KARACHI, June 12: Merit cash awards of Rs1.845 million were given away to 123 meritorious students who passed their HSC examinations-2001 under the Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi, here at a ceremony on Wednesday.

According to a government official, Sindh government has allocated amount for rewards and asked the Bureau of Curriculum and Extension Wing, Sindh, to distribute it among students passing their matriculation or Intermediate examinations from various educational boards of the province with distinction in the faculty of Arts, Commerce, Science, Home Economics and Technical.

Provincial minister for education, Prof Anita Ghulam Ali, was the chief guest at the ceremony organised by the Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi, on behalf of the Bureau of Curriculum.

She presented a cheque for Rs15000 each among the students selected after separate listing of each faculty. The students and their parents expressed the hope that the government would continue the system of cash awards under the Bureau in the years to come.

Prof Anita, speaking on the occasion, urged the students concentrate on issues and show discipline while attempting to tackle them. “Here every one prefers to talk, but is less prepared to hear from others. Tolerance is must and people must listen to others’ points of view as well,” she said.

She said the government was taking all measures to create a sense of academic discipline in students and teachers and that was why the system of compulsory attendance in government educational institutions was revived this year.

She pointed out that the attendance rule could not be enforced fully this year due to lack of cooperation from parents, but things would be further streamlined next time.

She also urged teachers to create a friendly academic atmosphere for students wherein they could discuss problems confronting them in acquiring education.

She informed the audience that the government was considering to make it compulsory for medical graduates of government colleges to serve in the public sector for at least five years.

The proposal, she said, was aimed at providing better health services to the public, “a goal which is among the top priorities of the present government”.

She further said the government was also considering to allocate an amount to the tune of Rs1000 million for specialised administrative training of college principals, and added that 97 per cent of the fund allocated for the training of teachers had been utilised during the financial year which was nearing its end.

She asked the Board to establish a counselling section for the guidance of students in connection with their career selection. She informed that the A/O level system were also being introduced into government schools from next year.

Chairman of the Board, Prof Muhammad Sharif Memon, said the Board had decided to award cash with gold medals to position- holders next time. He said that weight of the gold medal had also been increased to 30 grams.

The breakdown of cash award winners is as follows: Pre- Medical, 14 boys and 14 girls; Pre-Engineering, 14 boys and 14 girls; Humanities, 12 boys and 11 girls; Commerce, 16 boys and 14 girls and Home Economics, 14 girls.