FARUKH SHEHZAD

ISLAMABAD, OCT 16 /DNA/ – Vice Chancellor Air University Air Marshal Javaid Ahmed (Retd) has stressed the need of promoting career-focused education, stating that: “Air University focuses on enhancing the employability skills in order to facilitate students for choosing a perfect career path.” He was addressing the concluding session in connection with the first-ever Career Counseling Week (AUCCW 2022) organized by the AU Career Support Office. On the occasion, Director Student Affairs Fazaila Ali, Assistant Director Sabahuddin Qazi, Placement Officials Gulnaz Batool, Misbah Shahid, Mobeen Jamshed and other distinguished guests were also present.

The Vice Chancellor, in his address, emphasized that a career-oriented education is the need of time that empowers students, through academic programs and co-curricular activities, to identify their professional goals and let them move forward in the right direction to achieve successes. “Air University is taking various initiatives facilitating students to earn their valuable degree, develop bright destiny, and ensure a solid foundation for their future achievements,” he further said.

Answering a question about the importance of CGPA in job hirings, the VC acknowledged that the CGPA is usually considered the most important factor when being shortlisted for a job position. “You might get a job offer based on your academic performance, but in order to secure the seat and compete in the job market, you need to demonstrate extraordinary competencies related to creative thinking, interpersonal skills, team spirit, decision-making, and a strong grip on technology,” he stated.

“It is a universal fact that students who are more self-aware and clear on their career strengths feel more confident to explore professional opportunities,” DSA Fazaila Ali expressed while expressing her views with students. “The key objectives for organizing the Career Counseling Week include to brief newly-enrolled students of 1st semester about the significance of choosing the right career path, to test and evaluate job readiness skills, and to devise a concrete plan of action in support of career planning and development,” she emphasized.

“The data obtained could also be beneficial for research purpose and decision making process to find out more about students’ career readiness, their strengths and needs for grooming,” Sabahuddin Qazi, who heads Career Support Office, stated, informing that “it will also provide a comprehensive framework for addressing career-related goals and outcomes of curricular and co-curricular activities in terms of student’s field of study and interest areas.”

According to him, a total nine sessions were held throughout the week starting from October 10, during which the AU Career Counseling core team, composed of Gulnaz Batool, Misbah Shahid and Mobeen Jamshed, evaluated the employability skills and career readiness competencies that employers value most in the recruitment process. “The participating students were thoroughly tested on the basis of job readiness competencies, as per international best practices,” he stated.

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Lahore, JUN 29: Expressing grave concern over the 2.2 million out of school children, with girls being the majority, experts have stressed on the implementation of Free and Compulsory Education Act and girls right to secondary education in Punjab. 

These thoughts were expressed in the consultation session on the Implementation of Free & Compulsory Primary Education Act and Girls’ Right to Secondary Education organized by Awaz CDS and National Commission for Human Rights. The major focus of the session was to emphasize on the initiatives needed to be taken to ensure primary education of children and reducing girls drop out from secondary schools as it would contribute a lot towards ensuring educated women population, a guarantee to economic and social stability.  

Chief Executive Awaz CDS, Mohammad Zia ur Rehman, Member/Commissioner (Punjab) National Commission for Human Rights, Nadeem Ashraf, Director School Education Department, Mr. Ghulam Farid, Member Punjab Assembly, Ms. Uswa Aftab, and Ms. Ayesha Iqbal, Ms Noorish Sabah, Director Punjab Literacy Department, Ms. Baela Raza Jamil from ITA and other academics as well as  members from NGOs attended the event.

 In his opening remarks, Zia ur Rahman, Chief Executive Awaz CDS highlighted the significance of girls quality secondary education and explained the grey areas in the way of girls education in Punjab.

He urged the Punjab government to immediately notify the Punjab Free and Compulsory Education Act 2014 which was approved earlier . He stressed for increase in development budgets for school education as developments budgets are only being distributed to PEF and PEIMA rather development budgets needs to be utilized for the development of public schools especially for girls, where missing facilities and accessibility is still a major challenge. He further warned that due to fuel price hike many girls are leaving schools and more drop outs are expected after summer vacations. 

Mr. Nadeem Ashraf, Member/ Commissioner (Punjab) National commission for Human Rights welcomed the audience and discussed the bottlenecks and challenges in implementing Free and Compulsory education act and ensuring girls basic right of getting education and shift nation towards stability.

He said that according to PSLM 2019-20, In Punjab for every 100 girls enrolled at the primary level, 38 are out-of-school and for every 100 girls enrolled at the secondary level, 162 are out-of-school . 

Ms. Ayesha Iqbal, Member Punjab Assembly highlighted the recent development for enforcement of Punjab Free & Compulsory Education Amendment Act 2020 for the immediate enactment of law . She stressed that Governor Punjab Mr. Baligh-ur-Rehman should take steps to get this education Act notified without any delay as education is priority for all parties. 

Member Punjab Assembly, Ms. Uswa Aftab on behalf of School  Education Standing Committee stressed on the importance of notification of Punjab Free & Compulsory Education Act 2014 to ensure every child is getting basic education and country is progressing towards achieving SDGs on education. 

She said that her department is constantly working on this sector and said they would make extra efforts to sensitize more and more people on girls education in order to minimize girls secondary school drop out ratio. 

The floor was then opened for Answer questions followed by insightful discussion on making primary education compulsory in the province and ensuring girls are getting secondary education and thus contributing towards stability and national goals of educated Pakistan.

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ISLAMABAD, JUN 17: To enhance the professional growth of students and promote industry-academia linkages, Air University conducted Career Fair 2022 at its university premises today.

The career fair provides excellent opportunities to students for gainful employment as well as to strengthen its partnership with prospective employers. At the same time it provides an opportunity for prominent national and multinational companies to connect with fresh, energetic talent and position themselves as preferred employers.

More than 100 national and international organizations representing multiple industries and sectors participated in the Career Fair. Students and recruiters took part in different activities including extensive on-spot screening interviews, sharing information as well as exchanging resumes. Moreover, company representatives also counselled students regarding their career choices and job market requirements.

Vice Chancellor Air University, Air Marshal (Retd) Javed Ahmed said that such events provide common platform to students and job providers so the talent gets the recognition and ways to channelize their inner strengths and energies and employers get the best for their companies. He mentioned that post COVID 19, virtual networking options are very important as employers and employees both prefer to connect through virtual platforms.

He further added that as part of CPEC interventions government should ensure provision of university at every 1000 KMs which can serve as a major prosperity tool to help Pakistan promote education and overcome economic problems.

Director Digital Time Communications, Nazakat Hussain appreciated the role this industry-academia-youth linkage is playing in the youth employment. He said that such collaborations will go a long way in the economic and social development of country by polishing talent and creating a talent pool.

The Diabetes Centre also participated in the career fair not only to hire fresh graduates but also raised awareness among the youth about the diabetes and its symptoms.

Pepsi, Air Blue, Nayatel, Meezan Bank, Soneri Bank, UBL, Askari Bank, Ufone, ProPakistani, PTCL, Huawei, Fauji Cements, Digital Time Communications, The Diabetic Centre and many other prestigious organizations participated in the Career Fair 2022.

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• Punjab govt urged to immediately notify free and compulsory Education Act 2014

ISLAMABAD, JUN 7: Highlighting the significance of girls education towards nation building, stakeholders at an advocacy forum have called for allocating a substantial chunk of annual budget for girls quality education particularly at secondary level in Punjab as it would contribute a lot towards ensuring educated women population, a guarantee to economic and social stability.

The advocacy forum was arranged by the Awaz CDS Pakistan here with a major focus to highlight the importance of girls quality education at secondary level, get input from experts and stakeholders, and push the government to increase budgetary chunk in the upcoming provincial annual budget for this important sector. 

Chief Executive Awaz CDS Pakistan Zia ur Rahman, Punjab MPAs Raheela Khadam Hussain (PML-N) and Ayesha Iqbal (PTI), Mina Umer Hayat from Human Rights & Minorities Affairs Department Punjab, Additional Secretary (Budget & Planning) School Education Department Punjab Qaiser Rasheed, Director General (Parliamentary Affairs & Research) Punjab Assembly Inayat Ullah Lak, Coordinator National Commission for Human Right Punjab Muhammad Khalid and NGOs attended the event. 

In his opening remarks, Zia ur Rahman highlighted the significance of girls quality secondary education and explained the grey areas in the way of girls education in Punjab.

He urged the Punjab government to immediately notify the Punjab Free and Compulsory Education Act 2014 which was approved earlier. He stressed for increasing development budgets in school education as developments budgets are only being distributed to PEF and PEIMA rather development budgets needs to be utilized for the development of public schools especially for girls, where missing facilities and accessibility is still a major challenge. He also called for mainstreaming the people living with disability and transgender community to make education accessible for them.

During the discussion, Punjab MPAs Rahila Khadim and Ayesha Iqbal assured that efforts would be made to get this education Act notified without any delay as education is priority of all political parties.

Ayesha Iqbal suggested to take all PEIMA and PEF schools under one umbrella to minimize the expenses on bureaucracy and other unnecessary expenditures. It will also help in making systems accountable, she rearked.

In her remarks, MPA Raheela Khadam Hussain endorsed the girls education is not getting the level of seriousness required to ensure quality education for girls in the province.

In his remarks, Mian Umer Hayat said that their department is constantly working on this sector and said that they would make extensive efforts to sensitize more and more people on girls education in order to minimize girls schools drop out ratio.

Giving her input on the issue, Marium Amjad Khan, Campaign Manager-Awaz CDS-Pakistan, pointed out hindrances towards girls education particularly gender disparity, lack of accessibility, low budget, teachers improper training. She emphasized the need for putting extra efforts in education sector from allocations to spending especially in the post-Covid situation where the number of OOSC has already been exacerbated.

NCHR Punjab Coordinator Muhammad Khalid also shared his concern over this much delay in the notification of Act. He further committed to spread awareness among communities regarding this Act as awareness raising is one of their key mandates to support communities.

A panel discussion was also held which was joined by representatives of NGOs, media, teachers, head mistresses, members of Schools Council and lawyers. They highlighted the girls education as a grey sector which is affecting the national progress. They emphasized for immediate focus on the part of both public as well as private sectors so that girls quality education is ensured for socio-economic development.

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