It seems that DUHS finally decided to end all the rumors and whisperings by making an official announcement that it will indeed shift to the semester system of education in its constituent colleges and institutions.
We'd been hearing all sorts of news about the proposed semester system for the past month. There have been conflicting reports on whether it would be implemented this year or the next, and whether it would be put in place for a certain batch, or for all the students at once.
So far, Dow has been conducting annual exams in the Nov-January time frame for its students. According to the new system, it is expected that exams will additionally be conducted in May-June to divide the academic calendar into two. For the third year students onwards, one month in summer will be granted for electives.
This major change in the system has taken place on the basis of very short planning. The head of Pakistan's Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) which, by the way, approved the system, was apprehensive about the change. According to a report in The News:
He echoed the concerns of many students. Will the DUHS be able to pull this off? Has it done the necessary homework? Does it have the required resources? While funding has increased through the HEC (Higher Education Commission), the DUHS has a long to way to go to revamp and smoothen its education system. The University was officially founded in 2003 - yes, it is just five years old - and taking such big leaps, which are being criticized by many, might have unpleasant repercussions.
Well, personally, I don't want to be pessimistic. I'd be willing to cut the University some slack if there is some betterment for the students through the change. For instance, we'd become motivated to study harder and regularly (something which is currently lacking in the general student body). Also, stricter checks that we are hearing of, might be what the students here needed really, more than anything else. A little discipline goes a long way to guide a student and turn his/her focus to the course work. In other words, you're getting the students' attention now!
Time will tell, really, what will happen. My advice to my fellow DUHS students is... don't start frowning and despairing at this change. It might just be really good for you, even if you feel it's tough on you. A few years onward, you might be bragging that you were there when the DUHS switched over to a better system, InshAllah! And you might just be the first fruits of such a system, InshAllah!
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We'd been hearing all sorts of news about the proposed semester system for the past month. There have been conflicting reports on whether it would be implemented this year or the next, and whether it would be put in place for a certain batch, or for all the students at once.
So far, Dow has been conducting annual exams in the Nov-January time frame for its students. According to the new system, it is expected that exams will additionally be conducted in May-June to divide the academic calendar into two. For the third year students onwards, one month in summer will be granted for electives.
This major change in the system has taken place on the basis of very short planning. The head of Pakistan's Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) which, by the way, approved the system, was apprehensive about the change. According to a report in The News:
Member PMDC Dr. Sher Shah Syed informed that when the idea of introducing
semester system was floated at a recent PMDC meeting, all the concerned people
belonging to medical colleges in the country opposed it vehemently.He said this
decision by DUHS was not “well thought and well-planned”.
“Semester system is good for those institutes which are full-time like Aga
Khan Medical College. All affiliated medical colleges of DUHS are part-time
because of part-time faculties which are not able to perform their normal duties
full time,” he added.
He asked as to how this faculty would conduct semester system, which
required more tutors and more time. Dr. Shah said that majority of such faculty
members were involved in private practice after 2:00 p.m, adding: “It is very
unfortunate that DUHS is playing with the students’ academic activities because
of its ad hocism.”
He echoed the concerns of many students. Will the DUHS be able to pull this off? Has it done the necessary homework? Does it have the required resources? While funding has increased through the HEC (Higher Education Commission), the DUHS has a long to way to go to revamp and smoothen its education system. The University was officially founded in 2003 - yes, it is just five years old - and taking such big leaps, which are being criticized by many, might have unpleasant repercussions.
Well, personally, I don't want to be pessimistic. I'd be willing to cut the University some slack if there is some betterment for the students through the change. For instance, we'd become motivated to study harder and regularly (something which is currently lacking in the general student body). Also, stricter checks that we are hearing of, might be what the students here needed really, more than anything else. A little discipline goes a long way to guide a student and turn his/her focus to the course work. In other words, you're getting the students' attention now!
Time will tell, really, what will happen. My advice to my fellow DUHS students is... don't start frowning and despairing at this change. It might just be really good for you, even if you feel it's tough on you. A few years onward, you might be bragging that you were there when the DUHS switched over to a better system, InshAllah! And you might just be the first fruits of such a system, InshAllah!
