Pakistan school attack, plane disappearances-tragedies mark 2014

New Delhi: The year 2014 drew to a close with twin tragedies. A suicide attack at an Army-run school in Pakistan by Taliban militants claimed the lives of over 140 people, mostly children.

An Air Asia flight carrying 162 people was recovered in the Java Sea off Indonesia. Earlier in the year, a Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 carrying 239 people from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared with no trace.

Malala Yousafzai became the youngest Nobel Prize winner when she was recognised for her efforts in securing education to all children.

Meanwhile, extremist group Boko Haram, who are against educating girls, abducted female students from a school in Nigeria.

In Hong Kong, protesters took to the streets demanding that Beijing allow democratic elections for the 2017 election for Hong Kong Chief Executive.

Ebola virus struck in Africa killing thousands and spread to other countries including isolated cases in India.

Afghanistan held a presidential election, Italy took over the EU presidency and Russia annexed Crimea. Two Indians were caught up in a hostage situation in Australia.  Following is the diary of international events.

The school authorities will ask parents to give an undertaking that their ward will not remain absent from school anymore for more than 3 (Three) days at one go, for which prior permission from the concerned class teacher will be obtained and in case, the act is repeated once again, teacher should notice the parents and sort out the issues.

Stating that many times the students also need proper counselling to actively participate in schools, the minister said for such child friendly counselling an institutional arrangement is necessary. "Therefore, it's proposed that each High School will have a 4-5 member 'counselling committee' under the Chairmanship of the Head Master/Mistress," the minister said.

Any student who will remain absent for a period of more than 15 days will be referred to the Counselling Committee by the respective class teacher and on a fortnightly basis the Committee will sit to consider such cases and follow up action is to be taken on the basis of the recommendation of the Committee, the guiledine said.

The District Education Officer (DEO) will monitor the observance of the guidelines in letter and spirit and add this agenda in the monthly review meeting. DEO will submit report online to the Director, Secondary Education and Director, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) on a monthly basis on out of school students. RMSA should prepare the review format and circulate to the district, it said.