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issue MOOD STREET Town Talk q&a Organise
to survive At
the mercy of market
issue Overboard Untested and faulty automation at examination boards has resulted in disasters By Shahzada Irfan Ahmed “I couldn’t believe
my eyes when I found my student had failed in a subject which he had never
opted for,” says Asif Ali, a private school principal based in Northern
Lahore. This was not all, he says, as there were cases where students had
been awarded zeros, fives and tens in subjects they were comfortable with.
Yet to follow was a case where a student of a school was awarded marks for
practical examination in Urdu language. This is strange as only science
subjects have separate marks for practical examinations, he adds. This is just the tip of
the iceberg and the situation speaks volumes of the sorry state of affairs
at the boards of secondary and intermediate education in Punjab. The
results of class 9 and later on those of first year were announced and
found to be faulty. Thousands of students were awarded numbers they had
not obtained and investigations exposed extreme irregularities in the
preparation of these results. The marked sheets carried different scores
than those printed on result cards and kept in computer records. Blame was laid on
computers alone and the human beings operating and feeding instructions
into them were given undue protection, says Muhammad Ali, whose daughter
had appeared in class 9 exams. Talking to TNS, he says the problem phase
for students started in early 2010 when the boards announced submission of
application forms online. A strange condition of submitting B Form with
the application was also imposed on candidates for matriculation exam
which led to unmanageable rush of students and their parents at NADRA
offices, he adds. Ali says this all was being done in the name of
automation and bringing efficiency in the working of boards without
realising that the students were not ready for this shock treatment.
“Change has to be gradual and people-friendly,” he adds. What followed was that
students had to spend thousands and their precious time in acquiring B
Forms and submitting forms online. “It’s understandable for a 9th
class student of Aitchison College to fill forms online but totally
impossible for a student of taat school in remote village of Rajanpur.”
Net café owners, computer operators, composers and designers charged from
Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 to file these complicated forms, he adds. Repeated
attempts were made as the whole data entry exercise goes waste in the case
of power failures which are more than excessive in our country. Students shocked by
abnormalities in their results lost their patience and came out on streets
in protest. The worst happened in Gujranwala where they put the
district’s board building on fire. The government reacted with cosmetic
steps like sacking of Lahore Board Chairman and the board’s IT
consultant Dr Majid Naeem. “The crime is much
grave and nothing less than the resignation of provincial education
minister is acceptable,” says Muhammad Azhar Siddique Advocate who has
challenged the online submission system in the Lahore High Court since May
2010. He tells TNS the board calendar regulations say no change in
procedures can be introduced with retrospective effect and sufficient time
has to be given for it to take place. He rejects claims that a mafia was
working against the automation of board affairs and says it was the
inefficiency and ineptitude of the sacked IT minister which resulted in
this disaster. The softwares, image
recognition system and IT solutions devised for result preparation were
bogus, he says, adding it seemed the whole exercise was launched to
obliged the sacked IT consultant who happens to be a close relative of a
PML-N leader. Azhar says it was
criminal on the part of government to appoint this person as IT consultant
as corruption reference against him has been pending with the National
Accountability Bureau (NAB). He says the Punjab Higher Education Secretary
of that time, Ahad Cheema, who approved this plan holds the coveted Grade
20 post of Lahore District Coordination Officer despite being in Grade 18.
Why shouldn’t he also be asked to join investigations, Azhar questions. He alleges the
stationery used for Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) was third-class and
inks used for markings would spread on paper. Besides, the barcodes placed
on answer sheets for subjective papers were poorly decoded and resulted in
blunders at data entry level, he adds. His point is that there is no harm
in modernising affairs but giving public funds worth millions and billions
to incompetent but influential people for experimentation is no way
justified. Azhar calls for
suspension of online submission of forms, removal of conditionalities like
submission of B Form with application forms and doing away with the
ridiculously planned computerised result preparation system. The LHC has
sought comments from the board on the issue and there is great hope that
the previous systems will be restored, he concludes. Damage
control Lahore Board of
Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Acting Chairman Dr Allah
Bakhsh Malik, speaks to TNS about ongoing corrective measures The board accepts the
recently devised automated result preparation system had inherent flaws in
it and there was no need to go for it and cause inconvenience to students,
says Dr Allah Bakhsh, who is also Secretary, Literacy & Basic
Education Department, Government of Punjab. He says the board randomly
selected 1,000 marked papers and after checking them manually reached a
conclusion that the whole result must be cancelled and prepared afresh.
The rechecking of paper, he adds, would be done free of cost and all those
who have already submitted rechecking fees will be reimbursed this amount.
The acting chairman says
unfortunately there was no check and balance in this system and nobody is
ready to accept responsibility for the blunder. During re-checking, a
person will mark the paper which will be countersigned by another person
in the presence of a supervisor. Dr Allah Bakhsh says the suspended IT
consultant was incompetent and the fault lied with the computer
programming done for the purpose. Launching the new system without test
run was the worst thing that could happen at that time, he adds. He tells TNS that the
barcode printed on answer sheets for the subjective part did not have an
entry about the subject. When the data entry clerk put the barcode under
the scanner and typed the marks, they would get recorded in any blank
column. Similarly, on many occasions the computer could not read the
markings on the objective type paper and students even got zero in it, he
adds. The data entry clerks were least bothered to check whether the
entries were being made properly and kept on feeding answer sheets to
scanners like machines. The acting chairman says
the board had earned good name over the years and the said the episode had
hurt this image a lot. He says everything is transparent here and
Syndicated Marking System has been introduced under which five different
teachers mark five different questions attempted by a student to save them
from things like personal bias. “I would say there is nothing wrong with
the marking. The fault lies with the wrong posting done by computers.” Dr Allah Bakhsh tells
TNS they are reverting to previous system and would also do away with the
online form submission requirement. The condition of submitting B Form, he
says, will also go as it leads to unnecessary hassles for students and
their parents. Simple entries like name, father’s name, school name,
preferred examination centre and phone number would be all that would be
required, he adds. —Shahzada Irfan
MOOD STREET Betrayal has been and
will always be one of the greatest sources of grief and hurt for mankind.
Not because it leaves a person lonely, but because it takes away the
courage of a person to be with people due to the fear of finding oneself
alone and cheated again. It does not affect personalities only it
imbalances nations and their behaviours as well. This imbalance is what
makes mobs run amok and decimate everything and everyone. It takes away
the judgement of good or bad. The immense feeling of hurt that stems from
betrayal soon turns into a rage which if not addressed turns into an
uprising. In the life of an individual betrayal may bring an end to all
urges but in the life of a nation it brings the will to change the source
of the betrayal, the method can be anything that the majority chooses. But
the application of that method is swift and relentless. On the streets of
Gujranwala, in the sprawling metropolis of Lahore, from the mills of
Faisalabad and from the fields of Sheikhupura masses emerged like a
tsunami to sweep away what they thought as symbols of betrayal. Arson and
show of civil disobedience is the method they chose, and when the mob
forms it has a mind of its own. Not controlled by logic or compassion, it
is a force that only loses its cutting edge when enough anger has been
vented. For generations promises
were made, dreams were weaved only to be shattered again and again.
Castles were built in the sky only to fall flat on the ground. People
waited for the promises to come true, for the darkness to end but as time
passed all hope was swallowed by the black holes, whose never ending
hunger has taken even the last shreds of light. When the night seemed
endless and enough people had been betrayed the hurt soon evolved into
anger. When no compassion was shown to this pain, it all became a huge
heap of explosives waiting to go boom. Warnings were there but when
everyone is considering their individual gain more worthy than collective
improvement, then all it takes is one moment, one occurrence or one voice
and the flood gates open to unleash wave after wave of anger. What is happening around
us as a result of betrayal cannot and can never be justified. But when you
put water over fire in an airtight container and don’t remove the heat
then either the steam is going to leak through some small opening from
time to time or its going to build up till it bursts open the walls. Our
leaders and politicians were relentless in betraying the people, we the
educated stood quietly and watched. The fire never went out, the small
opening of hope and compassion never came, we waited and watched and now
the steam has burst open the walls. The wheels have started turning, the
mob has its own nature which leaves it vulnerable to be hijacked by
anyone. It is time for everyone to make a choice, for the politicians to
turn their promises into reality and for the betrayed people to think for
a moment and look beyond the hurt. Anger has great energy associated with
it which can make you do great things or things you would regret. It is
the time for the people to decide they will not be hijacked by ill found
and opportunistic compassion, blinded by the hurt of one betrayal do not
expose your vulnerability to be led towards another promise and yet
another betrayal. It is the time to make a decision, the time to do what
is right and what is required. The time to become hope and to provide true
compassion is now, otherwise this rage will sweep away everything. Time
for the change that we want and need is now. Let us mature as a nation, as
a people and let us not be betrayed again.
Colouring Competition at
Oxford Bookshop today at 10:00am for children aged 3-6 years. Ajoka Theatre in
collaboration with the Lahore Arts Council presents ‘Dara’, a play on
the life and times of Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh, written & directed
by: Shahid Nadeem on Monday, Oct 31 at 7:00 pm at Alhamra, The Mall. Critical Mass cycling
today at 10:30am from Parking Lot, Neela Gumbad. Bacchon Ke Baithak at
Faiz Ghar, 126 F, Model Town today from 4-5pm for children who are 4+.
Music & dance teacher Zarah David. Solo Exhibition by A.S.
Rind at Revivers Galleria, 84- B 1, Ghalib Road, Gulberg. 2nd Young Entrepreneurs
Exhibition at Beaconhouse National University (BNU) on Nov 05 – 06.
Stalls of people who have recently started making, distributing or
producing something creative or have started some business. Movie: Puss in Boots at
DHA Cinema on Friday Nov 4.
q&a Dr. Farkhanda Kokab
heads the Department of Epidemiology at the Institute of Public Health (IPH),
Punjab and currently holds the charge of the acting head of the institute.
She is chief epidemiologist to the Government of Punjab and privy to
meetings and trainings on dengue control held at the highest levels. IPH
has been the venue of trainings conducted by teams of doctors coming from
countries like Sri Lanka. She talks to TNS on causes of dengue spread and
efforts to control it. The News on Sunday: Why
there is so much panic and confusion about diagnosis and treatment of
dengue in our country? Dr. Farkhanda Kokab: Let
me tell you this panic is because we have had no experience with the
disease earlier. I remember when I was a medical student I had just read a
paragraph or two about it. Our studies are mainly focused on local
diseases. Now as we have had worse experience with the disease,
capabilities of our health professionals will naturally increase. Sri
Lanka is tackling dengue for the last four or five decades. The cases are
higher than us and mortality as well but they are aware of the disease.
That is why they do not panic. TNS: What would you say
about myths like cure in papaya leaves, apple and lemon juice and habit of
mosquito biting only at sunrise and sunset? FK: About papaya leaves
I would say there has been no scientific approval. It is a native plant in
Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka and they could have scientifically
proved its effectiveness if the case had been so. But still research is
possible. About apple juice, it’s obvious. Anything taken orally that
can make for the loss of body water can be helpful. Juices other than
apple are also effective therefore. Coming to second part of
question, I would warn people not to be careless during other times of the
day. This mosquito is a day time mosquito and can bite throughout the day.
But it’s true it is most effective at dawn and dusk. Winters may give
respite outdoors but dangers are still there indoors. Mosquitoes get into
rooms as they are warmer and illuminated. So people inside have a threat. TNS: Is it true that
ordinary mosquitoes can also carry virus if they bite an infected person? FK: No, this is not the
case. Only two types or species associated with this disease can be the
carriers. Once such mosquito bites the virus is transferred and it takes a
week or so for the mosquito to be able to transfer it through bite. A
single bite is enough to transfer this virus to another person. One
alarming thing is that this virus is transferred to the eggs that infected
mosquito lays and all the mosquitoes born out of these eggs have this
virus by birth. This is one reason why destruction of eggs and larvae is
essential. TNS: How does this virus
reach new places and why it was Lahore affected the most this year? FK: In this age where
travel by different modes has increased manifold anything is possible.
Local diseases can become global as people travel to every nook and corner
by air and carry virus in their bodies. A person bitten by infected
mosquito has no symptoms for many days so he can travel without knowing
that he is a carrier. About Lahore being the
centre, there are several explanations coming from different people. But I
remember dengue was first identified in Karachi and later it spread in
Lahore. The most active site of dengue was Railway station where trains
full of people arrived from cities including Karachi. They could have
brought it with them. I also assume that goods
trains coming from India via border may have brought infected mosquitoes.
This disease has been there for long in India and at a much larger scale.
Once in Lahore, I think they would have found conducive environment and
conditions to grow many times. TNS: How helpful
trainings by Sri Lankan teams have been? What were the focus areas? FK: Trainings have been
for all involved in diagnosis and cure. For example, General Practitioners
(GPs) and family physicians have been trained as they form the first
contact with patients. Wrong diagnosis by them and treatment through
epidemics can be harmful. Similarly, we have trained entomologists and
virologists. Entomologists’ education is necessary for proper vector
surveillance, their mapping, identification of their habitats, tracing of
larvae and eggs and study of mosquito habits. By habits we mean things
like when does the mosquito bite, is it killed by spray or forms
resistance etc. Virologists are essential as they have to identify which
strain is prevalent at which place and at what time and so on. TNS: What is the role of
IPH and why has it been sidelined for so long? FK: IPH was established
in 1949 and has since then been involved in planning health policies,
teaching, research and consultancy services. It was established as
Institute of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine by the Punjab Health
Department with the active support of Government of Pakistan and World
Health Organisation (WHO). IPH has always advised health departments and
ministries and will continue to do that. It is not sidelined, in fact our
nature of work is different. Health officials and professionals working in
the field are more in the limelight than us. TNS: Authorities claim
casualties due to dengue have been reduced, thanks to the professional
advice of Sri Lankan doctors. Is it true? FK: Yes, it is true.
Previously, what was happening was that doctors would inject drips into
patients’ bodies to recover water loss. This is dangerous. In dengue
water separated from blood stays inside the body. It is recovered in a
day. Excess water results in overload and causes harm. This may affect
kidneys also. Secondly, the injection
of platelets was also a problem area. Nobody dies from fall in platelet
count. Death is cause by the shock which has to be managed. Blood which
becomes thick due to loss of water contents gets thicker by unnecessary
platelet addition. Sri Lankans told us that care is needed in injecting
platelets. They taught our doctors how to treat the shock through regular
monitoring, follow-ups etc. Loss of water if any
should be compensated for through liquids taken orally. This way only the
required content is absorbed and the rest is passed through urine. Liquids
injected through needles etc cause overload.
Organise
to survive There was a conference
and an exhibition of handicrafts at a local hotel in the city last
Thursday. All the stalls had something The conference and
exhibition organised by HomeNet Pakistan had brought HomeNet Pakistan is
putting in effort to bring the home-based workers into the social security
net 72.5 million population
is unaccounted for, that is they are either dependents or working from
home while International Labour Organisation finds 80 percent of the total
working population in the informal sector and 50 pc of them are working.
According to HomeNet Pakistan only 41pc of the home-based workers are
urban which means a greater number are in rural areas. At a consultation
held earlier by HomeNet Pakistan a speaker proposed to ask the political
parties to include their plan for labour in their election agenda.
The conference is full
of women with few men here and there. Among them is Rukhsana Munir who is
ready to talk to me and take leave from the conference for a while. She
and her whole village which is Rasool Nagar in Zila Kasur, only 4 km from
Ganda Singh Chowk, make chiks and baan that is used in charpoy. “We make
chiks that are 4 feet wide and 7 feet long which take 2 hours. We make 3-4
chiks in a day and we get only Rs. 15 for a chik. Close to Eid these chiks
are sold at the lowest rate. The last time our person went to the market,
he was told not to come for sometime as our product was not needed in the
market. We have stopped making chiks in the village and pray the situation
will improve. What do we do in such an event. Tell me? “We produce the best
baan which is far superior than those made with thread. Let me tell you
that our men go to Azad Kashmir to fetch the material for the ban. It is
then prepared here at our homes but there seems to be no buyer these days.
Tell me what shall we do in such circumstances? We have been told not to
come before Eid. What Eid will be ours?” Rukhsana implores. These workers get the
material for chiks for a year. If it catches fire and this has happened,
everything is burnt to ashes before the fire brigade arrives and there is
no one they can go to for compensation. “We want one party to buy baan
and chiks from us at uniform rates. HomeNet introduced us to many people
but nobody gives loans. Our small children help us in making chiks,” she
says. The woman who has five
children, is acutely aware of the importance of education. “There is
only one primary school for girls in our village and the village is quite
populated. No secondary school for them while the boys can have education
uptil class 8 there,” informs Rukhsana whose eldest daughter has done
matric. She demands high schools in her village. Rukhsana is determined to
educate her children though the nearest girls’ school from her village
is 25kms away. It means Rs. 60-80 daily for fare. There is no factory near
their village where people could find some employment. “People came with
promises but never did anything in this respect. Those who run for
elections do only one of the many things people demand. For the rest of
things we have to wait for another five years, till the next election.
HomeNet Pakistan sent mobile Nadra units to our village which came twice
and gave us computerised identity cards at our homes. We are grateful to
them for that because you need an ID card at every step now.” Rukhsana Munir and her
village folks go to people themselves to sell their products but the day
is near when one day buyers will be there in her village and the tide will
turn in her favour. As we talked she saw the possibility of her village
turning into a chik and baan market, a market only 4kms away from Ganda
Singh Chowk. Yes, the world is full of possibilities. — SS
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beautiful to offer. What seemed to attract buyers were things that could
be worn rather than ones that only adorn. Those who made to the stalls
were organisations which give home-based workers a platform. 
home-based
workers from all over the country at one place but it was sad that no
government representative turned up at an event that brought around 500
workers at one place. The workers spoke about the problems they face and
underlined the importance of forming organisations. All of them want an
increase in their wages, to educate their children and help when their
family members fall ill. In short they demand to be recognised as workers.
whose number has increased considerably with the shrinking of the formal
sector in the country. There is an overwhelming majority of women working
from home at extremely low wages for long hours. 