Peshawar: Khushhali Bank Limited (KBL) in association with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded merit-based scholarships to the students from FATA studying at the University of Peshawar. Syed Zahid Raza, the head of Khushhali Bank Limited’s Human Resources Department, awarded the scholarships to deserving students at a ceremony hosted at the university.
Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, Professor of Statistics, Faculty of Numerical and Physical Sciences, University of Peshawar, congratulated the students and wished them success in their future endeavors in front of an audience of faculty and other university students. Khushhali Bank in association with USAID initiated the scholarship program in 2005, allowing universities across the country to provide opportunities to eligible students from marginalized areas in Sindh, Balochistan and FATA to acquire higher education. These scholarships are merit based and awarded to the students who qualify for a degree program per the admission criteria of the respective university.
The scholarships cover tuition and examination fees, in addition to course-related materials, books, and boarding expenses. Highlighting the importance of education Mr. Syed Zahid Raza stated, “Education is the gateway to an enlightened society and through these scholarships we take a step towards facilitating access to education and the development of the country’s vast pool of human capital and painting ourselves a brighter future. It is with great pride that we reward these students for their efforts by investing in their tomorrow.” With these 27 new scholarships the number of scholarships awarded to the students of University of Peshawar in 2008’ alone comes up to 61, bringing the total number of scholarships extended to this university to 74 since the inception of the program. While the sum total of all scholarships awarded to various universities during the year 2008 amounts to an impressive 180.
These scholarships have been awarded to the students of the prestigious national universities, including Lahore University of Management Sciences, Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, Institute of Management Sciences, Hayatabad, City University, Peshawar, and Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta. Since the start of the program in 2005, Khushhali Bank has awarded 268 scholarships. Commending the program, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, Professor of Statistics, Faculty of Numerical & Physical Sciences, University of Peshawar, said, “Access to quality education is a fundamental human right and, it is a matter of great honor to be a part of Khushhali Bank’s efforts to play a constructive role in protecting this right and creating opportunities where by hardworking students can realize their ambitions and true potential.”
Source: http://www.thefrontierpost.com/News.aspx?ncat=cn&nid=1604&ad=30-12-2008
Showing posts with label FATA scholarships. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FATA scholarships. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
HEC creates hurdles in awarding scholarships to FATA students
ISLAMABAD: Students hailing from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) have alleged Higher Education Commission (HEC) was putting their future at stake by procrastinating the decision regarding interpretation of Supreme Court of Pakistan's verdict on division of reserved seats among students of inner and outer FATA region. Prof Qasim Masood , Chairman FATA Employees Welfare Society, Islamabad, while presiding over protest meeting of FATA teachers, students, businessmen and civil society activists, told The Frontier Post on Monday that HEC had committed violation of the rules by denying FATA students the right to seek admission in public sector universities under 'Provision of higher education opportunities for students of FATA and Balochistan.
It was said that HEC had withheld the merit list of FATA students because it violated the Supreme Court decision on reserved seats for FATA students. Before preparing the merit policy, they alleged, HEC did take into consideration the court's decision at all and it selected students on quite reverse proportionate of students from inner and outer FATA region. The court, in its decision, had explicitly directed the authorities to allot 10% of the total reserved seats of FATA region to those who in fact had received their education from within the region whereas the remaining 90% seats were to be reserved for students getting education from outside FATA but having domicile of FATA region.
The official concerned in HEC when contacted by FP said that HEC being ignorant of Supreme Court verdict awarded scholarships to FATA students on the bases of an earlier formula containing 10% seats for students seeking education from outside FATA region and remaining 90% for the students who got education from within FATA. The official said since the students falling under outer FATA quota had raised their demand, HEC was left with no other option but to withhold the merit list and to seek opinion of legal advisors on the contention of students from outer region in context of Supreme Court decision.
He said that SC judgment merely referred to students seeking admission in medical colleges whereas the scholarship project worth Rs 981.486m covered all disciplines of studies including engineering as well. Moreover, he said 60% of the project awards were for students from Balochistan and remaining 40% for FATA region students.
When asked how long it would take to seek legal opinion of the advisor and to commence with scholarship awarding to the students, the official said that it might take few more weeks to come up with resolution of the issue. It was also said that the awards had to be finalized during Sept-Oct 2008 to let the students seek admission in relevant universities but the confusion regarding seat allotment had delayed the issue for indefinite period.
Students both from inner and outer FATA region had urged the authorities to take immediate notice of the issue by asking the HEC to resolve the issue at its earliest to save students' time and resources.
Source: http://frontierpost.com.pk/News.aspx?ncat=ts&nid=3659
It was said that HEC had withheld the merit list of FATA students because it violated the Supreme Court decision on reserved seats for FATA students. Before preparing the merit policy, they alleged, HEC did take into consideration the court's decision at all and it selected students on quite reverse proportionate of students from inner and outer FATA region. The court, in its decision, had explicitly directed the authorities to allot 10% of the total reserved seats of FATA region to those who in fact had received their education from within the region whereas the remaining 90% seats were to be reserved for students getting education from outside FATA but having domicile of FATA region.
The official concerned in HEC when contacted by FP said that HEC being ignorant of Supreme Court verdict awarded scholarships to FATA students on the bases of an earlier formula containing 10% seats for students seeking education from outside FATA region and remaining 90% for the students who got education from within FATA. The official said since the students falling under outer FATA quota had raised their demand, HEC was left with no other option but to withhold the merit list and to seek opinion of legal advisors on the contention of students from outer region in context of Supreme Court decision.
He said that SC judgment merely referred to students seeking admission in medical colleges whereas the scholarship project worth Rs 981.486m covered all disciplines of studies including engineering as well. Moreover, he said 60% of the project awards were for students from Balochistan and remaining 40% for FATA region students.
When asked how long it would take to seek legal opinion of the advisor and to commence with scholarship awarding to the students, the official said that it might take few more weeks to come up with resolution of the issue. It was also said that the awards had to be finalized during Sept-Oct 2008 to let the students seek admission in relevant universities but the confusion regarding seat allotment had delayed the issue for indefinite period.
Students both from inner and outer FATA region had urged the authorities to take immediate notice of the issue by asking the HEC to resolve the issue at its earliest to save students' time and resources.
Source: http://frontierpost.com.pk/News.aspx?ncat=ts&nid=3659
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