Latest news with #EducationSector
Saba Yemen
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Amran Education Sector organizes seminar commemorating Imam Hussein martyrdom
Amran - Saba: The Education Sector in Amran province organized a cultural seminar on Saturday commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). During the seminar, Amran province Deputy Hassan Al-Ashqas and Education Sector official Zaid Rattas emphasized the importance of adhering to the values and principles for which Imam Hussein bin Ali (peace be upon them) sacrificed. They highlighted the need to draw lessons from the stance of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) in supporting truth, his patience, steadfastness, and sacrifice in confronting tyrants and oppressors. Al-Ashqas and Rattas pointed out that the tragedy of Karbala was a consequence of the Ummah's deviation from the path of truth, its hesitation, weak faith, and lack of insight. Meanwhile, cultural activist Saleh Al-Zafani delivered a lecture discussing the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and its significance as a tragedy for the Islamic Ummah. He described this occasion as a spiritual milestone to reinforce the values of patience, steadfastness in truth, confronting falsehood, rejecting submission to the enemies of the Ummah, correcting its current state, and strengthening its resilience against global forces of evil. Al-Zafani also stressed the importance of following the example of Imam Hussein's revolution in continuing to resist and sacrifice to confront global aggression and arrogance, supporting the Palestinian people and Islamic sanctities until victory is achieved. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
South China Morning Post
02-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong education chief puts onus on schools amid competition for students
Hong Kong's education minister has said that schools struggling with insufficient student enrolment must evaluate their own performance in meeting parents' expectations rather than relying on government intervention. Advertisement Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin also said the education sector should not insist on keeping the existing number of schools and emphasised a need for 'metabolism' to ensure its vitality. In an interview with local media last Friday, she said that the recent policy allowing schools that managed to operate four Form One classes to apply to run one more in the coming academic year was to 'address parents' needs and choice'. Choi urged those schools with insufficient enrolment to reflect on their own performance, instead of simply hindering the development of more popular institutions. 'Schools finding it difficult to admit students throughout many years could not address parents' and students' needs. Why do they define themselves as weak schools and only ask authorities to take care of them? It should not be like this,' she said. Advertisement 'Have they thought about the needs of the parents in their districts? What are the students' needs and what could they provide for them and get their votes for the schools?'
RNZ News
24-06-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Visa approvals for Indian students climb after steep declines
Visa approvals for Indian students rise slightly after two years of high rejection rates. Photo: 123rf Visa approvals for Indian nationals are on the rise after two years of steep declines, with new figures showing a drop in rejection rates for student visa applications. From 1 January to 22 June, Immigration New Zealand received 6548 applications for student visas from Indian nationals. Of those, 4780 were approved and 1501 declined, giving Indian applicants a 75.4 percent approval rate and a 23.7 percent rejection rate. That's a notable improvement from 2024, when Immigration New Zealand approved 8,997, or 58.9 percent, of the 14,313 applications it received from Indian students. At the same time, the agency rejected 39.5 percent of the applications. In 2023, Immigration New Zealand approved 6523 applications, or 62.7 percent, of the 11,537 applications it received. The rejection rate for the year was 34.9 percent. "Increased engagement with the education sector and agents, and Immigration New Zealand detailing the type of information needed to assess the application, has contributed to the improvement," said Celia Coombes, director of visa at Immigration New Zealand. "As per the current 2025 year-to-date figures, the approval rate for both China and India is higher than in 2024 and 2023," Coombes said. Applications from Chinese students have also seen a decline in rejection rates, falling to just 1.6 percent so far in 2025, down from 2.9 percent in 2024 and 3 percent in 2023. "This is due to increased engagement with the education sector and agents, and Immigration New Zealand detailing the type of information needed to assess the application," Coombes added. From 1 January to 22 June, Immigration New Zealand received 6548 applications for student visas from Indian nationals. Photo: RNZ / Yiting Lin The rebound in visa approvals comes amid a broader push to revive New Zealand's international education sector. More than half of the country's universities are now offering dedicated packages for Indian applicants, including scholarships and fee discounts. Five institutions currently have such offers in place. In April 2024, Education New Zealand - the government agency promoting the country to foreign students - partnered with the High Commission of India in Wellington to mark India as the "country of honour" at the 2024 New Zealand International Education Conference. Education New Zealand is also working on a three-year growth plan to expand the international education sector. The agency had previously said international students contributed $3.7 billion to the economy in 2019 - a figure that dropped sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic, prompting job cuts and emergency funding for universities. However, the international education sector has shown signs of stabilisation, with April 2025 enrolments matching pre-pandemic figures. Universities New Zealand said the country's eight universities had about 20,000 full-time equivalent international students in April this year. Arunima Dhingra Photo: Supplied "This improvement is both welcome and timely," said Arunima Dhingra, CEO of Aims Global Immigration and Education. However, she said the problem of incorrectly declined student visa applications had been "persistent and frustrating" for months. "It has been raised repeatedly - by industry bodies, education providers and licensed immigration professionals - to senior INZ leadership and government officials alike," she said. While INZ had attributed past rejections to issues around financial documentation, Dhingra said confusion still lingered. "Another issue that continues to cause confusion is the mismatch between INZ's public-facing checklists and the reality of how applications are assessed," she said. Dhingra said applicants who had followed Immigration New Zealand's existing online checklist to the letter were being declined, and the agency had yet to release an updated version. "If INZ truly wants to support better approval outcomes, especially from high-volume markets like India, [it] must improve transparency around ... expectations - particularly around financial evidence," she said. "While we understand they can't provide an exhaustive list, clarity around how things like nationalised education loans or payment plans are actually assessed would make a huge difference."
Zawya
18-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Bank Nizwa presents exclusive offers to professionals across education and healthcare sectors
Muscat: Driven by its commitment to providing banking services that meet the diverse and evolving needs of its customers, Bank Nizwa, the leading and most trusted Islamic bank in the Sultanate of Oman, has announced the launch of a profession-based retail product bundle designed exclusively for individuals working in the Education and Healthcare sectors. This new offering not only acknowledges their invaluable contributions to society but also provides a comprehensive, convenient, and value-driven banking experience. This profession-focused bundle is a testament to Bank Nizwa's dedication to delivering Sharia-compliant, customer-centric solutions that cater to lifestyle, career needs, and long-term aspirations. At the heart of the bundle is the Salary Account, offering a suite of exclusive benefits such as savings plans, recurring saving deposits, and Mudaraba-based investment options; empowering customers to plan and manage their finances with confidence and purpose. Additionally, eligible professionals can access preferential profit rates on financing products, enabling greater financial flexibility to achieve their aspirations. As part of the offering, customers will also receive a Gold Credit Card with a first-year waiver on the annual fee. The card unlocks a range of benefits, including discounts and promotional offers from Bank Nizwa's partner merchants. Furthermore, to provide added value and peace of mind, the bundle includes Takaful coverage for domestic helpers, offering support and protection for household employment needs. Commenting on the offering, Mr. Mohamed Al Ghassani, Chief Retail Banking Officer at Bank Nizwa, stated: 'As the nation's preferred Islamic financial services provider, we remain dedicated to consistently innovating unique and enhanced offerings to our valued customers, with the aim to meet their evolving needs, and ease their financial management necessities. At Bank Nizwa, we recognize the essential role those working in the healthcare and education sectors play in building a better Oman. This bundle is a gesture of appreciation and a meaningful way to support their lifestyles, professional demands, and long-term aspirations. Our aim is to be their trusted partner, offering solutions that align with their values and career aspirations.' Reflecting Bank Nizwa's unwavering commitment to customer-centricity, this occupation-specific bundle stands as a testament to the bank's dedication to understanding the unique needs of professionals in education and healthcare sectors. The bundle empowers customers to take confident, well-informed financial decisions while laying the groundwork for a stable and prosperous future. By offering holistic and Sharia-compliant financial solutions under one offering, Bank Nizwa continues to empower its customers to make confident financial choices and build a secure future.
Arab News
17-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan's militancy-hit Balochistan unveils ‘largest' $3.6 billion annual budget
ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan's militancy-hit Balochistan on Tuesday unveiled its $3.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2025-26, which provincial Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani described as the 'largest' one in the province's history. Balochistan is Pakistan's largest province by land size but its poorest by almost all social and economic indicators. The province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has been the scene of a low-lying insurgency for decades where ethnic separatist militants demand a greater share of the province's mineral resources for locals. Nosherwani presented the budget for the upcoming fiscal year in the Balochistan Assembly in Quetta, with Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai chairing the session. 'For the upcoming fiscal year, the total budget is estimated at Rs1,028 billion [$3.63 billion]— the largest in the province's history,' Nosherwani told lawmakers during the budget session. 'Out of this, the non-development budget is Rs642 billion [$2.26 billion] while the overall provincial development (PSDP) budget is Rs249.5 billion [$878 million],' he added. The finance minister pointed out that the budget includes a Rs42 billion [$148.3 million] surplus, describing it as a 'historic milestone' for the province. Nosherwani said the government has earmarked over Rs120 billion [$423.5 million] for the schools sector and Rs29.1 billion [$102.7 million] for the higher education sector. The provincial government has also allocated Rs87 billion [$307 million] for the health sector, ₨26 billion [$91.8 million] for the agriculture sector and Rs1 billion [$3.53 million] for food, he said. He said the government had decided not to purchase new vehicles, except for the ones required by law enforcement personnel. 'To create employment opportunities in 2025–26, the provincial government plans to introduce 4,188 contract positions and 1,958 regular jobs across departments,' Nosherwani said. He credited the provincial government for not overlooking any segment of society in the annual budget. 'These measures cover government employees, women, pensioners, youth, migrants, laborers— people from every walk of life,' the finance minister said.
