IBNE SINA COLLEGE

487Y, DHA, Lahore. Ph: 5722837

PROSPECTUS
(1 January 2009)
GENERAL

Ibne Sina College was established in 1987 as an English medium school preparing students for the Lahore Board of Secondary Education Matric examinations. In the 16 annual batches sent up (19912006) all of the 949 students who took these examinations passed, 935 of them getting 60%+ marks (1st Division). Our last Class X Matric Examination (2006) results were particularly good: 26 girls took the examination, 23 getting A+ and 3 A grades. Of the 38 boys 14 got A+, 14 A, 7 B and 3 C grades. On the basis of these results Ibne Sina College consistently remained amongst the top most schools taking the Lahore Board Matric examinations. Due to changes in Government policy we discontinued teaching the Matric syllabus in 2006. We now teach a curriculum that prepares students for the University of Cambridge International General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level Examination (O Level). Ibne Sina College has been granted Affiliated Centre status for these examinations by the University of Cambridge. Our first batch of 34 students took the O Level examination in 2008 with the following results: All of them passed in all papers of the eight subjects that they took together in that examination. On the basis of grades awarded in each subject 5 students got 8As, 5 got 7As, 7 got 6As, 2 got 5 As. Thus 19 of them (56%) got 5 As or more. Of all of the papers taken by our students 59% were graded A (90% or more marks). The quality of these results compares favourably with the results of the best schools in Lahore. The College is located on a 34 Kanal plot with its own purpose built buildings. Facilities for students include, amongst others, a 350 student capacity multipurpose hall, two science laboratories, a computer laboratory with 18 computers, a 6,000+ books library, a music room, a Montessori activities room and an audiovisual room. The College has electricity generators with sufficient capacity for use in the entire College when WAPDA power is shut down. The maximum number of students per class-section is 36. Currently with 1,050 students and 87 teachers, the Teacher student ratio is 1 : 12. Both boys and girls are admitted, but classes are not co-educational. Boys and girls are separated from Class I onwards. There are separate buildings for boys and girls. They share the common facilities (library, laboratories) but in doing so remain segregated by time-table management. They have separate breaks, assemblies and debates etc. Nursery and Prep Class children are in mixed classes in a separate building for themselves. The Colleges current academic year which started in July 2008 will end in June 2009. In order to comply with Government orders that academic sessions start in April each year, our next academic year which will start in July 2009 will end in March 2010 and all subsequent years will be from April to March. Each academic year consists of two Terms. The First Term of the current year ended in December 2008 and the Second Term will end in June 2009. In the next academic year the First Term shall be from July to November 2009 and the Second Term from December to March 2010. The summer vacation this year will be from 14 June to 15 August 2009. The next years First Term Examination will be followed by a 1 week Mid Year break in November 2009 and the Second Term Examination by a 3 weeks year End break in March/April 2010. In Classes I VII, and in the First Term of Class VIII students are taught English, Urdu, Islamiat, History, Geography, Mathematics, the 3 Sciences, Art and Computers. In the Second Term of Class VIII, and in classes IX and X that follow, they are taught the following 8 subjects: English, Urdu, Islamiat, Pakistan Studies, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology in accordance with the O Level Examination syllabus. 1/4

The College is open 5 days a week, 185 days a year, for all classes except for classes IX & X for whom it is open 6 days a week, 235 days a year (including 25 days of special classes during the summer vacation). Winter timings are 8.00 2.00 and Summer 7.00 1.00. Nursery children leave 1 hours earlier, Prep Class children leave an hour earlier. Each working day has 10 periods, including one for the midday break. There is one period less on Fridays, which is a shorter day by one hour. There is an extensive cocurricular activities programme as a part of the regular time table within College hours. This includes singing, art, computers, debates and library periods. Sporting facilities include gymnastics, foot ball, basket ball, volley ball, hand ball, table tennis and athletics. There are four full time Sports Teachers, including a female for the older girls.
THE IBNE SINA COLLEGE WAY Ibne Sina College as a policy believes that no child is uneducable or nalaiq. It is the duty of the educationist to take each child up to the highest level of her/his potential. Whereas it may be unreasonable for parents to expect all children to produce equally brilliant results, it is unfair for Teachers to give up weak students as failures, at any level. With the aforesaid in mind the college aims to provide equal opportunity education to all students in all the three aspects intellect, character and physique, that make up a complete individual. It is recognized that as a part of the fast progressing world, Pakistan cannot become isolationist in its education policy. At the same time, Pakistani nationalism and the countrys needs as an ideological state are of paramount importance in formulating any educational plan. The Colleges mission is to provide the best academic and cocurricular inputs possible, in an environment that nurtures these requirements, to produce good human beings who are leaders in their chosen fields of endeavour in life. Over the past 20 years, through experience, we have developed a way of work which distinguishes us from other schools. The following describes some of our practices which collectively make up what may be called the Ibne Sina College Way. We believe that in normal circumstances a 3 to 4 years old child is best educated at home, in its mothers lap, instead of going to a Play Group Class at a school. At Ibne Sina we start with children, around 4 years old and fresh from home, who are admitted to the Nursery Class for a year. Their next year is in the Prep Class, after which they enter Class I. Skipping the Play Group our students go up to Class I after 2 years of pre school instead of 3 years. This saves a year of school time, and costs, prior to Class I. We believe that students are capable of completing the O Level syllabus in 10 years after pre school, as is done worldwide, instead of in 11 years, as is the common practice in Pakistan. The extra year causes students to loose interest and concentration with repeated revision and mock examination in the period before the O Level Examinations, thus getting poor results. We therefore prepare our students to take the O Level examination at the end of Class X, and not at the end of Class XI. Skipping Class XI saves them another year of school time before going on to college for Intermediate / A Levels. Completing education upto O Level in 12 (2+10) years instead of in 14 (3+11) years, without compromising the high quality of final results, is possible at Ibne Sina through the implementation of sensible time utilization practices including: comparatively longer school hours, fewer days off and no time lost for social distractions. The O Level Examination syllabus books are taught from the Second Term of Class VIII, and in the following two years (Classes IX & X). Classes IX & X students come to College on Saturdays as well as for one month of the Summer Vacation. The Saturday and vacation classes add up to 100 additional school days, equivalent to half an academic year, in these two years. From Class I onwards there are specialist Teachers for each class and subject. With a very few exceptions a Teacher only teaches one subject to all 3 sections of a Class. This reduces the burden on the Teachers and enables them to concentrate better on their subject and level of teaching. In Classes VI, VII and VIII Physics, Chemistry and Biology are taught, and examined, as separate subjects, instead of together as General Science (which is done up to Class V). In the Term examinations for these classes 75 marks are awarded for each one of these three sciences, instead of 100 marks for all 3 together, thus giving more weightage to science in the curriculum at this lower level. 2/4

Islamiat is taught from the Nursery Class onwards with emphasis on getting students to understand the practical aspects of Islam, rather than getting them to memorise various prayers and verses in Arabic only. Anything in Arabic is always accompanied with its Urdu/ English meanings. In Classes VI, VII and VIII students are taught the meanings of selected Quranic verses which give guidance on various facets of practical human life, including morality, social behaviour, individual rights and responsibilities etc. For this purpose a book Taleemaat-e-Quran has been specially produced by the College, in collaboration with the Children Quran Society, and is used here as a text book. Students are required to have a copy of the Holy Quran, with meaning explained in simple English from Class VI onwards. No home work is given to children in the Nursery Class. Students in Classes Prep III are given very limited home work. Home work is assigned every other week only. Classes I and above have a Class Test for each subject once every fortnight. These Tests are held in the weeks following the Home Work Weeks. No home work is given during Test Weeks, and no Tests are conducted during the Home Work Weeks. Fortnightly testing enables the students progress to be assessed earlier, and corrective action to be implemented within the Term, instead of waiting for the Term End Examination results, available every 6 months. The syllabi for the Term Examinations are on a semester basis in Classes I III. In Classes IV VIII the Second Term examination has that Terms course plus selected portions of the first Terms course. Classes IXX Term Examinations are based on all of the O Level Examination syllabus covered up to date. Students are required, and prepared, to appear for all 8 subjects taught here together in the O Level examination held in summer each year. Taking the examination in parts is not allowed. No choice is given in the question papers in the Term Examinations for all classes except the senior most who are examined in accordance with O Level examination rules. Term Examination Reports give positions gained by the student in each subject. This comparative information enables a better appreciation of the students performances and encourages competition. Promotions to the next Classes are based on the results of both Term Examinations and all the Class Tests conducted during the year. Students need 50%+ marks to pass in each subject. There is only one morning assembly for all students in Classes VI and above, separately for boys and girls, each week. It is in the form of an oral magazine with individual presentations by students through their Houses. This 40 minute assembly includes a short lecture on Quranic instructions regarding the practical aspects of life, students presentations and College announcements. Classes I V students have weekly assembly periods, on the same lines, in their classrooms. Joining hand writing in English is introduced in the Prep Class. Children do not have to learn to write English in two steps. Equal emphasis is placed on the teaching of Urdu and English. English is not promoted at the cost of Urdu. The purpose is to prepare students who are equally proficient in correctly speaking and writing both languages when they leave school. Students need encouragement to take Urdu seriously, for this purpose Islamiat is taught in Urdu up to Class V. To develop communication skills there are 2 Urdu and 2 English elocutions for Classes IIV and 2 debates for students in Classes VX each year. Nursery and Prep Class children have an annual show of performing arts. Classes IVX have Essay and Story Writing Contests in both languages in each Term. Students are not allowed to bring more than Rs 30 to College and the Tuck Shop does not sell goods worth more than this sum to any student. Celebration of birthday parties at school is prohibited. The giving of Eid cards and gifts of any kind to Teachers and other College employees is not allowed. Students are not allowed to bring cell phones to College and the Teachers are not allowed to use their phones to the Class Rooms. 3/4

Students are taught the Namaz as well as its meanings in Urdu and English in Classes IIIVIII. There is a question on the meanings of the Arabic verses of the Namaz in every Term Examination for these students. The College has an annual IslamPakistan Day celebration. On this day all students wear the national dress (shalwar qameez) instead of College uniforms and participate in functions comprising speeches, songs, quiz competitions etc. on the theme of Pakistan and its reason for existence as an independent country Islam. The College does not celebrate Basant, Valentine or Thanks Giving days, nor does it have Fun Fairs, Pop Music Concerts, dramas or dancing. All College functions and occasions, including assemblies, debates, competitions etc, start with Tilawat from the Quran. The Arabic verses are always followed by a detailed explanation of their meanings. The College uniform is simple and inexpensive. Girls wear proper dupattas, ties are not worn, and woolen trousers or blazers are not compulsory. The Colleges emphasis on character building is evidenced by Gold Medals given each year to students in Classes IV XI, separately for boys and girls, as the Khursheed Inam Award for Excellence in Human Qualities. Ibne Sina College is probably the only institution that gives such awards. These medals are honoured more than those given for academic performances. Parents are encouraged to keep in touch with the Teachers and can visit the College at any time throughout the year without prior appointment. Parent Teacher Meetings are held on one Saturday each Term, when all the Teachers are available only for this purpose.
FEE AND CHARGES

For students in all classes the Monthly Tuition Fee is Rs 4,600, the Admission Fee is Rs 13,800 and the Security Deposit, which is refundable, is Rs 9,200. As an exception to the aforenoted, for students in classes IX and X, who attend College 6 days a week, instead of 5 and for an extra month during the summer vacation, the Monthly Tuition Fee is Rs 5,250, the Admission Fee Rs 15,750 and the Security Deposit Rs 10,500. There are no other charges either monthly, quarterly or annual. The Admission Fee and Refundable Security Deposit are payable at the time of admission. The Tuition Fee is normally paid for two months in advance. All payments are deposited directly into the Colleges account with a Bank. The Tuition Fee is subject to increase from January each year, at which time the Refundable Security Deposit amount in hand is also increased for all students, including those already on roll, to keep it equal to two months Tuition Fee at that years monthly rate.
ADMISSIONS

Admissions to the Nursery class are made on the basis of interviews only. Prep Class candidates are admitted on the basis of interviews and written assessments. For admission to Classes I and above all candidates are required to take written tests in English, Urdu and Mathematics. Candidates for Classes VIII and above are also tested in the 3 science subjects. Each paper takes 30 40 minutes. Tests are held on normal work days. For purposes of admission the following procedure is followed: Parents obtain an Application for Admission Form (free) from the College. The Form is submitted together with an official (not hospital) Birth Certificate and one recent photograph of the child and a date for the childs interview/test is obtained. The student is interviewed/tested. Tests results are normally available on the same day, otherwise on the following day. On admission being granted, payment of the initial dues is made in the Bank through a Challan prepared by the College, after which the admission is confirmed.

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