Daily Times

KINNAIRD College for Women progressed rapidly during former principal Ira Hasan’s brief tenure, according to a progress report. Several new initiatives were taken during her term from June 2004 to May 2005 and many new plans were under way when the Kinnaird College (KC) Board of Governors made a controversial decision to remove her and reinstate Mira Phailbus, who had stepped down after 32 years in office. The board told Ira Hasan, one of Kinnaird’s best teachers, to report to Punjab Education Department, as she was no longer needed.

College sources say Ira Hasan, following KC’s former principal Mangat Rai, wanted better learning opportunities at KC and wanted to inculcate tolerance and care for others among students.

She resolved several issues and added new approaches of human rights and modern technology in the syllabi.

According to the progress report, KC, which started in 1913 to educate women of all faiths and backgrounds was now teaching 25 major subjects to 2,500 students and had produced Pakistan’s most outstanding professionals and leaders.

Ira Hasan set up a central examination cell in September 2004 in line with the Higher Education Commission’s directives and all undergraduate results were computerised. Postgraduate results were to be computerised by January 2006. KC also resolved the pre-degree awarding status issue affecting more than 300 students. Fresh exams were conducted in 2005 and the degrees are being awarded sequentially.

KC introduced new majors in BA/BSc 2004 session, including Fine Arts, Environmental Sciences and Bio-Chemistry, and the college was planning a School of Law & Human Rights.

It introduced new courses in Creative Writing, French, German Spanish and Human Rights – the Legal Perspective. An MA degree in Leadership and Educational Management in collaboration with University of Warwick UK’s School of Education and Pennsylvania State University USA was planned for September 2006.

The Continuing Education Programme (CEP) designed for Pakistani women undergraduates and KC students was introduced in March 2005. The college taught social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in primary school, introduction of educational technologies, study skills, teaching pronunciation in ESL, the forgotten skill management issues, public affairs reporting, Shakespeare from page to stage, Shakespeare in context, drawing and painting, international political economy, French communication skills (English), health and beauty, everyday science and technology, environmental issues, chemistry and colour and computing – C and Visual Basic.

A memorandum of understanding was being finalised between KC and Pennsylvania State University, USA to promote development of academic and cultural relations. A faculty and student exchange programme including Mass Communication Departments of KC and Lady Shri Ram (LSR) College for Women, Delhi was being considered, which included an online newsletter between both departments and collaborative projects graded in both departments.

KC was chosen to represent Pakistan in a four-member cross-cooperation programme between Asia and Europe, with France, United Kingdom and China.

The college also participated in fundraising. Students donated money, blankets, medicines, dry food, water, milk and clothes to earthquake victims and Rs 100,000 and several cartons relief goods for Tsunami victims in March 2005. They participated in relief and rescue efforts and were ready to support child earthquake victims in Lahore. KC sent three loaded buses to the Army Camp at Fortress Stadium.

Kinnaird College’s library was upgraded with the chief minister’s Rs 2.5m grant, a turbine tube well was set up and water supply system was revamped and new laboratories were set up in the postgraduate block for Applied Psychology, Zoology, and Environmental Sciences.

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SPEAKERS at a seminar in Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) spoke on the ‘Role of Mental Health Professionals in natural calamities.’  The seminar was arranged by the KC’s Psychology Department in collaboration with Pakistan Psychological Association. MNA Riaz Fatiana, chairman of National Task Force for Psychological Services and Rehabilitation of the Earthquake Victims, was the chief guest.

LCWU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Bushra Mateen, Dr Kauser Sohail, Talat Sohail, Dr Bilal Aslam Sufi, Shiraz M Mirza, Dr Haroon Rasheed and a number of other speakers addressed the seminar. They said earthquake syndrome appeared as mental trauma, nightmares, constant fear, lack of confidence and the pessimistic thought about the future. The speakers said people who lost family members needed post trauma counselling.