School have taken notice of the revolution computer games have brought to student lives and are planning to provide students with facilities to indulge in their passion for ‘gaming’ during regular breaks between classes and after school.
Beaconhouse, Lahore Grammar School (Paragon) and Salamat International Campus for Advanced Studies are following the trend set by the Lahore University of Management Sciences, University of Engineering and Technology, Foundation for Advancement of Sciences and Technology and the National College of Arts (NCA) of providing interested students gaming facilities. Majid Khan, professor of NCA Multimedia Department, said, “Gaming is a new form of education. Games can even teach students morals which they grasp more quickly than from books.” City School faulty member, Ahmad Ali Butt, said, “We promote gaming events but haven’t provided gaming facilities on campus as yet. Judging from the interest, we might have to do so soon.”
Beaconhouse School has gone as far as proving students with gaming computer which they can access during their breaks. Ali Tabraiz, a faculty member at Beaconhouse, said that gaming should be viewed as a team building activity and a proper sport. “Technology aids learning. Gaming is a new trend in entertainment that more than 80 per cent of O and A-level students have access to. Gaming plays a major role in these kids’ lives,” he said. Visual artist Sardar Hassan said, “Many children are addicted to these games. The passion for new games has led to an increase in production houses for gaming. You can make a profession out of gaming these days.” Hassan admitted that though gaming does enhance IQ, one does get deprived of physical activity. “Schools having gaming facilities is a perfect way of controlling gaming and gamers.”
Abdul Rehman, a gamer, said, “Gaming helps you develop. For me it feeds my creativity. Excess of anything, however, is bad.”
With the sales of pirated games increasing, gamers have also found it easy to access games. A large number of students have developed an interest in Local Area Networking (LAN) gaming which allows several players to join in a single game.
Shah Nawaz, a student of Lahore Grammar School, said. “Gaming is the reason why I want to become a designer. It has enhanced my creativity and has expanded my mind. Parents and teachers just don’t get this.” Dr Sajid, a parent, jokingly said, “My son says this is an exercise for his brain. If that’s the case then he should be quite muscular as he games a lot.”
Young gamers will be participating in gaming events at Beaconhouse National University and University of Engineering and Technology this month.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 11th, 2011.
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