Posts Tagged ‘Education in Pakistan’

The pre-medical college results announced on Monday by the Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi (BIEK), reasserted the alarming trend of growing gender disparity in the healthcare professions. This year, only 1,603 male students will be eligible to apply to medical colleges as compared to 9,203 females this year.

According to the results announced by the education board’s examinations controller, Imran Khan Chishti, a total of 19,902 students sat for the pre-medical exams, of which nearly 75% were girls. Those who managed to pass the exams were 10,833, or 54%. However, this percentage was skewed in favour of the girls since 58% of them passed the exams as compared to merely 40% of the boys. Nearly seven per cent of all students got through with A-1 grades, 16% with As, 15% with Bs, 12% with Cs and four per cent with D grades.

BIEK chairperson Anwar Ahmed Zai, while talking to The Express Tribune, expressed his concerns over the increasing ratio of girls getting into pre-medical education as compared to boys.  “This gender disparity persists even when these students join healthcare facilities after studying medicine from universities,” said Prof Ahmed Zai. “The situation will pose serious issues for the country’s healthcare system in the next few years.”

Meanwhile, the statistics issued by the Pakistan Medical Association corroborate the concerns posed by Prof Ahmed Zai. Around three quarters of the female students of medicine abandon the field right after graduating or after marriage.

Mohammad Mustafa

11 year old Mohammad Mustafa, son of a poor farmer, is a student of 5th grade and lives in Larkana. Mustafa’s teachers had expressed their concern to Mustafa and his father about his poor  reading and writing abilities which they suspected was due to his eye sight. The father, who was illiterate, ignored these concerns as he thought that it was because Mustafa wasn’t interested in studies. But the major reason was Affordability. The school struck off his name due to poor performance. He was then admitted to a Govt.School but after a few days they also refused to keep him as he could not read the board or write properly.

 The Principal advised his parents to take Mustafa to LRBT ‘s Free eye Hospital at Gambat and get his eyes checked. The father now had no choice but to take Mustafa to LRBT, where he was diagnosed with bi-lateral congenital cataract and admitted on the same day for surgery which was successful.

 His father shed tears of happiness Mustafa has high aims and he does not want to adopt his family’s profession. Instead he wants to study and become a Police officer.

The Chief of Muttahida Quami Movement Mr Altaf  Hussain has extended heartiest felicitation to PML(N) candidate Mr Mamnoon Hussain to get elected as new President of Pakistan with heavy majority during presidential elections.
In a statement Mr Hussain expressed the hope that newly elected President of Pakistan will play his pivotal role for the promotion of national integrity, stability of the democracy, economic improvement, curbing of terrorism, establishment of better relations among the provinces, ending of load shedding, for resolution of all the problems related to common folk and providing justice to all the masses across the country.
Mr Hussain said that Mr Mamnoon Hussain is not the President of one party or any specific community but he is the president of the whole Pakistan, he is both the President for those who voted for him and even for those who did not vote for him, thus it is expected that as a President he will treat everyone equally.
Mr Hussain said Pakistan is facing numerous challenges both internally and externally and is going through the most crucial stage of the history, thus it is the need of the time that all patriotic parties of the country should show unity for the integrity and sovereignty of the country by keeping aside all their political interests. He urged all the political forces of the country to work for the progress and prosperity of the country so that democracy could be promoted in the country and democratic institutions could get strengthen
Mr Hussain offered heartiest congratulations to Prime Minister Mohammed Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, all the leaders of Muslim League, all the leaders of religious and political parties, workers and peoples across the country over the victory of PML(N) candidate in presidential elections.

Unidentified armed men shot dead college principal within the vicinity of Liaquatabad police station, Geo News reported.

Sources said college principal Sibt-e-Jaffar was on his way from the college to his home on motorcycle, when unidentified armed men intercepted him in Liaquatabad area and opened fire, killing him on the spot.

Meanwhile, The Shia Ulema council has announced three days of mourning and demanded that the killers be arrested immediately.

Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SAPLA) has also announced to shut colleges on Tuesday against the killing of Sibt-e-Jaffar. (The News)

Governor of Sindh Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan announced to upgrade the KMDC to a University in next two to three weeks and a grant of Rs100million for the college. He also announced making the current principal Prof. Waqar Hussain Kazmi the university’s first Vice Chancellor. He was addressing the 4th Convocation of KMDC which was also attended by the Provincial Health Minister Dr. Sagheer Ahmed, MNA Abdul Waseem, MPA Abdul Moeed Siddiqui, Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, Administrator Karachi Muhammad Hussain Syed, Metropolitan Commissioner Matanat Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor Karachi University Prof. Dr. Muhammad Qaiser, Principal KMDC Prof. Waqar H. Kazmi and others.

The Governor of Sindh also announced an additional grant of Rs400million for development works of Phase-III that includes establishing an IT and Video Conferencing Lab, an auditorium, an administrative block and a ten storey building in KMDC. Degrees were awarded to 212 Doctors in MBBS and BDS whereas 13 Doctors Gold Medals and Rs25000 cash reward. Earlier presenting the inaugural speech KMC Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed congratulated the successful degree holders of college and thanked Chief Guest Governor of Sindh Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan and guest of honor provincial health minister Dr. Sagheer Ahmed for attending the convocation. Administrator Karachi said in today’s world having a mere MBBS or BDS is not just sufficient and like other professionals they must continue updating their knowledge and better understanding of existing and new diseases. He said medical education in Pakistan is given an important consideration therefore we should enhance our capabilities and capacities in professional developments we should also work together formulating a policy to ensure good quality and ethical practices of doctors. He said as patron-in-chief of KMDC I m well aware of the problems faced by faculty members, staff and others and we are taking special measures on a priority basis for the resolution of all issues under the under the leadership and guidance of Governor of Sindh Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan. He said the KMDC has reached its present enviable status in a very short time. The number of seats for MBBS has been increased from 100 to 250 similarly the number of BDS seats has been doubled from 50 to 100. Necessary legislation has been done to convert KMDC from college to a university titled the “City University of Medical Sciences.” He said KMDC is the only medical and dental college of our country which is being run and patronized by the Local Metropolitan Corporation where admissions are based on a transparent, accountable and total open merit policy.

Speaking on this occasion Vice Chancellor K.U announced a two year masters program in public health for KMDC. Provincial Minister for Health Dr. Sagheer Ahmed, Principal KMDC Dr. Waqar H. Kazmi and others also spoke on the occasion.

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Three latest articles from the blog of Jumbo Publishing, www.jumbopublishing.blogspot.com appear on the home page and the visitors can access them rather comfortably.

The launch of our newly redesigned website is in line with Jumbo Publishing’s philosophy of spreading knowledge and providing the best possible services to its customers.

Karachi Observer Report

Former Sindh Secretary for Information and Education, Mrs Mahtab Akbar Rashdi has said that the younger generation is our replica in which we have great hopes as future is waiting for them.

She was addressing a students and faculty members of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) while delivering a lecture on the topic of “Professional Grooming- Personal excellence comes first” the other day.

Mrs Rashdi was the first woman who joined Sindh Government as Secretary and served at different important positions till her retirement from service.

“We are the past and you are our replica and we want to you grow” she told the students.

“We have great hopes in our younger generation and they have all the opportunities to grow with knowledge and technology being in their reach”

At the outset of her lecture she paid rich tributes to great reformer Sir Syed Ahmed Khan for his vision for the Muslims of the sub-continent and produced people like Mr Z.A. Nizami and many other outstanding personalities.

She said that Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah carved out this country and today we are proud of our country and our being Pakistanis.

Telling that “we are the past now and you are the future”, Mrs Rashdi told the students that now it was for them to achieve which they are to achieve as being future hope of the country.

She said that when she and people like her entered the practical life, no one was there to tell them about professional grooming. But whatever they learnt, they had it from their home, parents and ultimately their teachers.

Mahtab pointed out that today is the world of competition and it is time fior them to learn how to march ahead as their strength is to be channelized for the country.

With the help of slides she explained to them at length as to what is a professional image and how to create it and quoted Laura Morgan Roberts who said that “if you are not managing your own professional image, others are”.

She categorized professional image as desired and undesired ones and explained as to what steps they can take to ensure that they are projecting the professional image they want. Their concern should be as to what their key constituent might say about them when they are not in the room.

She informed them about components of professional image which include personal appearance through clothing, grooming and personal behavior through manners and etiquettes and communication effectiveness.

Mrs Rashdi reminded them that judgments are made about people based on the professional image they display. She told them to think of a person who made a reat first impression on them and said having a good professional image is key because they never get a second chance to make a first impression.

She dilated upon projecting professional image matters, attributes of a professional image, appropriate professional appearance, professional personal behavior, manners and etiquettes, non-verbal communication and verbal and written communication.

In his presidential remarks on the occasion, the Chancellor SSUET, Mr Z.A. Nizami assured that such lecture sessions will continue for grooming of youth for augmentation of their knowledge to help lead them to their successful future career..

Mr Nizami said the University will continuously hold grooming lectures for its students with regard to their behavior and appearance for which all required facilities will be provided and which the university was already doing through career planning.

On the occasion Mrs Rashdi was presented university plaque and souvenirs by Chancellor Mr Z A Nizami.

As it was Defence of Pakistan Day, the participants and guests lit the candles to demonstrate their commitment to the Defence of Pakistan and in memory of the martyrs of 1965 war with India.