Future belongs to online education: Rotary webinar

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The speakers at webinar on the subject of Pros and Cons of Online Education, organized by Rotary Club of Karachi Darakhshan on September 29, generally reckoned that future belonged to online education despite reservations, limitations and apprehensions. 

Ghazala Faruqi Nizami, Chief Executive, Happy Home Schools, who was the keynote speaker in the webinar, shared that the COVID-19 pandemic had forced 87% of school going population to stay home causing a dramatic shift from books to internet which brought about a learning revolution. 

“Yet many of the world’s children, particularly those underprivileged, to this day do not have internet access, personal computers or the technological skills. Only a quarter of the world’s school children benefitted from online education. Thus online education is for the privileged. Sadly it has widened educational inequalities,” she opined. 

Dr Minhaj Qidwai, Ex-Program Director, Institute of Business Administration (IBA), didn’t words in stating that COVID-19 has given a boost to online learning which was changing the face of traditional classrooms and making education more accessible than ever before.

“Since 2020, as many as 98% universities have moved classes online although only 49% of professors have reportedly approved online learning. In 2021, nearly 75% schools are planning to operate online,” he shared while concluding his comprehension, containing pros and cons of online education, with the famous quote of Albert Einstein: “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of mind to think.” 

Jahangir Moghul, Assistant Rotary Public Image Coordinator, Rotary International Zone 1-B, felt that COVID-19 has provided the opportunity for phenomenal growth of online education in the recent past and its popularity will continue rising in the next few years. 

“But a time will come when people may become fed up with these systems and machines as it’s a part of human nature to socialize and explore cultures while carrying out duties. Online education is the need of the present time but the desire to interact with people will find the vast majority to revert to the traditional campus life,” he thought. 

Dr Aftab Imam, Governor, Rotary International District 3271, who has also been a prolific teacher and trainer while pursuing a successful career in civil services, spoke at length about the various aspects of online education. 

He emphasized on keeping pace with the changing times and move on as the world was progressing leaps and bounds in the digital arena. He urged for continuing to learn fast about the technological advancements and acquire the latest knowledge and skills in order to stay afloat. 

Asim Murtaza Khan, Immediate Past President, Rotary Club of Karachi Darakhshan, highlighted that online education has become quite mature in the world as remote learning or virtual learning have been in use for the last many years and only its significance has grown due to COVID-19 pandemic. 

“It, however, faces social and ethical issues in Pakistan as underprivileged cannot afford computers and internet bandwidth for extended use. Power outrages cause disruption. Ethical issues are found in assessments and examinations,” he pointed out. 

Syed Khalid Mahmood, President, Rotary Club of Karachi Darakhshan, in his welcome address, noted that during the last year and a half, online education seemed to have become new normal following the decline in mobility of mankind with waves after waves and variants after variants of the deadly virus extending miseries. 

“Forcing the tiny tots to use internet and smartphones for starting or continuing their learning process has not been welcomed for obvious reasons but online education in general has enabled us to prevent loss of precious which could have occurred otherwise in the given circumstances. Online education may not be the substitute to learning at campus but it’s a huge blessing in sustaining education in the periods of lockdown and social distancing,” he thought. 

The club’s Secretary and President-Elect, Awais Moghul, presented the vote of thanks in which he complimented Ghazala Nizami and Dr Minhaj Qidwai for enlightening the audience with brilliant narratives while he praised the commitment of District Governor Dr Aftab Imam for sparing time for the webinar despite his preoccupations in the key role of Chief Commissioner, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

Online education to be deliberated in Rotary webinar

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Online education is defined as distance education using the internet to create a learning environment, in which students interact with content, lecturer and fellow students during their learning process in order to acquire knowledge and competences. 

Online education has become part and parcel of life, most significantly, with the outbreak of the pandemic of COVID-19 which paralyzed the whole world as social distancing became order of the day. 

During the last year and a half, online education seems to have become new normal following the decline in mobility of mankind. 

Education paradigms had been shifting to include online learning, hybrid learning and collaborative models for the past one decade but it became a necessity when the pandemic rocked the world in 2020 forcing even the tiny tots to use internet and smartphones for starting or continuing their learning process. 

‘Pros and Cons of Online Education’ is the subject of the webinar being organized by Rotary Club of Karachi Darakhshan (RCKD) via zoom from 1830 to 1930 hours Pakistan Standard Time (PST) on September 29. 

With a vast network of Rotary International spread in all the continents of the world, this particular webinar is expected to generate more interest than normal ones because of its catchy subject which should attract a large number of educationists and students as well, besides other professionals. 

Ghazala Faruqi Nizami, Chief Executive, Happy Home Schools, will be the keynote speaker in the webinar while Dr Minhaj Qidwai, Ex-Program Director, Institute of Business Administration (IBA), will also speak on the occasion. 

Jahangir Moghul, Assistant Rotary Public Image Coordinator, Rotary International Zone 1-B, Dr Aftab Imam, Governor, Rotary International District 3271, Asim Murtaza Khan, Immediate Past President, Rotary Club of Karachi Darakhshan, and Syed Khalid Mahmood, President, Rotary Club of Karachi Darakhshan, will also be sharing their views on the much talked about subject of online education while the vote of thanks will be presented by the club’s Secretary and President-Elect, Awais Moghul.

Eminent educationists to speak in Rotary literacy webinar

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Renowned educationist, Ghazala Faruqi Nizami, Chief Executive, Happy Home Schools, will be the keynote speaker in the webinar on the topic of Pros and Cons of Online Education, being organized by Rotary Club of Karachi Darakhshan on September 29. 

Another towering personality, Dr Minhaj Qidwai, Ex-Program Director, Institute of Business Administration (IBA), will also speak on the occasion. 

According to details, the webinar, commemorating Rotary International’s literacy month of September, will be held via zoom from 1830 to 1930 hours Pakistan Standard Time (PST) and it’s expected to be joined by a large number of Rotarians and Rotractors from all over the country. 

Jahangir Moghul, Assistant Rotary Public Image Coordinator, Rotary International Zone 1-B, Dr Aftab Imam, Governor, Rotary International District 3271, Asim Murtaza Khan, Immediate Past President, Rotary Club of Karachi Darakhshan, and Syed Khalid Mahmood, President, Rotary Club of Karachi Darakhshan, will also share their views and the vote of thanks will be presented by the club’s Secretary and President-Elect, Awais Moghul.

Online education has been a hot subject of debate and discussion at different forums during the last year and a half in particular after nearly the whole world was rocked by the pandemic of COVID-19. The Rotary webinar is also likely to witness large scale participation of teachers and students.

Greenwich University, SBTE sign MoUs

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Greenwich University, Karachi, and the Sindh Board of Technical Education (SBTE) signed a couple of MoU's in an impressive ceremony at the campus of the university located in DHA.

The first MoU was signed by the Vice Chancellor of Greenwich University and Chairman of SBTE Masroor Ahmed Shaikh. The second MoU was inked by Director QEC of Greenwich University, Rub Nawaz and the Registrar of SBTE Alia Fatima. 

The objective of the MoUs is to provide support to the students who are unable to continue their education due to financial constraints and personal circumstances and want to re-start their career as an entrepreneur. The purpose of the MoUs is to jointly promote the pre-university business education programme. 

The first MoU refers to the affiliation of the Pre-University Foundation Business Education Programme and the second MoU was signed for the endorsement of Greenwich University's future seminars and conferences by SBTE.

The ceremony was attended among others by Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah, Secretary Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC), Akhtar Ali Shah, Inspector of Institutions of SBTE, Mohammad Naeem Suleri, Deputy Secretary, SBTE, Gul Mohammad Khund, Controller Examinations, SBTE, Saeed Kamal Mughal, Registrar, Greenwich University, Rub Nawaz Director, QEC Greeneich University, and student Provost Naveed Mughal. The ceremony was moderated by the university’s Head of Media Affairs, Rohail Intikhab.

Book on Dr Nasim Fatima’s letters to Dr Jamil Jalibi published

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Dr Jamil Jalibi, an acclaimed linguist, critic, writer, and scholar of Urdu literature and linguistics from Pakistan, was known to be having a passion for library and information science as well because of his devotion to books and education. 

Prof Dr Nasim Fatima, the first lady chairperson of the Library & Information Science department at the University of Karachi, was one of the ablest associates of Dr Jamil Jalibi, who also served as the Vice Chancellor of the university. 

Dr Khawar Jamil has compiled the book titled Dr Jamil Jalibi Kay Naam which contains letters written by Prof Dr Nasim Fatima to one of her mentors. The published letters are from the time period of 1987 to 2005 when Dr Jamil Jalibi was heading Urdu Dictionary Board and Muqtadira Qaumi Zuban. 

Prof Dr Nasim Fatima revered Dr Jamil Jalibi as a great teacher and the letters she wrote to him from time to time reflected her admiration towards the renowned intellectual. The correspondence between the two eminent personalities contained literary flavours which could be handy for the researchers. 

Dr Jamil Jalibi, in his lifetime, had acknowledged Prof Dr Nasim Fatima as an inspiring teacher who urged her students in taking to scholastic and research works. He was highly appreciative of her role in the profession of Library and Information Science.

Punjab CM saddened by Azeem Sarwar’s death

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Punjab Chief Minister, Sardar Usman Buzdar, has condoled the passing away of legendary broadcaster, Azeem Sarwar, who breathed his last on September 12. 

The Chief Minister, through a statement issued in Lahore on September 13, expressed a deep sense of sorrow over the death of Azeem Sarwar and extended sympathies to his family. 

He prayed that may Allah Almighty rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the heirs to bear this loss with equanimity. 

Usman Buzdar recognized that Azeem Sarwar enjoyed a prominent position in the field of broadcasting and fond memories of his famous programmes would remain alive in the hearts of the listeners.

Pakistan’s most distinct voice of Azeem Sarwar is no more

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan’s greatest-ever broadcaster whose voice was admired and recognized globally, Azeem Sarwar, passed away in Karachi, after briefly illness, on September 12. According to the family sources, he was hospitalized for the past one week due to kidney ailments. He was 79.

Having worked at the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), the national news agency of the country, in the same era when Azeem Sarwar was excelling in his pursuits at the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) it was both an honor as well as pleasure to interact with him at various official meetings as both our organizations worked jointly in the umbrella of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. 

He remained among the most illustrious contemporaries of mine, who was a household name not only in the every nook of corner of our country but he also enjoyed massive fan following outside of Pakistan. 

His voice remained so distinct and impactful all along. I fondly recall people from different walks of life, waiting impatiently, holding transistors in their hands, to listen to his various programmes having been aired from time to time. 

In my estimation, he has been the greatest ever all-round broadcaster to be produced by Pakistan. No wonder, he was also the longest serving broadcaster in the history of Pakistan. Starting his career as an announcer as a raw teenager at Radio Pakistan Quetta way back in 1958 he retired from service in 2002 at the age of 60 in capacity of Deputy Controller but continued doing radio programmes until recently which meant a broadcasting career of 64 years which must be a record of sorts.

After having won numerous awards during his illustrious career, he thoroughly deserved the highest national recognition in his lifetime which and the concerned authorities could now do it posthumously.

Former naval officer authors motivational book

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The learned cadre of servicemen, upon retirement, has had the knack of excelling in scholastic pursuits and the recently published motivational book in Urdu, authored by a former naval officer, Captain Noman Imam is a welcome addition to the list. 

The ex-serviceman turned author has put together his thoughts about the work ethics in a crisp manner and the 100-page hardbound book, very neatly printed, offers advice and tips for a successful professional life. There are 15 chapters in the book which cover the majority of life’s aspects. 

Instead of dragging on any subject, the author has talked about the various issues precisely which will keep the reader absorbed until the very end. 

Published by the Lahore-based Mavra Books, the book titled ‘Kamyab Peshawarana Zindagi Ki Hikmaten’ offers guidance to the readers in coming to terms to the various challenges of life. If followed with letter and spirit, the advice from the author could enable people to lead better lives. 

The author of the book, Captain Noman Imam, had joined the weapon engineering branch of Pakistan Navy in 1992. Besides proving his mettle as a weapon engineer, he also remained engaged in teaching assignments. 

Having earned the prestigious Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Military) in 2011 and Sitar-i-Imtiaz (Military) in 2020, he retired from service in July 2021.

PLA under fire for continued dormancy, inefficiency

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Pakistan Library Association (PLA), for better part of its 65-year life, has remained in the news for the wrong reasons. Having come into being in 1956, it has often been declared wanting to deliver the goods as the representative national body of librarians in the country. 

“The PLA as usual again is in slumber and there is no sign of any activity. The candidates who contest in the elections of the PLA promise to activate it but after election dwell stagnation. We request them to wake up and fulfill their responsibilities,” Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, one of the founding fathers of library science in Pakistan, highlighted the matter in the editorial of the latest issue of the Pakistan Library and Information Science Journal (PLISJ). 

While the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB), which he had founded in 1966, has continued to function within its modest resources all along, the same could not be said about the PLA which has faced criticism on a constant basis from the library scientists. 

Prof Dr Sabzwari, in his hard-hitting editorial of the PLISJ (July-September 2021) issue, has regretted that the PLA did not publish proceedings of many of the national conferences which they organized from time to time. 

“Conference literature of any discipline is important to researchers. It normally acts, after further refinement, as a stepping stone for the journal literature. I wish that the PLA tries to collect at least the published documents belonging to it and makes their digitalized copies available on demand. This will help the researchers find historical documents easily and conduct research,” Prof Dr Mumtaz Ali Anwar has remarked in his article published in the same issue of the journal.

NLA delegation calls on KU’s LIS chairperson

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

A delegation of the National Library Association (NLA), headed by its President, Muzaffar Ali Shah, called on Prof Dr Farhat Hussain, the newly appointed chairperson of the University of Karachi’s Department of Library & Information Science at the campus on September 6. 

The NLA Advisor, Syed Khalid Mahmood, along with its Secretary General, Anwar Hussain, were also a part of the delegation whose other members present on the occasion included Nasir Mustafa, Hira Yaseen, Samina Aziz, Nasir Nayab and Abu Bakar Ghauri. 

The meeting was held at the department’s Classification & Cataloguing Lab in which matters of mutual interest were discussed at length. It was decided in principle that the NLA would be a part of the 65th anniversary celebrations of the department, planned to be held during the next few months. 

The NLA officials volunteered to support the proposed anniversary function of the department as a token of appreciation for their Alma Mater which has produced numerous stalwarts of the profession over the past 65 years.

“Our department, established in 1956, has had the tradition of celebrating its landmark anniversaries. Having done it in our 25th, 50th and 60th years, we are eager to do it again in the 65th year of our existence. The engagement of NLA will obviously add value to the occasion,” Prof Dr Farhat Hussain observed. 

“It’s very gladdening to find the NLA, still in its formative phase, displaying so much energy and enthusiasm for the cause of the profession which is reflected by the continued programmes which they have succeeded in organizing with moderate resources,” he complimented. 

The idea of holding National Library Day on any chosen day of the year was also brainstormed and it was agreed to work on it to come to a conclusion in near future. 

Finally, on behalf of the NLA, its Advisor, Syed Khalid Mahmood, presented the traditional Sindhi Ajrak to the chairperson of the University of Karachi’s Department of Library & Information Science.

Farhat Naseeb: More than just an autobiography

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Farhat Naseeb, the recently published autobiography of renowned social scientist, Prof Dr Farhat Azeem, is indeed much more than just a chronicle of events of an individual as the book contains eye-witness accounts of one of the worst-ever bloodsheds witnessed in human history. 

The first couple of chapters of the book relate to the communal riots which devastated the sub-continent at the time of partition of India and creation of Pakistan in August 1947. The families of her father as well as mother were direct victims of the massacre in Delhi on the eve of their migration to Lahore. 

The tales of horror narrated in these two chapters present a first-hand depiction which could bring tears in many eyes. The pain and agony of watching the loved ones to be cut into pieces caused a trauma which haunted them forever. 

Then there was a miracle of sort when the author’s parents were reunited in the most extraordinary of circumstances after having parted ways in the chaos of partition which brought them to live in different cities for over a year. 

The phenomenal rise of the author from a humble beginning to an acclaimed social scientist and educationist should inspire the readers as she endured the toughest of challenges and sacrificed lots of things in attaining the cherished goals of her life. 

She has credited veteran journalist and poet, Mahmood Sham, a former editor of the famous Jang newspaper, for having provided her the platform as the life of her story was published in the form of articles over a period of around two years in the monthly magazine Atraf and later the content was reproduced as chapters of what became her autobiography. 

Having taught and worked at the various educational institutions of repute for the past many decades, the soft-spoken Professor is currently serving the College of Accounting and Management Sciences (CAMS) in Karachi as its Principal.