Moalims

LAHORE: Acad Theatre’s new play ‘Do Doni Chaar’ highlighted the state of education in Pakistan’s public schools in rural areas, as the government is not implementing Article 25-A of the constitution, which ensures free education to all children of the age of five to sixteen.

The play shredded light in an entertaining manner that the public schools offer only substandard education and exposed the covert understanding between political mafia and bureaucracy in improving the state of education in rural public schools.

Organisers dedicated the play to the martyrs of the Army Public School Peshawar, where over 130 students lost their lives in a terror attack last year.

‘Do Doni Chaar’ comes at a time when there is a debate going on in the literary circles on how to change the existing state of education in Pakistan, which is not breeding fruitful results. Owing to high fees of the private schools, parents are left with no other option but to send their children in public schools where no facilities are available.

In the play, a family, living in a village, is seen losing hope in the continuation of its education. After taking loans on interest from a local contractor, Sagheer (Imran Khan), father of four, makes difficult decisions to make both ends meet and on the same time afford his children’s education.

The striving and determined character of Sima (Naina Baloch), wife of Sagheer, always knocked down offers that compromised on education and faced all odds to educate her children.

Meanwhile, Noor Anawar, a teacher, is appointed in the village school, where he faces threats from the village’s political mafia and land grabbers. However, he stays determined on the fact that only schooling would let people think in a different way and make them realise about its importance.

In the end, due to Noor Anwar’s struggle, the village’s dysfunctional school becomes operational and gets handsome number of children from the far-flung villages.

The play was presented by Azad Theatre and Play International Pakistan, an non- governmental organisation, in collaboration with Lahore Arts Council at Alhamra Cultural Complex, Qaddafi Stadium. The play is written by William Perveez and directed by Malik Aslam.

Director Malik Aslam told Daily Times that the play was an effort to bring up the blatant issue of schooling in our country. Despite having proper legislation on free education, the government is not implementing it in true and letter spirit, he added.

The play will continue until December 5.

News Reference