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The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Controversy erupts over decision to hold repeat exams before declaration of results
The decision of the Directorate of Technical Education to conduct repeat examinations before officially releasing the results of the second, fourth and sixth semester diploma exams has triggered a row, with teachers terming it as an attempt to help a few students. Teachers from polytechnic colleges across the State have raised serious concerns over the move, calling it 'unprecedented.' They asked why the department was conducting supplementary exams even before announcing the results of regular exams, suggesting a possible manipulation to favour certain students. Dr. Shino P. Jose, a teacher in the higher education sector, said such a move was unheard of. 'This is the first time that an exam board is re-conducting exams for failed students without declaring who has failed. It clearly indicates an effort to protect their own people,' he added. The circular issued by the office of the Joint Controller of Examinations on June 2 has intensified suspicions, with critics saying that the move deviated from standard examination protocols and compromised the transparency of the evaluation process. 'Rather than officially announcing the results, identifying those who failed, and then scheduling a supplementary exam, the department appears to be identifying them unofficially and giving them a second chance before the public is even informed of the results,' Dr. Shino said. He urged the Controller of Examinations to provide a transparent explanation for the circular and safeguard academic integrity. Meanwhile, the silence of other teachers within the Directorate on the issue has added to the scepticism. Stakeholders are demanding accountability and transparency to uphold the credibility of the State's technical education system. However, Joint Controller of Technical Examinations V.V. Ray defended the decision, stating it was implemented following a government order. 'Based on the directorate's recommendation, the government permitted repeat exams for students who failed or were absent in the institution-level theory examination under the Revision 21 syllabus in the State's polytechnic colleges, Mr. Ray said. He added that the institution-level exams, introduced as part of curriculum reforms, aim to empower the institutions and mirror the academic model of autonomous colleges. 'During inspections, it was observed that government colleges followed strict evaluation, while self-financing institutions were more lenient. To ensure fairness, a second chance was given to affected students,' he clarified. Mr. Ray also said that the question papers were prepared and evaluated by teachers across institutions—whether government, aided, or self-financing—and that marks were later consolidated in the official mark list. Dr. Shino, however, dismissed the justification, stating that institutional autonomy cannot be equated with the University Grants Commission-recognised autonomous college status. He pointed out that no polytechnic in Kerala qualifies for such autonomy, and only a small number of colleges in the State hold official autonomous status.
TimesLIVE
13-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
TotalEnergies, BWEnergy set to decide on Namibia projects 'late next year'
Namibia expects French oil major TotalEnergies to take a final investment decision (FID) on its Venus discovery in the African country in the fourth quarter of 2026, the country's petroleum commissioner said on Tuesday. Maggy Shino said at a conference in Paris that she expects TotalEnergies to submit its first oilfield development plans for approval in June or July. Shino added that Namibia expected to finalise another field development plan with Norway's BWEnergy to develop the country's smaller Kudu gas field in June, with a FID also coming in late 2026. In January Shell wrote down its Namibia oil discoveries as uncommercial due to a high amount of gas in the fields, dampening initial enthusiasm that the southern African country, which has no hydrocarbon production, could become a major producer. TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne has said he believes the French oil major can handle those geological challenges, but that a FID will depend on whether production costs can be kept under an internal requirement of $20 per barrel.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Offshore Oil Exploration Booms in Namibia with Key Decisions Looming
Namibia expects France's TotalEnergies and Norway's BW Energy to take final investment decisions on oil projects offshore the African country in late 2026, a senior Namibian official says. TotalEnergies is expected to submit this summer a field development plan for the Venus project, while BW Energy and Namibia are finalizing a plan to develop a smaller discovery, Maggy Shino, Petroleum Commissioner at the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy, said on Tuesday. Both TotalEnergies and BW Energy are set to make a final decision whether to proceed with the offshore field developments – which would be Namibia's first ever – in the fourth quarter of 2026, Reuters quoted Shino as telling a conference in Paris. In recent years, international majors have scaled back investments in Africa's legacy producers such as Nigeria and Angola, and have instead opted for exploration offshore Namibia, hoping it would be the next Guyana and the next major oil producer and exporter. TotalEnergies, Portugal-based energy firm Galp, and Shell have already made large discoveries offshore Namibia, kicking off the Namibian oil rush in 2022. However, in a recent setback, Shell wrote down $400 million over an oil discovery offshore in offshore block PEL39 in Namibia that 'cannot currently be confirmed for commercial development.' Despite the downgrade of the discovery, Namibia remains a frontier province which majors are considering exploring and developing. Chevron, for example, plans to begin drilling an exploration well offshore Namibia in 2026 or 2027. At TotalEnergies' Q1 earnings call, CEO Patrick Pouyanné said that the company's project in Namibia is feasible but faces challenges because of low permeability. TotalEnergies and Namibian authorities have started discussions about a possible development at Venus, Pouyanné said, adding that the supermajor could move with the project if it meets the rate of returns the company has set. By Michael Kern for More Top Reads From this article on
Zawya
20-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Namibia Unveils Offshore Drilling Plans, New Licensing Opportunities
Namibia's offshore oil and gas industry is set for significant growth in 2025, driven by new licensing opportunities and an uptick in drilling activities, Petroleum Commissioner Maggy Shino announced during a webinar hosted by the African Energy Chamber ( Wood Mackenzie and Namibia's Ministry of Mines and Energy. The move is set to attract fresh investment as the country cements its status as one of the world's most promising oil frontiers. 'We are operating in an open licensing regime and will be receiving applications shortly,' Shino stated, noting that available acreage spans deepwater, ultra-deepwater and shallow-water environments. Meanwhile, development is accelerating on two of Namibia's most significant discoveries. TotalEnergies' Venus project in Block 2913B remains on track for a final investment decision (FID) in 2026, with new data confirming better density and permeability compared to surrounding blocks. On Galp's Mopane discovery, Shino revealed that 3,500Km 2 of high-density seismic data were collected this week to refine volume estimates and advance the project toward FID. On Shell's PEL 39 discovery – where the company recently wrote down $400 million – the Commissioner said Shell and its partners are analyzing data from the nine wells drilled so far to 'ensure we have designed a pathway to development' and to determine the next steps. Namibia's offshore basin remains vastly underexplored, despite its enormous scale. 'The scale is enormous – there's 220,000 square kilometers of offshore license acreage,' said Ian Thom, Research Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Upstream at Wood Mackenzie. 'With just over 20 exploration and appraisal wells drilled, this area is still hugely underexplored.' 'The resources are definitely there,' said Verner Ayukegba, Senior Vice President of the African Energy Chamber. 'The big questions now revolve around sub-surface conditions, gas content and how best to commercialize these discoveries.' Drilling activity in Namibia is set to ramp up in 2025, with seven wells expected this year alone. BW Energy plans to drill at the Kharas prospect within the Kudu license, while Rhino Resources awaits results from two high-impact wells in PEL 85. In South Africa's Orange Basin, TotalEnergies is expected to drill in Block 3B/4B, and Shell may drill in an ultra-deepwater block near the maritime boundary with Namibia. On the Kudu license, Shino stated that BW Energy has 'identified new targets with upside potential – not only for gas, but also for oil within the main area,' with two wells planned by year-end. As Namibia advances toward first oil production, the government is committed to ensuring that petroleum discoveries translate into long-term economic benefits for the nation. 'We are offering a sustainable operating environment, ensuring all discoveries are in a race to first oil while making a lasting impact on the local economy,' said Shino. Namibia's stable economy, industry alignment, respect for contract sanctity, expansive basins available for exploration and commitment to delivering sustainable energy resources position it as an attractive destination for investment. Namibia's exploration boom and available licensing opportunities will take center stage at African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025, where government leaders, industry executives and investors will discuss the latest developments firsthand. With major discoveries advancing toward production and new blocks opening for investment, AEW offers unparalleled access to key decision-makers shaping Namibia's energy future. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber. AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit for more information about this exciting event.
Telegraph
05-03-2025
- Telegraph
The migrants risking everything to reach Britain
Wintry sleet pelts down outside the bus that Aland and Shino, a couple from Iraq, are riding in the north of France. They're praying the weather tonight will improve so that they can attempt, for a fourth time, to cross the Channel to the UK. I'm riding with them on the bus, which is bumping along the 25 miles between Calais and Dunkirk, stopping in small towns along the way. As we travel, they tell me about their plan. The idea, as directed by smugglers to whom they've paid €10,000 (£8,280), is to sneak on to a specific lorry parked in Dunkirk that will drive to the port of Calais and on to a ferry bound for Dover. 'One time, when the driver discovered us, he said to me: 'Sorry, you didn't have luck this time; you'll have to try again,'' says Shino, 33. As increased patrols by British and French authorities seeking to halt irregular Channel crossings by boat have turned more violent and risky, some migrants like Aland and Shino believe the lorry-to-ferry option will be safer, even though it can be a long journey. As we sit on the bus, Shino points out a depot where they once spent 17 hours on board a truck before finally giving up. A smuggler had told them to get on the lorry on a Friday and hide for three days until it drove down to Calais on Monday. But they couldn't stand being cooped up inside for that long. For Aland, who is five months pregnant with the couple's first child, it is particularly difficult. The two refugees met and married in Germany after they had both separately left Iraq. But now, the couple hopes to get to the UK by whatever means possible to reunite with the rest of Aland's family before she gives birth. 'It's simple when you say it like that … they want to join their parents, sister or brother in the UK,' said Feyrouz Lajili, a field coordinator in Calais for Doctors Without Borders. 'We advocate for safe routes for people to be able to reach their destination without having to put themselves in danger and having to die.' At each bus stop, pensioners and students pile aboard, sitting down next to migrants including Iraqi Kurds like Aland and Shino, as well as war refugees from Sudan. It's an interesting, diverse mix of people, but it strikes me that while these two worlds co-exist, there seems to be little interaction between them. For the French who live along the coast, it has become a fact of life, with lifejackets and rubber boats littering beaches going further and further south – as far down as Berck, about 80 miles from Dunkirk. Smugglers are launching boats along a much longer swathe of coastline in an attempt to evade detection. For migrants, this means taking more risks, as they have to travel longer distances across the Channel. It has led to more deaths – 2024 was the deadliest year on record for Channel crossings, with at least 80 deaths, including a four-month-old infant, according to the UN's migration agency. There are also migrants who cannot afford to pay the smugglers. Often coming from Sudan, these refugees are penniless, fleeing the horrors of war and the worst famine the country has seen in 40 years. They may try to stow away by leaping on to lorries when drivers are parking or slowing down at roundabouts, aiming to land between the driver's cabin and the cargo bed. This is an option so dangerous that two people are believed to have died in this way in the last month alone. In his three months in France, Aziz, 16, whose name has been changed to protect his privacy and who comes from Darfur, has tried twice to stow away on a boat and tried 30 times to jump on to a truck. In between all this, he sometimes stops at a youth centre in Calais run by Doctors Without Borders, where he hangs out with other Sudanese boys. For him, it's a brief moment of relative normalcy in what is otherwise a dangerous and difficult life. For Aziz, Aland and Shino, their daily routine means shuffling between migrant camps and the occasional aid shelter where they might be able to have a warm meal, then trying yet again to get across the Channel. Sometimes, it includes a stint in custody, as it did for Aland and Shino this morning, when they were again discovered in a lorry and shooed away by French police. Still, nothing seems to dim their resolve to find what they hope will be a safe haven in the UK. 'Even if it cost 20,000 euros for each of us', said Shino, 'I would pay.'
