Category: Education

Caretaker Minister for Education and Professional Training, Madad Ali Sindhi has called for enhancing cooperation between Pakistan and Turkiye in the fields of culture and education.

He was addressing an event titled ‘One Hundred Years of Magnitude: Pak-Turk Affinity, in Islamabad.

The minister said the fraternal relations between Pakistan and Turkiye are an unprecedented manifestation of brotherhood and love, which cannot be compared.

Turkish Ambassador, Prof Dr Mehmet Pacaci, who was guest of honor on the occasion, said Turkiye values and respects the evergreen relationship with Pakistan.

He stressed the need to increase cooperation between the two countries in education, health, tourism, and other matters of mutual interest.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali has directed to improve the education standard of the schools according to the advance standards.

He said this while chairing a meeting to review ongoing work in historic schools of the Peshawar.

Speaking on the occasion, the Governor stressed to complete the construction and renovation work according to the historic significance of these educational institutions and assured his cooperation.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Punjab Textbook Board has announced that it will no longer be providing free textbooks to 2.5 million students in the next academic year.

The decision was made due to the Punjab government’s failure to pay the board’s dues of Rs. 10 billion. It is a discouraging development that will have a major impact on the education of these children.

Every year, students in government schools in Punjab receive free books worth Rs. 3,000 per student. The initiative has been an essential support for families who cannot afford the educational expenses of their children.

The discontinuation of free books means that two and a half million children from government schools will suffer in the coming academic year, including their parents who are already grappling with the rising cost of living in the country.

Source: ProPakistani

The Education Department in Sindh has taken a proactive measure to address the increasing cases of physical violence against students within educational institutions.

Consequently, a comprehensive prohibition on the use of corporal punishment has been implemented across all private schools.

Leading this initiative is Ahmed Khan, serving as the Additional Director of the Education Department.

Ahmed Khan has expressed deep apprehension regarding the escalating instances of corporal punishment in school settings. He emphasized the department’s unwavering dedication to cultivating a secure and favorable learning atmosphere.

Incorporated as an essential component within school registration certificates, this prohibition clearly demonstrates the department’s commitment to ensuring the safety and welfare of students.

Supporting this move is Rafia Javed, the official spokesperson for the Education Department.

Rafia Javed asserted with conviction that any educational institution discovered to be in breach of this prohibition will be subjected to legal repercussions.

The department’s watchfulness is primarily aimed at guaranteeing strict adherence to this regulation and holding schools accountable for their conduct.

Addressing parental concerns, the spokesperson urged parents to immediately report any incidents involving physical punishment.

Enabling the Education Department with authority, the legislation from 2005 empowers it to potentially revoke the registration of schools that persistently infringe upon this prohibition, underscoring the gravity with which this issue is being handled.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Two-day startups’ pitching competition under the ‘Innovator Seed Fund (ISF)’ program kicked off at the Higher Education Commission, (HEC) Islamabad. Collectively around 65 startups will pitch their innovative business ideas in the two-day event in front of the jury comprising a variety of industry and business experts.

Encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship is one of the key objectives of HEC and various grants are being offered aimed at accelerating the socio-economic development of the country.

Chairman HEC Dr Mukhtar Ahmed graced the occasion as chief guest at the opening ceremony. While addressing the audience, Dr Mukhtar said that it was heartening to see startup-centered events like ISF frequently happening in Pakistan from HEC’s platform. He congratulated all the competitors for their efforts to do something extraordinary and beyond their comfort zones to bring some positive change in society.

Dr Mukhtar continued by saying that youth must take advantage of such opportunities and find innovative solutions to the problems surrounding them. “Keeping in view the current situation of the job market of Pakistan, it is incumbent upon youth to be job providers instead of job seekers,” he added.

ISF, an initiative under Higher Education Development in Pakistan Program provides a package of support and seed funding to early-stage startups through HEC-recognized Business Incubation Centers (BICs) at universities.

ISF had initially received 205 concept notes against the available funding slots. The received concept notes were from different thematic areas including Agriculture, Transportation, Logistics, Housing, E-commerce, Digital Media, Construction, Food Resources etc.

Out of the total received concept notes, 175 were shortlisted and were given pitching training. Furthermore, 65 startups were shortlisted for today’s pitching competition before the final award ceremony for 30 winner startups scheduled for September 1, 2023, at Pak-China Center, Islamabad.

The grant winners will receive up to Rs. 10m (equivalent to $35,000) in seed funding in addition to support through BICs in the form of entrepreneurial training, legal training and support, financial education, business development service provision, and investment readiness training.

Last year 15 ISF projects were awarded while this year 30 ISF projects will be awarded in various key thematic areas ranging from Education EdTech, Creative and Digital Media Arts to Sustainable Development, Energy and Climate and Health-tech and E-commerce.

Source: ProPakistani

Huzaifa, a diligent young vendor selling juice in Multan, has become the center of attention due to his matric results. Despite the challenges posed by his humble background, Huzaifa managed to secure an astounding 1050 marks from the Multan Board, surprising both his peers and educators alike.

The news took an even more inspiring twist when it was announced that the Punjab Police would be taking responsibility for Huzaifa’s further educational expenses.

The decision to sponsor his education serves as a testament to his hard work and dedication, offering him a chance to pursue higher studies without financial constraints.

Huzaifa was accorded a warm reception at the Regional Police Office Multan, where he was given protocol and lauded for his achievement. This heartwarming tale highlights the underprivileged student getting recognition from the Punjab Police and Pakistan as a whole.

Source: Pro Pakistani

As the new academic year nears, students attending government schools in Sindh are facing unavailability of essential course materials. This has left millions from Karachi to Kashmore without the necessary free textbooks provided by the government.

Chairman of the Sindh Textbook Board Agha Sohail Pathan disclosed to Geo News that the board had allocated a substantial budget of Rs. 41.30 billion for textbooks. This allocation was intended to secure 2.25 billion sets of books, but regrettably, only 3 million have been successfully acquired.

He blamed this shortage on several factors, citing the escalating value of the dollar, the previous administration of the Sindh Textbook Board, and the taluka education officers.

The chairman emphasized that a potential solution lies in an emergency loan from the government. He suggested that, with immediate financial support, the deficit could be addressed within a span of 15 to 20 days through expedited tender procedures. The fate of countless students now hangs in the balance until the government provides them with textbooks.

Source: Pro Pakistani