Extra mile: Arid varsity educating deserving children
Teams continue to visit various localities for identification of the needy children.
Teams continue to visit various localities for identification of the needy children. PHOTO: FILE
RAWALPINDI:
For many, getting a basic education is an unaffordable luxury.
Six-year-old Rehan used to collect garbage with his father and earn Rs70-to-80-a-day. One day, his luck changed. He got the chance to enroll in a literacy campaign started by Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi.
He proved to be brilliant student and passed the first-grade exams with a distinction.
The moment Rehan was given a trophy was a memorable one for his parents, Abdur Rahman and Gul Meena. “Today our happiness knows no bound. Extreme poverty did not even let us think this moment could be possible,” said Gul Meena.
The aim of the campaign is to educate the out-of-school and under-privileged children. To identify such children, the varsity constituted six teams comprising senior teachers, including the deans and chairs of departments under the supervision of Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Rai Niaz.
The teams identified over 100 children but could enroll only 57 after some parents refused to allow their children to attend the school. Attendance still fluctuates, with only and currently 39 students are enrolled in various classes.
“Earlier, education projects by NGOs made convincing parents difficult as they would abandon a project after a few months,” said Division of Continuing Education Director Dr Muhammad Imran Yousaf.
The university created a separate fund where teachers and other employees are contributing Rs50 every month --- roughly Rs30,000 --- to pay for books, stationery, uniforms and other necessary items for the children. The children are presently being taught in the old veterinary sciences building, which the university plans to vacate and make into a full-fledged school.
The deans and chairmen of various departments are taking classes voluntarily. “Once we get a separate building, we will install computers and have teachers from the computer science department voluntarily take classes,” Yousaf informed.
The teams continue to visit various localities to identify needy children. He said they were not offering any stipend to the students.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 7th, 2014.
For many, getting a basic education is an unaffordable luxury.
Six-year-old Rehan used to collect garbage with his father and earn Rs70-to-80-a-day. One day, his luck changed. He got the chance to enroll in a literacy campaign started by Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi.
He proved to be brilliant student and passed the first-grade exams with a distinction.
The moment Rehan was given a trophy was a memorable one for his parents, Abdur Rahman and Gul Meena. “Today our happiness knows no bound. Extreme poverty did not even let us think this moment could be possible,” said Gul Meena.
The aim of the campaign is to educate the out-of-school and under-privileged children. To identify such children, the varsity constituted six teams comprising senior teachers, including the deans and chairs of departments under the supervision of Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Rai Niaz.
The teams identified over 100 children but could enroll only 57 after some parents refused to allow their children to attend the school. Attendance still fluctuates, with only and currently 39 students are enrolled in various classes.
“Earlier, education projects by NGOs made convincing parents difficult as they would abandon a project after a few months,” said Division of Continuing Education Director Dr Muhammad Imran Yousaf.
The university created a separate fund where teachers and other employees are contributing Rs50 every month --- roughly Rs30,000 --- to pay for books, stationery, uniforms and other necessary items for the children. The children are presently being taught in the old veterinary sciences building, which the university plans to vacate and make into a full-fledged school.
The deans and chairmen of various departments are taking classes voluntarily. “Once we get a separate building, we will install computers and have teachers from the computer science department voluntarily take classes,” Yousaf informed.
The teams continue to visit various localities to identify needy children. He said they were not offering any stipend to the students.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 7th, 2014.