Doubling up: Evening shifts at Khar College give more youth a shot at education

Governor approves second run to facilitate students on waiting lists.

PESHAWAR:

A shortage of seats in college departments means hundreds of students remain on waiting lists for some space to materialise. To remedy the situation, Governor Shaukatullah Khan has approved evening shifts at Government Postgraduate College Khar, Bajaur Agency.

FATA Secretariat Director Information Fazlullah Khan said the evening seats would be self-financed at Rs15,000 per year, though this arrangement would be on a no-profit, no-loss basis.

A strict merit policy has to be followed and students with higher graders will be admitted for the morning shift. The remaining will be accommodated in the later classes. All admissions will be made in a transparent manner, maintained the director.

The governor consented to a proposal put forward by the principal,who explained after filling all available seats in the institution, 128 students were on the waiting list for pre-medical, 184 for pre-engineering and over 300 on the list for humanities. The evening seats would be self-financed at Rs15,000 per year.



Keeping them off the streets

The governor’s principal secretary, Mohammad Abid Majjid, said the proposal was genuinely appreciated as it will promote education for all and ensure those who fail to secure seats do not become fodder for extremists.



As per the policy guidelines and procedures, as approved by the governor, the initiative would be run on the basis of ‘no profit, no loss’ where students pay for the actual cost of their education. This includes payment to lecturers, staff and a minor contribution towards utility bills. It was decided the principal will ensure teaching quality in the evening classes will be no less than in the morning shift, and extra utility expenses are avoided.

Biannual internal audits will be carried out by a committee comprising representatives from education and finance departments and the political administration.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 7^th, 2013.