Street smart: Open air classrooms for young men and women at PAT sit-in

‘Art academy’ welcomes budding young artists

ISLAMABAD:

Shakeela Khanum, a student in the ninth grade, is one of thousands of supporters at the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) sit-in in the capital. Like the other men and women here, she wants inqilab, a revolutionary change to the current political system.

Today, however, she’s concerned with a different kind of change: “Everything is fine here but the break time at the makeshift schools we have set up at the sit-in is just 15 minutes. Can you ask them to extend the break?” she asks.

As Constitution Avenue has become a home away from home for PAT and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters, Dr Qadri’s followers have taken it upon themselves to arrange classes for the hundreds of young men and women who have been at the sit-in for close to a month now.

Roughly 500 students attend classes from the first grade to intermediate level at the Inqilab March School, located under the shade of pine trees near the Cabinet Division block and Dr Qadri’s container.

Dozens of books, notebooks, whiteboards and stationery have been donated by those affiliated with the Minhajul Quran. The administrator of these schools, Zahid Lateef, told The Express Tribune that arrangements have been made for the provision of school bags as well. Teachers from Quaid-e-Azam University and other local institutions are volunteering their time here, he said.

One teacher, Ali Hussain, runs a private college in Lahore. He caters to students of the seventh grade from 8 am until 1 pm every day. As students spread out plastic sheets on the grass and settled in for the day’s lessons, school principal Ammara Saqib gave directions for the set-up of the ‘classrooms’ and chided students who were late. “We’ll soon be providing food, water and juice to the students, as well as geometry sets and other stationery,” she said. Computer classes will be offered here from today (Thursday). Touseef Ahmad, a student in the seventh grade, says the classes are the same ones he takes at home in Lahore.

Budding artists

For Sabiha Kiran, a college student from Lahore, the sit-in has been a ‘blessing in disguise’. She has been able to attend art workshops held by PAT supporters and says the classes help her utilise her time in Islamabad to its full potential. An estimated 30 students are enrolled at the Inqilab Art Academy, which is situated in a tent on a green strip near Dr Qadri’s container. On Wednesday afternoon, students circled around two spray bottles and an umbrella – the subject of their still-life paintings.

Junaid Ali, a graduate of Karachi School of Arts, is spending the day teaching the students how to pencil sketch.

“Art played a role in revolutions including the French Revolution and it is how we, as artists, are able to shape any future course of action for any country,” he explains.

One of his students, Yasin Warsi, has travelled to the capital from Karachi. He used to work with his father at a furniture shop and the art workshops encourage his design and creative skills, he says.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2014.