Educational Practices in Private Schools in Pakistan

Farzana Tahir August 28, 2008
Tags: education , teaching , schools , learning
Existing Situation of teaching & learning: As a student, getting rapped on the knuckles on a wintry morning because you did not form a letter correctly was a routine practice of the teachers at the school which I attended. The teacher entered the room, expecting the students to copy pages of notes
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from the chalkboard. The student who reproduced these without missing a single punctuation mark, spelling mistake and perfect handwriting got full marks.

University of the Punjab

Established in 1882 at Lahore
Established in 1882 at Lahore, the University of the Punjab is the largest and the oldest seat of higher learning in Pakistan. It was the first to be established in the sub-continent in Muslim majority area. The fact that three Nobel laureates are from this University speaks volumes for its academic and research excellence.

Located in the historical and culturally alive city of Lahore, this University has played a leading role in higher education in the country. The University strives to provide a conducive environment for the pursuit of the academic activities. On account of its quality degrees, pleasant environment and low tuition fees the University remains the institution of first choice for admission seeking students.
Allama Iqbal Campus, named after the great South Asian thinker and mystic poet, with Islamic architectural design is in the middle of the bustling city of Lahore. Quaid-i-Azam Campus, after the name of the father of the Nation, is located 12 kilometers to the South of Allama Iqbal Campus. Spread over an area of 1800 acres of lush green landscape, this campus is the centre of academic and administrative activities of the University. A canal dividing the academic blocks from the student lodgings and adds to the beauty of the campus.The University has also a summer campus at Khanaspur, located at a height of about 7,000 ft. in the Himalayan range near Ayubia. This Campus, in addition to providing research facilities, is also used as a recreational centre for the faculty and the students. The University has also started Campus at Gujranwala, with four disciplines i.e. Business Administration, Commerce, Law and Information Technology. Few more disciplines will be added in near future. The University comprises of 4 Campuses, 13 Faculties, 9 constituent colleges, 64 Departments, Centres, Institutes, and 434 affiliated colleges. It has 623 permanent faculty members involved in teaching/research and over 30,000 on campus students. Annually there are about 350 exams for 400,000 students.As part of the President’s reform initiative, Higher Education Commission has been established, to monitor advanced research and higher education, which acts as an advisory body in implementing Government policies. It allocates funds and coordinates academic matters of the Universities. The President has also established Chancellor’s Steering Committee to monitor developments in education. Rs. 16.00 billion has been allocated for higher education which is over 3300% more then the previous allocations by any Government since independence.

The Netherlands supports schools in Pakistan

News item 12-12-2005
Primary schools in Pakistan can count on Dutch support in the next few years, with ?30 million now earmarked for 2006. This means that the Netherlands will be expanding its development programme in Pakistan to include education.
This was announced by Development Minister Agnes van Ardenne at her meeting with the Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
In Pakistan, as elsewhere, children need to go to school, and the Netherlands wants to help them to do so over the next few years. Special focus will be placed on the pre-school development of young children, and on the quality of teaching and teaching materials. This means that the Netherlands will be expanding its development programme in Pakistan to include education.
"By 2015, all children in Pakistan must be attending school, with as many girls as boys getting an education," announced Minister van Ardenne. "The Netherlands is going to help the provinces there - which make their own curriculums - to achieve these Millennium Development Goals. Pakistan itself is responsible for educating its children, but the Netherlands will provide money and advice."
At present, only 58% of Pakistan's children attend school, and for every ten boys in the classroom there are only six girls. That is why an extra effort will have to be made to get girls into school.
EarthquakeThe development partnership with Pakistan was not the only reason for the Minister's visit. She and her Irish counterpart Conor Lenihan also visited the areas in Pakistan that were hit by the earthquake two months ago.
The Dutch government has released a total of €28 for emergency aid to Pakistan, €10 million of which has been channelled through UNICEF to set up temporary schools in tents. The Dutch aid organisations launched a joint appeal and collected more than €30 million from the public for the aid effort in Pakistan.
More information
Source
Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release
12-12-2005
See also
The Netherlands to donate tents to Pakistan
News item 12-12-2005
Van Ardenne donates 2 million euro more for victims of Pakistan quake
12-12-2005
Ten million euros in emergency aid for Pakistan
News item 12-12-2005
The Netherlands sends rescue team to Pakistan
News item 12-12-2005
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Pakistan, Karachi: Karachi American School

The Karachi American School is an independent, coeducational day school which offers an educational program from prenursery through grade 12 for students of all nationalities. The School was founded in 1952. The school year comprises 2 semesters extending from August to mid-December and from January through May. Prospective students are requested to apply for admission at least two weeks in advance of their arrival in Karachi.Organization: The School is governed by a 7-member Board of Directors, elected for 2-year terms by the Karachi American Society. Membership in the Society is automatically awarded to the parents or guardians of children enrolled in the School. The Society is registered under the Societies Registration Act of Pakistan. The School is not incorporated in the United States but is tax-exempt in the United States.Curriculum: The curriculum is modeled in line with United States independent college-preparatory day schools. Advanced Placement courses are offered in 13 subjects. The APID is offered. The School does not offer a program for special needs students. The School's testing program includes the ITBS, PSAT/NMSQT, AP, SAT I, and SAT II. Instruction is in English. The School offers modern language instruction in French, Spanish, and Urdu. English-as-a-Second-Language is offered for non-native speakers of English through grade 8. There are chapters of the National Honor Society and the National Junior Honor Society. There is no religious instruction. All graduates go on to colleges and universities in the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom. The School is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and is a member of NESA, AAIE, NAIS, and SAISA.Faculty: In the 2008-2009 school year, there are 37 full-time and 2 part-time faculty members, including 17 U.S. citizens, 14 host-country nationals and 8 third-country nationals.Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year, enrollment was 327 (PN-grade 5: 130; grades 6-8: 84; and grades 9-12: 113). Of the total, 53 were U.S. citizens, 187 were host-country nationals, and 87 were third-country nationals. Of the U.S. enrollment, all were dependents of private U.S. citizens.Facilities: The School is housed in a modern plant on approximately 10 acres of land. It is well equipped with elementary and secondary school libraries, science and language laboratories, 3 computer laboratories, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, tennis and squash courts, and an athletic field.Finances: In the 2008-2009 school year, about 90% of the School's income derives from tuition. Annual tuition rates are as follows: PN-N: $7,830; Kdg.: $11,785; grades 1-5: $11,785; grades 6-8: $11,785; grades 9-11; $11,835 and grade 12: $12,035. First-year students are charged an additional $4,000 registration fee on a one-time basis. There is also an application fee of $100 per student and an annual security surcharge of $200. These fees are payable in Pakistani rupees by Pakistani citizens or U.S. dollars by others. (All fees are quoted in U.S. dollars.)
Released on December 10, 2008

The British Council’s School

The British Council’s School Links project aims to provide a forum where schools in Pakistan can link up with like-minded counterparts in the United Kingdom. School Links partnerships foster a mutual interest among students about each other’s activities, interests and lifestyles.
A partnership between the linked schools must be equal, reciprocal and fun and it should contribute to the curriculum and broad interests of both the schools.A successful school link should be able to raise young people’s awareness of cultural diversity and promote understanding among different communities.

The Aga Khan Education Service in Pakistan

The Aga Khan Education Service in Pakistan is one of the largest private networks of education institutions. It was among the earliest non-governmental education providers in the region, establishing its first school in 1905 in Gwadar, Balochistan.Almost a century later, the Service operates in all four provinces and Pakistan's Northern Areas reaching out to 75,000 students (65% female). As a direct education provider, it operates 186 schools and four hostels across Pakistan.Aga Khan Higher Secondary School, GilgitAga Khan Higher Secondary School, Hunza (Girls)Aga Khan Higher Secondary School, KarachiAga Khan School, KharadharAga Khan School, GardenSultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan School, KarachiView schools worldwide

The Biochemical Society

Mission and Vision
The Biochemical Society aims to promote the advancement of the science of biochemistry within the wider context of the cellular and molecular life sciences. The Society encourages communication among individual scientists, societies and organisations – nationally and internationally.
History
The Biochemical Society was founded in 1911, and became member of FEBS in 1964.
Key offers
Meetings and Events: The Biochemical Society organises a vibrant programme of meetings and events including the flagship annual BioScience meeting and up to 20 focused meetings each year.
BioScience2006 comprises an exciting scientific programme including the Biochemical Journal Centenary Symposium, presentations by internationally renowned speakers, award winning lectures and over 30 symposia covering key topics from across the biosciences. Over 1500 delegates worldwide are expected to attend. Visit http://www.bioscience2006.org/ for further details.
Scholarly Publishing: The Society’s not-for-profit publisher, Portland Press Ltd, publishes journals and books in the molecular and life sciences, including the Society’s flagship journal, Biochemical Journal, which celebrated 100 years of scientific excellence in 2006.
Grants and Funds: Society members may apply for a range of grants and funds, including travel grants to attend scientific meetings (e.g. IUBMB/FEBS) or to make short visits to other laboratories.
Education and Careers Activities: The Society undertakes educational activities aimed at teachers, school and university students. It also provides a wide range of resources including http://www.biochem4schools.org/, an online collection of biochemistry resources for teachers and students.
Membership
The Biochemical Society has a network of over 6000 members worldwide (2005) with approximately 25% of members from outside the UK. There is also a vibrant student membership with over 1300 members (2005)
Membership is open to anyone with an interest in biochemistry and the wider biosciences.
In addition to the Full and Student membership categories, the Society is introducing two new categories of individual membership:
Young Researcher - for those members who have gained their PhD or equivalent within the last 10 years; and
Career Break - for members taking a career/family break of up to one year.
There are also two new group membership categories:
Schools - for schools, colleges and institutions teaching science at 16 plus level; and
Networking - for organisations and institutes with an interest in the biosciences.
Contact Person
Sheila Alink-BrunsdonThe Biochemical Society (UK),3rd Floor, Eagle House, 16 Procter Street, London. WC1V 6NX,Tel. + 44 20 7280 4150 Fax: + 44 20 7280 4167Email

Website
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