By: Gul Hamad Farooqui
CHITRAL: An awareness walk regarding enrolment in Govt schools held at Lower Chitral. In connection with the admission campaign in government schools of Chitral, the walk started from the hospital road and passed through various bazar which ended at Govt Primary school Chitral. After that event was also held in this School, Chitral. Assistant Commissioner Chitral Dr. Atif Jalib led the walk, while the head teacher of the school and staff of the Education Department were also present on the occasion. This walk and event was organized in collaboration with Helvetas to drive school admissions and attract people to them. Officials of the Education Department, children, and teachers also participated in this walk. The walk passed through Chitral Bazar and ended at the Government Primary School. After that, a function was also organized in the same school. Education department officials, teachers, and district administration officers also expressed their views regarding the importance of education at the event.
At the event, Deputy Education Officer Shahid Hussain said that government schools are trying to ensure that students reading here get quality education. AC Chitral Dr. Atif Jalib noted that the government school is now not less than anyone in quality education. He said I assure you that the children studying in government educational institutions are not behind those studying in private schools. He urged the parents to enroll their children in government schools and at least visit the school every two weeks to inquire about their performance. He said that the provincial government is making every effort to improve the quality of these government schools. People must fully utilize it and enroll their children in these schools. He said that the provincial government’s slogan is that education is for everyone and that we should send every child to school so that no child is deprived of education. The admission campaign in government schools started on March 1 and will continue till April 30. During this time, Pakistani children, as well as children of Afghan refugees, are also enrolled in these schools so that they can grow up to be highly educated and not engage in any harmful activities or criminal engagement without being deprived of education.
Education department officials said that the enrolment target for Lower Chitral this year is 5,416, with some 2,700 children enrolled in these schools. He further said that 1300 students have enrolled in government schools after coming from private educational institutions. He said that taking their children from private schools and enrolling them in government schools proves people’s trust in these schools has been restored.
DEO Shahid Hussain said that last year, Lower Chitral was in the top three positions across the province in terms of performance, which is a good initiative, and the admission was also more than its target.
Azhar Iqbal, field officer of Helvetas, also addressed the ceremony and said that his organization was established in 1980 and is trying hard to provide formal and non-formal education to the children of Afghan refugees across the country. With the support of this organization, school bags are also distributed among the new children, both boys and girls, who are coming to the school. AC Chitral has entered their names in the admission register and admitted them. Many students, teachers and social workers also participated in the event, which later concluded with a prayer words by Maulvi Muhammad Wali Ansari.
