Moalims

DAGGAR: It was fascinating to see top officials of the district government, civil and military administration flocking together at a simply arranged stage at a government school here to make pledges before students and their parents that all energies and resources would be utilised for promotion of education in the district.

The ceremony was aimed at kicking off the ‘pre-exam free coaching classes’ for brilliant students of public sector schools from across the district.

District Nazim Dr Ubaidullah was sitting in the middle of the dignitaries seated in a single row on the stage. He was flanked by Deputy Commissioner Zariful Maani, army in-charge in the district, Lieutenant Colonel Faisal, District Police Officer Irshad Khan, District Education Officer Bakhtzada, District Naib Nazim Yousaf Ali, Additional Assistant Commissioner Azmat and the coordinator of the coaching classes Shahid Khan.Miles away in another school, a similar function had been arranged simultaneously for girl students.

The speakers were careful in mentioning the names of those extending financial and other support for the ceremony and the subsequent classes. However, the deputy commissioner could not stop thanking the district government for extending all-out support for the project and the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) for sponsoring the inaugural ceremony.

The district government has approved Rs5 million for the free coaching classes. The district nazim in his speech as a chief guest said apart from the funds they allocated for the coaching classes. He said they would provide maximum resources even beyond their capacity for promotion of quality education.

He assured the district administration of support in other good initiatives like the tree plantation, cleanliness and purging the society of the menace of drugs. Deputy Commissioner Zariful Maani said promotion of quality education was the top priority of district administration.

He said there was no dearth of resources at any level. However, he said commitment and sense of ownership were lacking. “These are our institutions and the students studying there are our children. We should own these institutions and demonstrate commitment to make the state-run institutions as the best,” he argued.

The official was confident that the students attending free coaching classes would show the best results in the upcoming board examination. He said at the end of the classes a tough examination would be given to the students and the top three students would receive commendation certificates besides cash prizes.

The official announced cash prize of Rs100,000 for the students of government schools who could get position among the top 10 in the secondary school certificate examination and Rs50,000 for the student, who could get a space among the top 20 students in the board.

Lt Colonel Faisal Khan assured support to the civil administration in its endeavours for promotion of education and other activities for the well-being of the people of the district. He said they were planning to develop the Government Centennial Model School, where the ceremony was taking place, as a model institution both in term of facilities and academics.

District Education Officer Bakhtzada was happy that his was the only district in the entire province where the unique project for the students of government school was launched by the district government and district administration from its own resources.

A total of 320 male and 60 female students have been selected for the classes on merit. They would be provided every facility so that they could make best preparation for the exam. The best teachers from across the districts have been selected for the classes.

A very tough timetable has been devised for them, which would be strictly followed under the guidance of fulltime available wardens in the institutions. Attention would also be given to the character building of the students.

Every week, a guest dinner would be arranged for the students in which a learned person would be invited to have dinner with the students and share his views and experiences with the students.A one-day trip to a scenic spot within the district would also be arranged for the students.

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