UoS Academic Council approves university admin decisions

SARGODHA: The University of Sargodha Academic Council approved all the decisions taken by the university administration regarding continuity, excellence, equity and the quality of online education in line with the policy guidelines of the Higher Education Commission for smooth completion of the academic year 2019/20.

UoS Vice Chancellor Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad chaired the meeting at Noon Auditorium of the university amid strict compliance of coronavirus SOPs and guidelines provided by the government. HEC representative, all deans, directors, chairs and other members of the council attended the meeting. Following the Punjab government notification, the Academic Council approved teaching of the Holy Quran with translation. It was approved that no student will be awarded a degree, if he or she does not study the Holy Quran with translation. On the directions of the HEC, a policy for online education was evolved by the university along with the corona SOPs for approving online courses from the Online Academic Council were also certified. A programme wise list of courses was also approved to be authorised as online courses for online teaching as required by the HEC after ensuring that all the material related to the course has been uploaded to LMS and other necessary requirement have been met.

The house considered the reports about learning management system, quality assurance and teachers training, library resources, and the mechanism developed under the office of Director Students Affairs to address grievances of students facing connectivity issues. The council certified all these actions as required by the HEC.

Considering the limitations of various options for conduct of examination, the meeting approved the mode of Online Assessment for Spring 2020 in line with the HEC guidelines. However, the priority would be given to the conduct of examination physically after July 15 when the university will reopen or allowed by the HEC.

For the purpose, one week physical classes will be arranged before conduct of final term examinations to address the deficiency in courses and issues faced by the students during the online classes.

The meeting also approved transfer of courses and credit hours of participants of the UGRAD programme from the US universities to Sargodha University.

Under this programme, students of the Pakistani universities would join the US universities to study one semester.

Corona claims 20 lives: Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Nayyar Sheikh, presiding over a meeting of the anti-corona committee, directed the Health Department to ensure daily monitoring of patients in home isolation.

He said that the local government bodies should provide daily burial records of the entire district so that steps could be taken to protect the people from coronavirus. The DC said that one of the relatives should be included in the funeral of the victim of coronavirus and anti-corona SOPs should be fully adopted. To prevent the spread of corona, every school of thought should be included in the public awareness, he added. He urged the media, being a sensitive section of the society, to educate the people about corona. District Health Officer Dr Sohail Asghar Qazi told the meeting that the death toll from corona had risen to 20 in the district. Out of 448 positive diagnosed patients, 301 had recovered, he said and added that at present 437 people were present in home isolation.

Focal Person for Anti-Corona Committee Dr Asad Aslam and WHO Representative Dr Adil Saleem were also present in the meeting.

Two held with 350 kites: Police arrested two kite-sellers and seized 350 kites, twine and other paraphernalia from them here on Sunday.

Sillanwali police led by SHO Hafiz Naveed Akram conducted a raid and arrested accused Ramzan and Tahir and seized 350 kites, 10 spools of twine and other paraphernalia from them.