, which is affiliated with the Intel ISEF. The Intel NSO is one of the world’s largest pre-college science competitions, showcasing more than 120 science projects submitted by young scientists from across the nation. These projects were selected through the Intel Provincial Science Fairs held throughout Sindh, Punjab, NWFP and Balochistan. The young scientists presented innovative research-based projects in the categories of biology, chemistry, computer sciences, mathematics and physics.

For the past two years, students from Pakistan have won laurels for the country at the ISEF held in the US.

The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair is the world’s largest celebration of science. Student finalists, in grades nine through 12, emerge from a field of approximately one million students who compete in more than 500 regional Intel ISEF. Approximately 1,500 students from across the world compete for up to US$ 4 million in scholarships, prizes and grants.

singaporean

February 4th, 2008, 10:55 AM

JAMSHORO: Governor Sindh and Chancellor Mehran University Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Inaugurated Institute of Information Technology, Institute of Communication and Centre Library on line Information. Later Governor Sindh addressed senior faculty members of the University. Addressing on the occasion, he said that its privilege for him to address the Selected Senior Faculty Members and Officers of this university and he is very much pleased and highly satisfied with quality of construction maintained in the three buildings, which he inaugurated.
In spite of limited time at its disposal and a gigantic task of holding a free, fair and transparent elections, his government is fully cognizant of its responsibilities towards all sections of the society and is striving its best to solve their problems and come up to the expectations of the people of Sindh province.
Dr. Ishrat added that he feels great pleasure in extending his heartiest congratulations to Prof. Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan Rajput the Vice Chancellor for being honored with “Sitara-e-Imtiaz” Academics in recognition to his achievements towards academics, research and infrastructure development of the University. It is the recognition of the level of competence achieved and the contributions it has made in the engineering education and research that Mehran University has earned the distinction of being number 2nd in the HEC ranking of the public sector engineering universities of Pakistan. As pointed out by the Vice Chancellor of Mehran University, the university has already made landmark achievements in its pursuit of academic excellence like ISO certification, well established post graduate programs, issuance of research journal of repute, approval of 3 Mega Projects, well equipped Laboratories, two fold increase in student enrolment to name and the confidence reposed by the employer organizations in the capability of the graduates of this university by conducting job interviews at the campus is in itself a manifestation of the standing of the university.
Earlier, welcome address of the Prof: Dr. Abdul Qdeer Khan Rajput, Vice-Chancellor Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamhoro was held, in which he said that at the very outset he must acknowledge and concede the conspicuous presence of the worthy Chancellor his Excellence Dr Ishrat-ul- Ebad, for honoring the occasion . during presentation he said Sir, Your very presence infuses and inflates unrelenting spirit in our efforts towards achieving our lofty goals. Thank you for your support, supervision, and good governance that has enabled our university attain enviable position on top list ranking of the Higher Education commission of Pakistan .

http://www.regionaltimes.com/03feb2008/heartland/ebad.php

February 12th, 2008, 02:37 PM

KARACHI: A group of scientists of the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, led by Dr Kamran Azim, has discovered more than 20,000 base pairs of mango DNA sequences.

Pakistan has acquired the foremost position in the field all over the globe after this discovery related to the molecular biology of the mango tree, an ICCBS release said on Monday. This research will help enhance the production of mangoes in the country, however the obtained genetic data, the blueprint of living organisms, has been submitted to the international GenBank in Washington, US.

The breakthrough came after the team spent two years researching the molecular genetics of mangoes.

The mango is native to eastern India and was gradually spread to other parts of the world. In Pakistan, the cultivation of the fruit dates back to the Indus Valley civilization and according to United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), Pakistan stands fifth amongst mango growing countries.

According to Dr Azim, the mango tree suffers several kinds of diseases like powdery mildew, midge, etc. “These mango crop diseases are of great economic importance as they cause heavy losses in mango production. This is partly due to the lack of information regarding the molecular biology of the mango tree. This advancement has opened new avenues for enhancement of mango production and the development of novel herbicides and pesticides for mango crops,” he said.

Higher Education Commission Chairman Prof. Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, Karachi University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui and ICCBS Acting Director Prof. Dr M Iqbal Choudhary congratulated Dr Azim and his team on their remarkable achievement and expressed hope for further discoveries in the field.

Intoxication

February 13th, 2008, 05:33 PM

Aged 10+

District + Literacy

Karachi Central 76%
Karachi East 73.1%
Karachi South 67.6%
Karachi West 56.4%
Malir 53.6%
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii109/traPPed_2008/Karachi10.jpg

Aged 15+

Central 73%
East 68%
South 60%
West 44%
Malir 39%

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii109/traPPed_2008/Karachi15.jpg

Sources: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dpu-projects/Global_Report/pdfs/Karachi.pdf http://www.accu.or.jp/litdbase/stats/pak/pak_past.htm

Central, East and South are 100% Urban. West is 91% urban and Malir is between 50-60% urban. Most of the slums are in Malir and West Karachi.

singaporean

February 14th, 2008, 06:58 AM

KARACHI, Feb 13: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, who is also the chancellor of public sector universities in the province, has asked the varsities to focus on public welfare and come up with viable development and research works.

Lack of resources used to be a major problem faced by higher education institutions in public sector, but now the situation had changed with an increase of the education budget from 0.2 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product to two per cent of the GDP, he said while speaking at the foundation laying ceremony of the National Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases held at the Sindh Medical College campus of the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) on Wednesday.

He said that educational institutes in the province were being encouraged to initiate research projects for public welfare and expressed the hope that they would come up with viable plans for the betterment of their living standard. He was happy that the institute would be made functional within a year. In addition to the services that it would offer to patients, he said, the institute would impart educate students and doctors on liver and gastrointestinal diseases.

Dr Ibad said that the DUHS had made substantial progress since its inception in the year 2003 under a charter granted by the government of Sindh and expressed the hope that it would become one of the best medical varsities in the world. He announced a grant of Rs100 million for the construction and working of the new institute, which is being established at the site of Shah Latif Boys Hostel for SMC students, adjacent to the National Institute of Child Health. The hostel was vacated about six months back.

On the occasion, the governor also inaugurated Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences, a dental hospital set up in a 150-year-old building recently renovated to accommodate the institute.

DUHS vice-chancellor Prof Masood Hameed Khan, who had got a four-year extension in his tenure as the VC, said the university that had three constituent medical institutes earlier, had 13 medical colleges and institutes at present. He said that the university had been focusing on all possible health education, right from medical education to community health care.

He said that on the project’s completion, the institute would not only offer screening, counselling, early diagnosis and cost-effective treatment facilities to patients but also have preventive strategies, including immunisation and surveillance services.

Prof Khan mentioned that it was the first dental institute in the country that offered Masters in Dental Surgery education in all the basic dental science disciplines, in addition to conducting the BDS and diploma courses.

Among others, the vice-chancellor of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Prof Naushad Sheikh, DMC Principal Prof Salahuddin Afsar, Sindh Medical College Principal Prof Tariq Sharafatullah, and senior faculty members of the DUHS were present on the occasion.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/02/14/local3.htm

singaporean

February 14th, 2008, 07:03 AM

MANSEHRA, Feb 13: NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani has said the government is spending billions of rupees on promotion of education, adding that educated and skilled manpower is a must for development of a country.

Talking to faculty members and students of the Hazara University after performing the groundbreaking ceremony of reconstructions projects in the university on Wednesday, the governor said it was time that resources were efficiently utilised.

Referring to the importance of acquiring religious as well as modern education, Mr Ghani said Afghan fighters had defeated Soviet Union, the super power of that time, in their country, so the Taliban could also bring about a scientific revolution if they got modern education.

He said the world was monitoring terrorist activities in Pakistan and was thinking how the Pakistani nation would cope with the situation, adding: “I want to make it clear that Pakistan is a unique country which has faced many challenges in the past too but overcome all challenges.” “This time too Pakistan will overcome the present crisis bravely and in a dignified way.”

“Pakistan is ours and we will protect it against all odds and if the enemies think that they will defeat us in any field, including the fight against terrorism, they are at fault because we will never allow them to use our soil for their evil motives,” he observed.

According to a press release issued by the Hazara University, the governor launched a campus of the Hazara University in Havelian on Wednesday.

The campus, spreading over 1,134 canals of land, has initially started MBA, BBA and M.A. English classes and is expected to start five new disciplines next year.

Speaking at the ceremony held at the campus, the governor said the education sector was confronted with great challenges, adding that all stakeholders should play their due role to enable the country to move forward.

Pointing towards the youth, the governor said: “You are the future leaders of the country and you must equip yourselves with knowledge.” Mr Ghani, however, also stressed the need for a balanced approach towards education, saying while it was important to equip the youth with modern education “we must also not lose our Islamic identity and social, ethical, cultural values should be equally focused upon in this respect”.

Referring to points raised by university vice-chancellor Prof (Dr) Inshan Ali and coordinator of the Havelian campus, Prof (Dr) Syed Iqbal Shah, the governor assured them that the university would be provided with all sorts of support.

“Work vigorously and courageously and you will get all-out patronage and support to make the university a vibrant institution,” he said.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/02/14/local7.htm

singaporean

February 14th, 2008, 08:50 AM

SUKKUR, Feb 13: Apprehensions expressed by political and religious parties regarding rigging and partiality in coming elections are disregarded by the caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro.

“No party or group will be allowed to hinder the process of peaceful polls as everyone has the right to franchise as per his will,” he added.

This he said during the inaugural of Ophthalmology Unit in Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Sukkur on Wednesday. He also laid foundation stone of a CNG station inside its premises.

The caretaker setup, he said was duty-bound to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections, while the Election Commission had completed arrangements regarding the whole process. Sounding warning to those stopping people from voting, he ensured that no rigging will be allowed.

Mohammadmian Soomro said Army will remain at hand and the Election Commission will be in command to utilize its service. “We had taken stringent measures to protect life and property of citizen,” he said. He urged the people to exercise their right in a larger number by electing those who could serve them for next five years.

To a query, he expressed ignorance over house arrest of APDM leaders. Regarding development projects started by the caretakers, he said the option to carry on with these after February 18 would be decided by the next elected government.

The caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (R) Abdul Qadir Halepoto felt sorry for people of upper Sindh for being ignorant of eye care and emphasized the need to make them aware of such ailments.

He called on Al-Shifa Trust to establish hospital in Thar as it will facilitate the people of inaccessible and far-flung areas like Thar Desert. President Al-Shifa Trust appealed to philanthropists, especially the SCCI to come forward and show their generosity.

Zila Nazim Sukkur Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Zila Nazim Ghotki Ali Gohar Mahar and Zila Nazim Shikarpur Arif Mahar announced Rs5 lakh each for the institute, while Ghous Bux Khan Mahar, Dr Nisar Pathan, Khawaja Jalil and others announced construction of rooms and wards for extension of the institute. Later, the caretaker prime minister awarded commendation certificates to doctors and staff of the hospital, for their meritorious services.

Later, Mohammedmian Soomro laying foundation stone of the Girls’ Hostel at the IBA, Sikkur said: “Quality education in accordance to global needs, especially in the field of business management, information technology and human resource development is the need of hour”.

He said Pakistan maintained five per cent GDP growth during the last five years which was a significant achievement after October 12, 1999.

Mr Soomro appreciated the performance of IBA Sukkur with the hopes it would be a model institute in the years to come.

He asked industrialists, businessmen and philanthropist to come forward and establish institutions on the pattern of IBA in interior of Sindh. In today’s age of globalization only the fittest among people and nations will survive, he observed.

He announced grant of Rs5 million for the IBA Sukkur and pledged to meet institute’s genuine future needs.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/02/14/nat18.htm

Pakia

February 17th, 2008, 06:23 AM

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4473884327089687021

Al-Mashal Foundation:applause:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2931598689961781024

MUST WATCH FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN EDUCATION FOR ALL

Intoxication

February 17th, 2008, 11:34 PM

:applause: Need to reach atleast 80% in 10 years esp. among females, as Pakistan's half the population is currently under 18 years of age.

Many people have said that. Look here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=10781841&postcount=189). Also check pages number 9 & 10 of this thread, they are VERY informative.

Intoxication

February 18th, 2008, 04:34 PM

Pakistan is one of eight countries worldwide that spend less than 2% of GDP on education.

Considerable budgetary support has been available from Western donors as well as the UN agencies. But the administrative infrastructure lacks the capacity to absorb those resources.

Less than half of students ever complete primary school. This has kept the country's literacy rate below 50%.

The quality of education in the state-owned institutions has deteriorated considerably. Standards are only slightly better in the country's mushrooming private sector schools, but these are too expensive for most people.

Poorer parents have tended to send their children to religious seminaries (madrassas) which offer free food and boarding to their students. Some madrassas have been used to promote religious extremism.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44430000/gif/_44430213_pakistan_educ_416gr.gif

February 18th, 2008, 11:14 PM

^^ Isnt that old? I read that the literacy rate had gone upto 52%!

Intoxication

February 18th, 2008, 11:18 PM

^^ Isnt that old? I read that the literacy rate had gone upto 52%!

Yeah different sources give different figures. It ranges between 50-54%. There's probably some time lag involved.

February 18th, 2008, 11:21 PM

It would be interesting to compare the education budget before 1999 and in 2007.

Intoxication

February 18th, 2008, 11:53 PM

It would be interesting to compare the education budget before 1999 and in 2007.

HUGE difference, believe me, huge difference. If you dig deep, you may find some news articles which boast about education spending rising by a very large margin.

transistorized

February 19th, 2008, 07:19 AM

I believe back in 1999 HE spending was around Rs 80mil, and now its $400mil - $400mil for Higher education and another $400mil for lower(?) education.

Best part is over the next 5 years or so they are spending something like Rs. 160bil to set up those 6 new engineering universities. This would obviously be on top of regular HE spending.

UnitedPakistan

February 19th, 2008, 08:37 PM

Pakistan is one of eight countries worldwide that spend less than 2% of GDP on education.

This is NOT true!

Intoxication

February 19th, 2008, 09:12 PM

This is NOT true!

Anymore, yes. But it used to be. Just recently has it gone up. Like I said before. Time lag is involved in reporting.

UnitedPakistan

February 19th, 2008, 09:25 PM

Then don't report old figures...

People here will get confused and have a bad taste in their mouth.

Intoxication

February 19th, 2008, 09:35 PM

Then don't report old figures...

People here will get confused and have a bad taste in their mouth.

They are not really old figures. Just a couple of years old. NO ONE has the latest figures. It takes time to COMPILE figures!! So there is ALWAYS a TIME LAG involved.

Intoxication

February 19th, 2008, 10:02 PM

In addition to my above post. I'm willing to bet with anyone that the current Pakistani litercy rate would be 60% for the year 2007/8.

brightside.

February 19th, 2008, 10:05 PM

The ministry of education is aiming for 100% primary school enrollment in the next few years, and 86% literacy rate in people aged over 10. I think this is a goal of the 2000-2015 action plan.

Saw it on the MOE website, and also put it on the Pakistan Wikipedia article.

Intoxication

February 19th, 2008, 10:50 PM

^^ Yeah, check out post number 455.

UnitedPakistan

February 22nd, 2008, 04:26 AM

They are not really old figures. Just a couple of years old. NO ONE has the latest figures. It takes time to COMPILE figures!! So there is ALWAYS a TIME LAG involved.
What time lag?:nuts:

These figures are all made available publically in the Federation's budget.:nuts:

Intoxication

February 22nd, 2008, 04:31 AM

What time lag?:nuts:

These figures are all made available publically in the Federation's budget.:nuts:

Don't BLINDLY take the governments word for everything. I meant the time taken by the international organisations to compile & report the figures.

UnitedPakistan

February 22nd, 2008, 04:37 AM

Don't BLINDLY take the governments word for everything. I meant the time taken by the international organisations to compile & report the figures.
How are they going to compile and report the figures of the amount of money being put into the system? This is decided by the Government...

They don't inflate percentages in this area because they will be easily caught inflating these figures.

Intoxication

February 22nd, 2008, 04:42 AM

How are they going to compile and report the figures of the amount of money being put into the system? This is decided by the Government...

They don't inflate percentages in this area because they will be easily caught inflating these figures.

You're right. They don't compile and report the figures of the amount of money being put into the system. The governmnet does that. All they do is see how many people are literate and how many aren't.

UnitedPakistan

February 22nd, 2008, 04:51 AM

Go back to the original reply I made and what I quoted...

Intoxication

February 22nd, 2008, 04:54 AM

Go back to the original reply I made and what I quoted...

It was only this year or last year that Pakistan started spending more than 2% of its GDP on education.

UnitedPakistan

February 22nd, 2008, 05:12 AM

My original point still stands...

Intoxication

February 22nd, 2008, 05:33 AM

Q. What % of GDP is allocated to education by all tiers of the government?

A. The total public spending on education (by federal, provincial and district government) comes to 2.21% of GDP during the year 2005-06.

Q. What is the current Literacy Rate in Pakistan?

A. As per PSLM Survey 2004-05, the literacy rate of population 10 years and above was 53% showing an annual growth ratio of 1.5% since 1998 Census. As such the estimated Literacy Rate comes to 56% in 2007.

^^ Highest ever I've noticed for Pakistan! :banana:

Q. What is Gross Enrollment Rate (GER) in Pakistan?

A. According to PSLM Survey 2004-05, the GER is 86% at Primary level, 46% at Middle level and 44% at Secondary level.

Q.What is the total budget (Development and Recurring) of MoE?

A. Ministry of Education‘s total budget for the year 2005-06 and budget allocation for the current financial year 2006-07 are as under:

Budget Year
Current Budget

(Rs. Million)
Development Budget (Rs. Million)
Total Budget

(Rs. Million)

2005-06 Revised
2282.813
4520.522
6803.335

2006-07 Allocations
2996.184
6560.258
9556.442

http://www.moe.gov.pk/faqs.htm?#q2

Intoxication

February 22nd, 2008, 05:48 AM

More than 50 million people over the age of 10 remain illiterate. The country’s literacy rate is just over 54%, 66.25% for men and 41.75% for women; however, unofficial estimates suggest that functional literacy is actually just over 35%. (HRCP, annual report 2004)

Public spending on education as a percentage of overall government expenditure has remained very low in Pakistan, 1.8% of GDP, well below prescribed international levels (which range from the 20% recommended by UNICEF to 6%, as laid down by the Dakar Framework of Action at the World Educational Forum 2000). This amount is the lowest in South Asia. Pakistan is among the 12 countries in the world that spent less than 2% of their GDP on education. (HRCP annual report 2005)

^^ BBC go that less than 2% figure from the HRCP (Human Righs Commission Report Pakistan) annual report 2005

http://www.franciscansinternational.org/docs/statement.php?id=417

February 23rd, 2008, 12:23 AM

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has finalised new curricula for BS Mathematics and BS Textile Engineering (four-year programmes).

In this regard, a special meeting of the National Curriculum Revision Committee (NCRC) in Mathematics was held at HEC Regional Centre, Lahore, to finalise draft curriculum of BS Mathematics.

Professor Dr. Riaz-ul-Haq Tariq, member (academics) at the HEC, presided over the meeting, which was attended by nine mathematicians from different public sector universities of the country. Dr. Syed Arif Kamal (University of Karachi) and Dr. Shahid Siddiqi (University of the Punjab, Lahore) acted as convener and secretary of the meeting respectively.

The meeting finalised and adapted BS Mathematics curriculum in the light of HEC standardised template-framework for four-year degree so that the new syllabus may be brought at par with the international standards that would inculcate problem solving and formulation skills in students.

The committee agreed to include two courses of Social Sciences instead of one in the curriculum. Besides developing curriculum for BS Mathematics, the experts may also develop special Mathematics courses for students of BS programmes in Social Sciences, Basic Sciences and Languages.

Meanwhile, the NCRC in Textile Engineering was also held at the HEC Regional Centre in Lahore to finalise the draft curriculum in Textile Engineering for graduate level.

The undergraduate curriculum in Textile Engineering was revised in the light of unified framework-template prepared by convenors of the NCRC and agreed by the Pakistan Engineering Council. Six subject experts from different public and private sector universities of the country attended the meeting. Dr. Mumtaz Hasan Malik and Dr. Tanveer Hussain (National Textile University, Faisalabad) acted as convener and secretary of the meeting respectively.

Dr. Riaz-ul-Haq Tariq said that Textile Engineering has gained significance in the field of Engineering. “Continuous advances in Textile Engineering have led to rapid advances in the existing applications of Engineering as well as in the emergence of new applications,” he said.

“To harness the full potential of Textile Engineering developments and further promote the state of textile technology, it is important to have strong degree programmes to educate and train individuals in this key discipline of engineering”, he emphasised.

The HEC is providing a platform at the national level to bring together experts from various educational and R&D institutions to review and revise the curriculum at graduate level so as to bring harmony and to bring quality in the higher education.

Intoxication

February 23rd, 2008, 10:16 AM

Intoxication

February 24th, 2008, 01:31 PM

These are the targets set by the goverment:

Phase 1: 2001-02 to 2005-06 = 61% (Male 71.5% : Female 50.5%)
Phase 2: 2006-07 to 2010-11 = 68% (Male 77% : Female 65%)
Phase 3: 2010-11 to 2015-16 = 86% (Male 86% : Female 86%)

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001459/145959e.pdf

I am dissapointed by these targets as Pakistan signatory to the Millenium Development Goals and one of the goals is to achieve 100% literacy rate by 2015. Many poorer developing nations are on track to achieve 100% literacy rate by 2015 some might even achieve it before 2015. But all we will manage is 86%. Still I guess its better than nothing.

Q. What % of GDP is allocated to education by all tiers of the government?

A. The total public spending on education (by federal, provincial and district government) comes to 2.21% of GDP during the year 2005-06.

Q. What is the current Literacy Rate in Pakistan?

A. As per PSLM Survey 2004-05, the literacy rate of population 10 years and above was 53% showing an annual growth ratio of 1.5% since 1998 Census. As such the estimated Literacy Rate comes to 56% in 2007.

http://www.moe.gov.pk/faqs.htm?#q2

Ok so the literacy rate was 53% in 2005 and it has been increasing by 3% every 2 years since 1998. So its estimated to be 56% in 2007. At this rate of increase it will reach 59% in 2009, 62% in 2011, 65% in 2013 and 68% in 2015, the level it should have been by 2011. So we are likely to miss the target literacy rate of 86% by 2015, worse still it would be way below the target of 100% literacy set by the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). At this rate we will have a literacy rate of 100% by 2037. Actually I think I also read somewhere that Pakistan's literacy would be 100% by 2037, I think it was on some website related to the MDGs. I'll be almost 50 by then. Atleast I'll get to see a "Parah Likha Pakistan".

February 24th, 2008, 01:38 PM

^^ assuming that rate is gonna stay constant, which most likely it wont. Intuitively, that rate will increase in the next generation and slow down during the 90% range(ie assuming current policy continues).

Intoxication

February 24th, 2008, 01:50 PM

^^ True. On top of that provinces like Punjab & Sindh will reach that mark quicker, and districts like Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore, Jhelum, Gujrat etc will be there even sooner.

cntower

February 24th, 2008, 06:17 PM

Getting the literacy rate to 85% by 2015 is realistic but it's going to need a lot of effort from the federal government. It's increasing at least we should all be happy about that! Poverty is decreasing, thus more and more people will enroll into school. It's a cycle which needs to be pushed in order to get to 100%.

brightside.

February 24th, 2008, 08:26 PM

Most of the effort needs to be exerted in the Northern earthquake hit regions and in the FATA/Balochistan areas. Education standards are lowest in those areas.

Intoxication

February 25th, 2008, 05:04 AM

I'm not as confident as you guys in us being able to achieve the target literacy rate of 86% by 2015. Heck, we've already missed the target of 61% by 2005-06. Our litearcy was 53% then and even by 2007 its below 61% at 56%.

Intoxication

February 25th, 2008, 11:46 AM

MAP REMOVED!

cntower

February 25th, 2008, 01:00 PM

What year is this from?

Intoxication

February 25th, 2008, 01:10 PM

-----------------

February 26th, 2008, 12:39 AM

Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman said Monday over 2500 HEC scholars were currently pursuing their higher studies in leading universities of the world.

He was addressing the farewell ceremony organized here for 50 HEC scholars who are leaving for MS studies in South Korea. The Higher Education Commission also signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed with Hanyang University, South Korea on the occasion.

The chairman said the government had given the highest priority to the higher education sector and the last five years would be remembered as a golden period in the sector. He said that HEC identified the brightest of minds among the faculty members, researchers and fresh graduates and sent to the top institutions of the world.

He informed some 260 of these scholars would return this year after completion of their studies while another 400 to 500 would return next year. He said that the commission is putting special emphasis on the engineering education and a large portion of the scholarships has been reserved for it.

He said that the South Korea was selected as a partner country because the country had excelled in academic and industry and the HEC wanted to get benefit from its expertise. He said the Korean universities and industry were strongly interlinked and the HEC wanted its scholars to learn in the environment.

The Korean Ambassador Shin Un, who was the guest of honour on the occasion. He said that MoU would go a long way in strengthening academic relations with Pakistan. He said that his country would extend all its possible cooperation to these scholars, who he added would also help strengthen Pak-Korea relations. He also appreciated the steps taken by the HEC for promotion of higher education in the country, saying it was spreading quality education in the country.

The scholars, proceeding under the programme entitles ‘MS level Training in Korea universities/industry’, will pursue their studies at Hanyang university and Seoul National University. The event was also attended by various other stakeholders including Engineering Development Board, Pakistan Engineering Council, Planning Commission and some Korean companies.

February 26th, 2008, 07:30 PM

KARACHI: Twenty three students from Karachi have achieved top positions in the world in O’ and A’ level examination held under Cambridge University and all over 52 students achieved distinctions.

This was stated by Regional Manager South Asia, University of Cambridge International Examinations, William Bickerdike while addressing a news conference at the British Deputy HighCommission here on Tuesday.

Director Examination Services Pakistan of the British Council, John Gildea, Provincial Director British Council Sindh and Balochistan, Syed Mashood Rizvi, and Director Examinations Karachi of the British Council, Asim Saeed Khan, were also present on the occasion.

Bickerdike pointed out that 52 students from Pakistan achieved the highest examination result in the world for a Cambridge O- level, an international AS level or an international A- level.

Of these, as many as 23 were from Karachi, he further stated.

"Pakistani students have been consistently performing very strongly", Bickerdike remarked.

"I have always been impressed by the high standard of the marks which they achieve in their examinations", he added.

Bickerdike said that to achieve the highest global marks in the face of so much competition from the rest of the world is all the more commendable.

John Gildea also praised the performance of the students from Pakistan in the CIE examinations.