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| People question donation collection by private schools |
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Monday, January 26, 2009
By Khalid Khattak
LAHORE
AS more and more people have been opting to send their kids to private sector schools in the wake of low quality education and deteriorating standard of public schools, many are getting upset because of certain “unwanted” practices of these private institutions.
Besides complaining about heavy amount charged at the time of admission, people have been expressing concern over heavy fee structure and collection of extra funds under various heads on regular basis.
The compulsory purchase of books, uniform and other stationery items from prescribed stores by some of the elite schools are some of the other practices, which have been inviting stakeholders’ criticism over the years.
However, there are different opinions over collection of donations on part of private schools by students for various noble causes such as helping flood or quake affectees.
There are those who favour the move saying such practices motivate the young minds to help people caught in trouble. “It teaches students that how to contribute for rehabilitation and welfare of fellow human beings,” believes Aleem whose son goes to a leading private school.
He further said the school management, where his child was studying, used to ask students to bring donations in case the country faced a catastrophe like recent earthquake in Balochistan and floods in various parts of the country.
He added, “Though most of the students do not donate from their own pocket yet they learn how to help those caught in trouble.”
Nevertheless, there are those who are against the collection of donations by students saying no one should be forced to contribute.
“It is unfortunate that most of the schools make it mandatory for students to bring donations, which is totally wrong,” believes Ali whose children go to an elite school too.
He said schools must not make it compulsory for students to bring donations, adding in case someone donates less than others he/she is faced with inferiority complex. “This may put students into an embarrassing situation if they cannot arrange money because of one reason or the other,” he added.
“I don’t mean that one should not help those who are in trouble but the point is no one should be compelled rather one should be let to share as he/she likes to,” he further added.
He said, “The elite schools generate huge funds then why their management do not donate themselves.”
Academic circles are also critical of unbridled working of the private schools. Referring to the Punjab government’s ongoing efforts to amend the Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation) Ordinance 1984, they have urged the government to take into account all the factors in this connection.
At the same time, they have also urged the government to uplift standard of government schools. They believe it is unfortunate that at present the competition is among private schools only as far as quality education is concerned, saying efforts should be made to ensure a comeback of government schools in this competition.
Training Course: Environmental Science Department of Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), Lahore and Global Environmental Lab Lahore jointly organised a one-day training course on “Occupational Health and Safety” in the university seminar room last week.
According to a press statement, the purpose of the training course was to provide information for the identification of health and safety issues at workplace, impart training to formulate occupational health and safety (OHS) practices for identified issues and develop skills for the use of equipment for the management of health and safety issues.
Prof Dr K J Cheema, Dean Faculty of Natural Sciences highlighted the significance of occupational health and safety at workplace. She narrated that occupational health was the physical, physiological and psychosocial condition of an organisation’s workforce, related to different work context. Every organisation must prevent injury, illness and death at workplace. “The OHS legislation requires that employers provide adequate training and supervision to workers”, she said while adding, “An employer should provide information and training about hazards, safe work procedures, the health and safety policy and the arrangements for health and safety for the workers.”
Ms Asia Saif from Honda Atlas Cars, Lahore described the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) at workplace specially industry, its types, use, and limitations.
Asim Mehmood, Director Global Environmental Lab said that no matter how experienced and knowledgeable an operator might become, he/she must always exercise maximum amount of caution when one faced fault identification and troubleshooting of electrical apparatus or circuits.
Speaking on the occasion, LCWU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Bushra Mateen emphasized that every organisation must had a systematic examination and monitoring programme to conduct survey and identify hazards regularly for the effective OHS management system and determine whether these could support health, safety and productivity together.
Dr Muhammad Afzal Chaudhry from Global Environmental Lab also spoke on the occasion.
The course was organised as an activity of the Higher Education Link (HEL) between Environmental Science Department of LCWU and Division of Biology, Imperial College London, UK. The project titled “Strengthening and Development of Environmental Training and Research Centre at LCWU, Pakistan” is funded under the Higher Education Commission-British Council Joint HE Link Project (HEC-BC JHELP-II).
Tribute To Prof Miskeen Hijazi: A memorial reference was held at Government MAO College on Saturday to pay tribute to late Prof Dr Miskeen Ali Hijazi, former head of Journalism department at the Punjab University.
Speakers at the reference said that late Dr Miskeen Ali Hijazi was a patriotic Pakistani, good teacher and a great journalist at the same time and many journalists and students benefited from his personality.
Majority of them agreed on formation of a society with the name “Bazm-e-Hijazi” to pay homage to the services rendered by Dr Miskeen Ali Hijazi for the journalism.
Those who spoke on the occasion included Director PU Institute of Communication Studies (ICS), Prof Dr Mughees-ud-Din Sheikh, MAO College Principal Prof Zafarul Mohsan Pirzada and other faculty members.
—lachvee@gmail.com
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ISSN 1563-9479 
