LAHORE: The Daanish Schools, previously offering only boarding education, is going to introduce day school facility for middle classes -- apparently to meet financial needs of its 14 campuses established in under-privileged parts of south Punjab.

The Punjab government had established Daanish Schools -- one each for girls and boys in Rahim Yar Khan, Hasilpur, Chishtian, Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Mianwali and Attock. More than 10,000 students were studying in 14 campuses of the schools. A 10 per cent quota was allotted for self-finance students, who were paying around Rs18,000 a month with boarding facility.

A senior official of the Daanish Schools authority, on condition of anonymity, told Dawn that the boarding schools have taken a step to start day schooling, adding that 10 seats per middle class (Grades VI, VII and VIII) in all Daanish Schools were allocated for day scholars with a fee of Rs2,000 a month.

He further said the students could avail the lunch facility, but would have to pay for it on a daily or monthly basis, adding that they would be allowed to bring food from home also. He explained that the step was being taken to give maximum students a facility to study in the “centre of excellence”. He added that the facility to allow day scholars would also generate considerable funds to run the affairs of the schools smoothly.

VCs’ POSTING ISSUE: Govt College University Academic Staff Association (GCUASA) President Prof Hamid Mukhtar has demanded the government start the process of selecting the regular VCs of the universities, including the GCU, in Punjab working without a head.

He says the academic and administrative affairs of the institution could be affected due to absence of its head.

Mr Mukhtar said the GCUASA and its members had held its meeting last week and noted with concern that the vacant office of the VC might cause multiple legal hurdles to the execution of crucial matters.

“The ASA hereby reiterates its principled stance that the relegation of additional charge of the office of the GCU VC to the head of some other university is not acceptable since the vast quantum of workload of the university cannot he dispensed with by a part-time arrangement, remotely managed by the VC of some other university.”

Mr Hamid Mukhtar said the ASA would hold a peaceful demonstration outside the Governor’s House if the government did not make the interim arrangement by Sept 13.

However, the sources in the Higher Education Department (HED) said the department had recently moved a summary to the law department for advice as the department had suggested handing over acting/additional charge of these universities to individuals outside them. They said the summary was lying in the office of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

Four public sector universities are working without regular or interim vice chancellors (VCs) in the province and facing several administrative and academic problems.

Government College University (GCU) VC Prof Dr Hassan Amir Shah, University of Education VC Rauf-i-Azam, Government Sadiq College Women University Bahawalpur VC Prof Dr Talat Afza and Government Fatima Jinnah Women University Rawalpindi VC Prof Dr Samina Amin retired from their posts last month after completing four years term in office. However, no one was given the charge of these posts till filing of this report.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2019