LOWER DIR: The students of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Islamabad, have demanded of the varsity administration to extend the last date for online submission of assignments.

Talking to reporters at the Timergara Press Club, they complained that the varsity’s main server either remained busy or could not be reached.

They said the varsity had set Sept 21 as the last date for online submission of the first assignments of BS, B.ED, PGD, M.ED, MA, MSC, MPhil and PhD programmes.

The pointed out that due to weak internet signals in the district about 80 per cent of the registered students could not submit their assignments online by the last date.

They also demanded restoration of the previous manual assignment submission mechanism as majority of students in far-flung areas of Dir had either no or week internet connectivity.

The students complained that many of them had yet to get books for the spring semester 2020 due to the lockdown, and demanded supply of books at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the supplementary and special examinations for SSC and HSSC students began at 19 different centres on Tuesday under the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Malakand Chakdara.

Talking to mediapersons at Chakdara, controller of examinations Mian Wazir Jan Sajid said over 2,000 students were appearing in the SSC examinations and 5,000 in HSSC.

POLIO REFUSAL CASES COVERED: Assistant commissioner, Timergara, Tahir Ali Khattak, on Tuesday visited different villages in Bandagai and Shahikhel union councils of Talash and convinced parents on getting their children vaccinated against the crippling disease.

Meanwhile, assistant commissioner, Adenzai, Syed Mohammad Abdullah also visited different villages and reviewed arrangements for the ongoing national immunisation drive.

The official directed the health workers to reach every child during the drive.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2020