ISLAMABAD - The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Friday unanimously passed the Bill titled ‘The right to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2022’, introduced by Senator Fawzia Arshad. The amendment aims at prescribing computer sciences, coding and programming as fundamental rights of elementary to high school students, to enable them to understand and learn the skills of new technology in this era of convergence. The Senate committee redirected the matter of examination faced by the students of law in Bahaudin Zakariya University to the privilege committee on account of breach of privilege on the non-compliance of the committee recommendations. The committee also decided that the matter shall remain alive on the agenda till it is resolved, since the future of the students is deteriorating each passing day. The committee chairman said that the committee can proceed in the matter parallel to the court case and the matter should be taken to the privilege committee. The counsel for vice chancellor argued that the notification for the exams was issued; however, the Pakistan Bar Council took the matter to the Supreme Court indicating that the university has bogus students. He claimed that around 5000 students were bogus however 6000 were genuine students. The committee also considered a public petition pertaining to grant of NOC and equivalency for PhD degree in Engineering through UET, Peshawar and HEC, Islamabad. The committee chairman recommended the HEC chairman and the vice chancellor to hear the grievance of the petitioner and resolve the matter under the rules. The committee also held discussion on the issuance of notification for appointment /posting of junior lady teachers at Islamabad Model College. The special committee on affected employees has directed to regularise all daily wagers/ contract employees; however the Islamabad High court has restrained the regularisation of services of daily wagers/contract employees till the next date of hearing. The matter was deferred for further deliberation in the presence of the teachers. The meeting was attended by Senators Prof Dr Mehr Taj Roghani, Fawzia Arshad, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Molvi Faiz Muhammad Bahramand Khan Tangi and Senator Khalida Sikandar Mandhro. HEC chairman, UET Peshawar vice chancellor and officials of other attached departments were also in attendance.
'Likeminded politicians' set about saving 'sinking ship'