SHC directs varsities, boards to explain

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has sought replies from all public universities, intermediate and matric boards of the province regarding the delay in the announcement of their annual examination results.

The SHC issued the directives while hearing the petition of Nazir Ahmed Dhoon who had moved the court against the delay in the announcement of results of matric, intermediate, bachelor’s and master’s annual examinations by the respective universities and boards in Sindh.

The petitioner submitted that 300,000 to 350,000 students had to suffer every year because of the deliberate delay in the announcement of results. As a result of the delay, the students cannot apply for admissions in other boards and universities [for higher education] as their admission dates have passed by the time the results are announced.

He submitted that it is mandatory on every board, college and university to announce results of the annual examination within 120 days so that students could apply for admissions in intermediate, graduation and post-graduation studies.

According to the petitioner, the various educational boards and universities were not making efforts to conduct supplementary exams for the students who could not succeed in the initial exams to save their academic year, and due to six to eight months of delay in announcement of the annual exams results, precious academic years of the students are lost.

The court was requested to direct the respondents to announce results of matric, intermediate, graduation and post graduation exams within four months and conduct supplementary exams regularly to facilitate the students. The counsel for the respondent boards and universities filed power and sought time to file replies in the petition.

The SHC division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar directed the counsel for boards and universities to file their replies with regard to the delay in announcement of annual examination results by September 13.

Plea for fund utilisation

In a separate case, the Sindh High Court directed the economic affairs division to file comments with regard to the utilisation of a multi-million-dollar US grant for a project to educate girls.

The court issued these directives while hearing the petition seeking an inquiry into the utilisation of the grant. Petitioner Bisma Naureen told the court that former US First Lady Michelle Obama had announced an education programme titled ‘Let Girls Learn’ in coordination with the Pakistani government.

She said the USAID project would provide USD70 million to new and ongoing USAID programmes that benefit more than 200,000 adolescent girls aged between 10 and 19 years across the country.

She added that the programme was announced in October 2015 during an event at the White House, where former premier Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz was also present.

The petitioner claimed that Maryam had misused the office of the prime minister despite being Maryam Safdar. She expressed apprehension that the grant could be misused. She told the court that she had written to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Ministry of Finance for conducting an inquiry into the utilisation of the US70 million grant, but her request was ignored.

Citing the finance ministry, the PM’s secretary, NAB and Maryam as respondents, the petitioner requested the SHC to direct the accountability bureau to conduct an inquiry into the utilisation of the grant and take appropriate action if Maryam misused it.

The court was informed by the federal law officer that a letter has been sent to the national monetary fund’s department of finance department and their reply is awaited.

The court, granting time, directed the federal law officer to submit a report on the utilisation of funds and adjourned the hearing till September 18.

According to USAID, ‘Let Girls Learn’ is a new whole-of-government initiative to ensure that adolescent girls get the education they deserve.

Announced in October 2015, ‘Let Girls Learn-Pakistan’ would seek opportunities to foster public-private partnerships and collaborate with other development partners to advance girls’ education and empowerment.

The programme would serve as a platform and catalyst for broader political and social commitment to strengthen adolescent girls’ education and empowerment in Pakistan.