75pc schoolchildren found suffering from eye allergies

By Our Reporter (Dawn 26-09-2008)

 

RAWALPINDI, Sept 25: As many as 75 per cent schoolchil­dren who were screened at the free eye-screening camp set up by AI-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital were found suffering from eye al­lergies.

 

More than 2,000 children had gone through eye check-ups dur­ing the free-school eye-screening camps conducted in August­September by AI-Shifa Trust under its Community Outreach Programme in various schools in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, a press release stated on Thursday.

 

AI-Shifa Trust free eye school screening team consisted of eye specialists Dr. Ashraf, Dr AIi Haider and Dr Abid and suppor­ted camp supervisor Mohammed Aslam and six paramedical staffs.

 

The heads of a number of aca­demic institutions have lauded the role of AI-Shifa Trust Hospital for conducting free eye camps in educational institu­tions. In their messages to the hospital, they stated that by con­ ducting free eye camps, AI-Shifa Trust was creating awareness among children of how to care about their eyes.

 

 

 

Side-effect: A new politics

A new politics Friday, September 26, 2008 by Harris Khalique Lahore was warm, friendly, flaunting and boisterous as usual. The occasion was a meeting organised by a promising journalist Mehmal Sarfaraz and a budding political organiser Zeeshan Noel Christopher to discuss a new countrywide political party. Encouraging was the fact that both the organisers are well under 30 years of age and they were able to gather people from a wide cross-section of society. It was in fact one of the many meetings being organised across the country. The party is being established around social democratic principles, contemplating radical economic and political reforms, and wants to promote collective leadership emerging from the grassroots. There were trade unionists, teachers, journalists, artists, writers, political workers and students who virtually dissected the opportunities and constraints that would come by in this tedious process. A policy document prepared by some of us for the proposed party was also read out and discussed. I have been a part of some of these meetings myself in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Multan, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Karachi, Turbat and, earlier, in Lahore. A number of such events have been organised in smaller cities of all four provinces and Azad Kashmir. Various groups and individuals are participating, mostly left-leaning but also others who are terribly unhappy with the situation and think it is about time that they themselves take charge. The idea is to bring people together on a crisp, cogent and doable programme which focuses on economic progress through development in agriculture and industry and provision of social services to every citizen. The initiative was taken by Dr Hassan Nasir who returned to Pakistan a few years ago and started reaching out to people all over. He is the son of the most adored humanist leader who believed in socialist ideals, the Late Dr Aizaz Nazeer, who spent 28 years of his life behind bars as a political prisoner during the Ayub, Bhutto and Zia periods. Dr Hasan Nasir was born after the martyrdom of the young revolutionary Hasan Nasir and is named after him. The senior Nasir was brutally tortured and killed in the Lahore Fort torture cell in 1960. His famous requiem was written by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. People say that he was an unusually handsome man and when his mother came to identify his body, it was so disfigured that she couldn't recognise her son. The political workers of Pakistan make us proud for they have paid a huge price to make the people of this country truly free and prosperous. I feel agitated when a part of the intellectuals and intelligentsia in this country give a verdict that there is no possibility for bringing change in Pakistan due to a lack of will in its citizens and a medieval social order.   I have said before and I say again that we need incorrigible optimists. The people of Pakistan, belonging to diverse social, ethnic and economic backgrounds, possess more determination than ever before to change their collective destiny, eradicate poverty and injustice, live with dignity and freedom, and create a modern, legal, rational and just state: a state that lives up to the expectations of its citizens, harbours new hopes, fulfils aspirations and unleashes the creative potential. Where the will lacks is in the civil and military elite who have neither a sense nor an ability to steer us through the storm, the incompetent and self-serving politicians, and in cynical and self-conceited intellectuals. What we need now to ensure a prosperous future is a new broad-based political force that thrives on a shared vision, internal democracy, honest practices and dedicated cadres. It should be a force that has the ability to bring all stakeholders under one roof, negotiates with internal and external actors in the interest of the people, sets itself realistic but high targets of achievement in all spheres, and enjoys mass popularity due to its political programme, competence, commitment and drive. I see enormous prospects for the emergence of such a political force and that is why working for its success. This will happen sooner than we predict.     The writer is an Islamabad-based poet and rights campaigner. Email: harris@spopk.org

 

Economic Package hangs in the balance

Economic Package hangs in the balance

(By SHAHBAZ RANA The Nation)  

ISLAMABAD - Much-trumpeted Economic Stabilization Package is hanging in the balance due to persistent security dilemma and its failure will lead to drastic steps including compression of imports and restricted capital out flight.
The government on last Friday announced multi-pronged Economic Stabilization Package with the aim of healing sinking economy. Out of four pillars, its two columns are jolting due to security uncertainty in the country, which peaked on Saturday with suicide attack on the Marriott International Hotel, located a few hundred yards away from the Parliament and the Presidency.
So much so, there were reports that the visiting team of International Monetary Fund excluding its head, Juan Carlos Di Tata who was still in Islamabad, left Pakistan on security grounds, which was earlier scheduled to depart on Wednesday.
However, a top official of the Finance Ministry said the team went back as per schedule. The team was here to give its evaluation on current economic situation and the top official said the IMF submitted its brief report, which found everything normal with Pakistan economic package.
Financing widening current account deficit - the most important element of the package, the government is eying on attracting foreign investment. According to the plan, the government would privatize the oil, gas and power sectors on a fast track basis. The government wants to bridge budget deficit by issuing government commercial papers and Pakistan Investment Bonds - the second significant point.
Background interviews with key officials of Finance Ministry, international donor agencies and independent economists reveal that chances of success of the economic recovery plan are dimmed if the country remained engulfed in civil war like situation for a couple of more months.
Pakistan is in need of at least US $ 3 to 4 billion to meet the current account obligations. Foreign currency reserves with State Bank of Pakistan are not enough to finance even more than two months imports. Total foreign exchange reserves stand at US $ 8.912 billon, out of which the Central Bank is possessing about US $ 5.5 billion.
Despite approaching key world capitals, the government could only muster US $ 500 million from Asian Development Bank, which is likely to be transferred to the government on September 30. The worrisome element is capital out flight, which is going on at US $ 250-300 million per week.
Thin reserves position and uncertainty are also causing depreciation in Pak rupee value against the American currency. On Monday, the first working day after Saturday deadly attack, dollar against rupee touched new peak of Rs 78.30 = 1 $. Such depreciation also keeps foreign investors at a bay due to loss in currency value.
Planning Commission Chief Economist, Dr Rashid Amjad still believes the foreign investment will keep on coming in because Pakistan offers high rate of returns, which induces foreign investors to invest despite concerns. He also pinned high hopes from friends of Pakistan to come forward and help out.

 

Education failing to promote critical thinking

By Beenish Tahir

(Dawn, 19 September 2008)

Whether it is private or public education, both sectors leave much to be desired. Public sector education is tragically inadequate for a number of reasons. Issues begin in the very conception of a good education. The aim is not getting students interested in education. Without any vision or aim, the public education sector seems to be doomed. One cannot help sympathising with all the students who have graduated, but will soon discover that their education has been useless.

At least there is the option of private education. That is, option for those who can afford it of course. Most of the private educational institutions teach the British curriculum of O and A levels. At a university level, there are plenty of external degrees available. The external programmes provide a rich range of subjects in addition to flexibility and independence. Students can choose to stay home and hire a private tutor and independently give their exams -- that’s not a bad deal, though the child then has no social interaction in his/her age group.

Then these curriculums make sense and are internationally accepted. Such courses expect students to demonstrate critical thinking, which helps one to develop good communication and analytical skills. It means the student is capable of thinking outside the box. This skill is crucial to success in life.

So the question is: is your child thinking?

Is your child receiving the opportunity to think, analyse and, organise information through various sources such newspapers, books and the internet? Is your child applying the information s/he has learnt to the real world? Do you find your child changing as s/he learns a particular subject? If the answers are yes to the questions you know you have sent your child to the right school.

However, if you feel that most of the above developments are not taking place then it means your child’s school or college is doing a poor job. It is that simple. All curriculums stress critical thinking, yet many of the institutions conveniently ignore this aspect.

Some managers have complained about new interns lacking communication skills. Graduates have to be taught everything from scratch, from how to collect and organise information to how to write a report to make a presentation. These are the basic skills a graduate should possess. The employer’s job is simply to provide the practical usage of these skills.

That in no way means our present youth is dumb; if anything they are smarter than any generation before. They are more aware of the world, tech savvy, intelligent, confident and, fast-learners. However, these qualities do not show in their careers.

It is because the educational institutions are simply ignoring the link between the curriculum and the professional life. Students feel disconnected from their education and the real world. The British curriculum has been designed to promote analytical thinking but in our schools, they are encouraged to cram he answers. Students are given prepared notes on the ‘right’ answers to memorise. They are unable to grasp the complexities of subjects like social sciences. That is why, when students finally enter a profession, they find their knowledge inadequate. That is why employers are frustrated; they have to teach the students exactly what they were supposed to have learned at their colleges. One wonders why the British curriculums fail to practically monitor these issues.

The most intelligent generation of our time is being wasted. Children have the right to explore and discover knowledge actively. They should be allowed to question and debate topics. There should be strict policy against providing notes. For the teacher who does not follow the note-giving process suffers most because his/her students will simply find another teacher who would over-simplify. It is a great tragedy that the students are attaining knowledge for the short-term, instead of long-term, life-changing knowledge. All parents should be aware that active learning and critical thinking are crucial skills for the success of their child in their careers and personal life. These skills produce strong and confident characters. Finally, students should have the right to choose subjects for which they have a natural bent and which interests them.

The writer teaches Sociology and is a freelance writer. She can be reached at:

Beenisch_bb@hotmail.com