Latest news with #MoE
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Karachi bearing brunt as ministry looks to block FCA relief yet again
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) concluded its public hearing on K-Electric's (KE) petition for the approval of its April 2025 Fuel Charges Adjustment (FCA) to pass on a relief of over PKR 7 billion to Karachi's consumers. The hearing, which was originally deferred at the behest of the Power Division, covered the legal aspect of the Ministry of Energy's (MoE) request to defer the decision on KE's April FCA in light of their pending submission to the Cabinet – requesting application of uniform FCA across the country. The Power Division sought another deferral – submitted on June 27, 2025 – which NEPRA declined and decided to hear KE's case in the public forum. The MoE highlighted that based on its submission to the Cabinet on approving application of uniform FCA across the country, NEPRA should withhold and defer the decision until the Cabinet's decision. They argued that the discrepancy between KE's relief of PKR 4.69 to consumers conflicts with the XWDISCO of PKR 0.93 and would strain the federal budget. Their argument claimed that just as the Quarterly Tariff Adjustment (QTA) is applied uniformly across Pakistan, the FCA should follow the same principle. NEPRA's said the legal stance highlighted that the FCA mechanism is clearly defined in the law, and any unwarranted delays would not be legally sustainable. Moreover, retrospective applications of FCA would be legally indefensible and would likely face legal challenges. NEPRA also highlighted that the MoE's inability to raise this issue earlier or explicitly ask for a stay order in their review of the recently approved Multi-Year Tariff for KE, has put them in a difficult position to justify any delayed decision. Karachi's industrialists echoed this concern, urging NEPRA to remain independent and resist any pressure from the Ministry. They pointed out that the Ministry never objected when Karachi used to pay for positive FCAs in the past, which increased the applicable electricity price while customers of DISCOs enjoyed relief through negative FCAs. Citing a decision from IMF's May 2025 brief, Rehan Javed – a prominent industrialist – shared that IMF instructions specifically required Pakistan to implement timely adjustments in the power sector to manage the country's circular debt. Delays in FCA decisions, whether positive or negative would risk undermining this objective. Echoing similar sentiments, Tanveer Barry, Karachi Chamber of Commerce representative, and Arif Bilvani, prominent industrialist, highlighted what they termed the continued economic discrimination against Karachi. They questioned why Karachi consumers are forced to pay the Power Holding Limited (PHL) surcharge of Rs3.23 per unit of electricity despite contributing nothing to the circular debt for the next six years. They argued that Karachi consumers should now fully benefit from the negative FCA instead of being selectively targeted. They also raised concerns about the government's selective application of the 'Apna Meter, Apni Reading' program, which has not been extended to Karachi. Concluding the session, Amina Ahmed, Member (Law), summarizing the frustration of many, questioned why the Ministry's sudden urgency should override a process that has been place for nearly two years – in reference to KE's reference fuel cost of PKR 15.99. 'Its like the ministry has woken from its slumber,' she remarked. She also mentioned the absence of clear FCA guidelines – similar to QTA guidelines - and asked if it is imprudent to put Karachi's consumers on hold on the basis of an already delayed Cabinet approval – which may or may not implement a uniform FCA regime. Speaking during the hearing, Moonis Alvi, CEO KE, shared that they trust NEPRA's process in upholding fairness in whatever decision they may pass and that KE will abide by the decision notified as per the Authority.
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Science
- Gulf Today
Ministry sets July 2 deadline for students to submit grievances regarding exam results
The Ministry of Education (MoE) has set next Wednesday (July 2, 2025), as the deadline for submitting grievances and reviewing grades for grade 12 students, related to the results of the third semester exams, with a maximum of only three subjects in the paper-based (written) part; namely, Arabic, English, Science, Physics and Mathematics. A response will be received within three working days from the closing date of review requests via the dedicated link Students in grades 3 through 11 can visit their schools to submit grievances in only three subjects, and response is expected within a maximum of three working days from the date of submission. The MoE stressed the importance of submitting requests within the specified deadline to ensure that they are reviewed and handled in a timely manner. The MoE announced on Monday the results of the third semester for 12th grade students, while the results for grades 9-11 were to be announced at 4pm on the same day. Students in grades 5-8 will be able to receive their results at 10am on Tuesday, July 1, while grades 1-4 will receive their results at 4pm on the same day. The MoE allows students to print academic certificates for all levels through the Student Portal from 8pm until 12 midnight, according to the given times for each level.
Kuwait Times
3 days ago
- General
- Kuwait Times
MoE offers support to scholarship applicants via ‘Guide Me' campaign
MoE offers support to scholarship applicants via 'Guide Me' campaign Initiative aims to streamline registration procedures KUWAIT: The Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) has announced the provision of immediate technical assistance to students encountering difficulties in uploading required documents or arranging preferences as part of the registration process for the 2025-2026 external scholarship program. In a press statement, the ministry said it has allocated specific dates to receive students facing such technical challenges, starting from Sunday until Thursday. Students can visit the ministry's headquarters at Al-Sanabel Tower in Kuwait City from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm during this period. The initiative is part of the second (guidance) phase of the national campaign 'Wajihni' ('Guide Me'), which aims to streamline registration procedures and support students by addressing technical issues with the electronic system - whether related to document submission, preference arrangement, or meeting eligibility requirements for specializations and universities. Campaign organizers emphasized the importance of visiting the headquarters within the specified timeframe, especially as the July 3 deadline for scholarship registration approaches. They urged all eligible students to take advantage of this free service designed to enhance data accuracy and ensure successful registration within the deadline. The 'Guide Me' campaign is considered a key awareness initiative by the ministry to assist students planning to study abroad by offering both technical and human support. It reflects the ministry's continued efforts to simplify registration procedures in accordance with scholarship regulations. The MoHE launched the 'Guide Me' campaign for the fourth consecutive year in early May through its official social media platforms. The campaign targets Kuwaiti students who recently graduated from high school, including those holding foreign high school diplomas earned inside or outside Kuwait, and who meet the academic criteria for overseas study in the upcoming academic year. — KUNA
Borneo Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Policy on matriculation entry draws flak for excluding A- students
Bong says under the said implementation, only candidates with straight-A's and A+ grades would receive automatic admission, while those with A- results must undergo a merit-based selection process. KUCHING (June 29): The Ministry of Education (MoE)'s implementation of the automatic matriculation admission policy has drawn criticism from the Youth section of the Kuching branch of Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP). Under the said implementation, only candidates with straight-A's and A+ grades would receive automatic admission, while those with A- results must undergo a merit-based selection process. According to SUPP Youth Kuching branch's deputy secretary Alan Bong, this deviates from the assurance given by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last year. 'The Prime Minister promised that 'students with 10As regardless of race would be guaranteed entry'. 'There was no clarification that A- grades would be excluded from that definition. 'Hence, the MoE's current implementation, which limits automatic offers to candidates with only A and A+ grades, effectively narrows the original promise,' said Bong in a statement yesterday. He further claimed that the inconsistency between policy intent and execution had resulted in at least 214 students — who achieved 10As, including A- grades — being rejected, raising concerns about fairness and transparency in policy implementation. Bong also noted that under the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) grading system, A-, A, and A+ grades are commonly recognised as top-tier results. In this respect, he said it was understandable that people would interpret 10As to encompass all three variants. 'However, the present policy introduces an unexpected threshold that distinguishes between students based on marginal grade differences. 'For instance, a student scoring 9As and 1A+ qualifies for automatic admission, while another with 9As and 1A- is subject to additional filtering.' Bong then said this had created a disparity within the same achievement category, undermining the value of a full-A performance and weakening the policy's ability to reward academic excellence fairly and effectively. 'Since the MoE has clarified that no official statement was ever issued to redefine A- as a non-A grade, the policy execution ought to better reflect consistency, clarity, and the spirit of the Prime Minister's announcement,' he stressed. 'If 10As are meant to recognise comprehensive academic excellence, then A- should not be arbitrarily excluded. 'After all, achieving 10As, including the A- grade, is never an easy feat and such academic excellence ought to be fairly recognised and rewarded. 'The introduction of informal, technical exclusions risks sending mixed signals to students and eroding trust in institutional fairness,' he added. Bong thus called for the distribution of educational opportunities be grounded in academic merit above all else. He cited Sarawak's ongoing efforts in this area, such as the removal of ethnic quotas in university admissions, provision of performance-based financial aid, and the planned rollout of universal free tertiary education next year, as examples of a more consistent, outcome-focused model. 'Such a system, anchored in clear academic standards, helps to minimise structural inequalities and preserve the integrity of student achievement. 'As Malaysia looks ahead, I believe that the federal government should consider emulating the policies pursued in Sarawak. 'A fairer, more transparent selection framework will not only strengthen national competitiveness, but also ensure our brightest students are retained and recognised,' said Bong.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Education Ministry, Mindef to build school in remote Kalabakan village
KOTA KINABALU: The Education Ministry (MoE), in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence (Mindef), will build a school in Kampung Serudung Laut, Kalabakan under the Jiwa Murni programme to expand access to education for children in remote areas. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the process of establishing the school is currently underway and has received strong support from various quarters, including the local community. "We will ensure that this project proceeds smoothly. I visited the area during a recent trip and found that the site has very good access, so we will expedite the process," she told reporters after attending Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka's (DBP) 69th anniversary celebration here today. The event was officiated by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah, Tun Musa Aman. Fadhlina added that while waiting for the school's completion, the ministry has implemented a special programme involving reading classes for children in the area. "Teachers have been taking turns to teach, provided by the Sabah Education Department. So far, about 30 students have joined the classes, and we are confident the number will continue to grow over time," she said. On the issue of dilapidated schools in Sabah, Fadhlina said there are currently 390 ongoing projects to upgrade such schools across the state, of which 230 have been completed. "Another 67 projects are under construction, while 93 are in the pre-construction phase. The total allocation for these projects is RM6.078 billion," she said.
