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The ‘Laptop Scholarship’ announced by the Punjab Chief Minister has made the bright students of public sector institutions enthusiastic, most of them checking the Chief Minister’s Youth Initiative website on a daily basis, hoping to find their names published there.
Till Sunday, some 110,351 brilliant students studying in BS (Honours), masters, M.Phil and PhD classes in public sector colleges and universities, besides high-achievers of the boards in matriculation examinations across Punjab, have been registered for the scholarship.
Though the registration date for the regular morning classes’ students expired on January 15, the evening students of Replica Programme can get themselves registered till January 25.
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had initially announced the grant of 100,000 laptops for the public sector students scoring above 70 per cent. However, the number of laptops was later enhanced to 125,000 in view of students’ enthusiasm and protests staged by those studying in evening classes, who were initially excluded.
“The motivation and enthusiasm behind this scheme is to help students rise above problems and hurdles they face in their path to gain knowledge and excel professionally,” says CM Shahbaz Sharif.
Those in government service and seeking higher education also want to be considered for the scholarship. Though this segment cannot agitate like evening classes students, they are trying to make their voices heard, arguing they too can’t afford to purchase laptops on their own given their meager salaries. Among them, those serving public institutions in up to BPS-16 are more vocal.
Though the scheme may prove beneficial for the shining students, it is taking a heavy toll on the backend officials of various educational institutions who are engaged for the massive data collection, update and sifting without getting an extra buck.
“This initiative has boggled us, as we are being asked to continuously update the lists – most of the time within one-day deadline, with a warning that in case of loss of any student’s data the department concerned will be held responsible,” an ‘affected’ official said.
“With one-day deadline, we are verifying each student’s data from about 1,250-page file,” they said last week. The loadshedding had made this exercise tougher and replacement of desktop computers with laptops could help expedite the work, they suggested.
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THE College of Home Economics last weekend organised a funfair, offering the students a refreshing break from the tedious studies and monotonous routine.
The colourful event featured 64 stalls, including 25 set up by college and six by various departments, where students had every thing to enjoy. The offers included different sorts of food, shopping from a wide range of items and even donkey-cart ride. Funfair chief organiser Neelam Imam said the proceeds from the event would be used for charity.
The tastefully decorated stalls offering flower arrangement, bed sheets, towels, furniture, handmade accessories, paintings and photography, poetry books, jewellery, games and artwork, pottery and shoes attracted most buyers.
The college’s home management department had put on display intricately designed bed-sheets while art department had put up stalls of home-made cushions, trolley sets, pottery, handbags and other accessories. The textile department had set up a stall of shawls, table-cloths etc. The English department had set up game stalls. The HDFS department had come up with unique designs of bread boxes and other items of domestic use. Besides, stalls offering face-painting, Hina and nail art, specially caught the attention of young students.
Inaugurating the funfair, MPA Arifa Khalid said the co-curricular activities were important for students’ healthy grooming, fighting negative human emotions and developing a healthy society.
She said the importance of the college had become even grater in view of Punjab government’s plan of promoting cottage industry. She also agreed that the college, being a professional institution, needed attention of the government so that it could produce quality textile and interior designers and nutritionists.
Principal Dr Samia Kalsoom said the college was encouraging students to bring forth their hidden talents so that they could face the challenges of society. The contrast between the chilling winter and the warm pulsating air of excitement was a sensual delight not only for students but for teachers as well, she said.
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SAUDA Ibrahim of Qazi Grammer School, Chungi Amar Sidhu, has won the title of “Brain of Lahore 2012” at the annual competition organised by a private school.
Selected Class-X students from 296 schools of Lahore participated in the three-hour multiple choice questions (MCQs) written examination at The Trust School, Aamir Town, Harbunspura, on Saturday.
The test assessed students’ knowledge in seven subjects – chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, English, general knowledge and computer.
The school offered Rs15,000 cash prize for the winner and her school. Punjab education minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, who distributed prizes among the winning students, announced another Rs10,000 cash prize each for the ‘Brain of Lahore’ as well as her school.
The students, who won the competition in various subjects are: Muhammad Jawwad Haider of LDA Model High School, Johar Town, (Biology and Physics); Ali Zohaib Saeed of Society Public School, Mughalpura, (Chemistry), Mira Khan of Knowledge House Girls High School, Baghbanpura, (Mathematics); Syed Muhammad Tayyab of The Educators, Elite Campus, Johar Town, (English); Airas Akhtar of KIPS Girls High School, Johar Town, (Computer); and Rida Suhail of The Punjab School, Girls Campus, Kot Khawaja Saeed (General Knowledge). These winners and their subject teachers were awarded cash prizes of Rs5,000 each.
Trust for Education and Development of Deserving Students (TEDDS) general secretary Tahir Yousaf said this was the seventh annual ‘Brain of Lahore’ competition organised by the school. — mansoormalik173@hotmail.com.
