Educational institutions should be a safe place for students where they can learn and enjoy co-curricular activities, but the Islamabad Model College for Boys G/6-2 does not meet these standards. Developed in 1965, the college, with a strength of 1,100 students, is the oldest and most neglected institution of the federal capital because of poor management. On Tuesday, when the college principal, Chaudhry Muzaffar, and his staff were busy in conducting a meeting, the half of their students were out on the streets busy in a fight with a gang of some teenagers who allegedly tried to sexually assault their colleague. Unfortunately, it was not an isolated incident, as it has become a routine matter.
“Every day some youngsters enter into our college premises and start fighting with students. We cannot do anything because we come here to learn and not to develop enmity with those who can even kill us,” said Hamza Azam, a student of 10th class. The college has broken boundary walls which pose serious threats to students. It looks like an open ground with no restriction on trespassing. “We can go out of the college without any fear because there is no body to stop us,” a 5th grade student said.
Some students told Pakistan Today that the principal had assigned the responsibility to maintain discipline in break time to only one teacher, Mr Tahir. But during the visit to the college it was observed that there was not even a single teacher to control the students. “Many of the students are drug addict and they are attracting their other innocent colleagues,” said a student.
The building is in a poor condition and also not safe for the children even during the present turbulent times when terrorism has hijacked the whole country. The students, especially those studying in the school section, are confronted by the number of challenges but they continue their studies with a hope, although very little, that the new principal would improve the prevailing state of affairs.
On the other hand, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) also is also neglecting the institution, a practice which the civic body is repeating for all the fields. Despite the tall claims made by the CDA chief to protect citizens, with a special emphasis on students, from dengue virus, wild weeds, considered as the most attractive place for mosquitoes, have covered the entire playground.
“We cannot sit here (on grass) during the break time and cannot even eat anything due to unhygienic conditions,” said Baqar Raza, a student. Complaining further about the lethargic attitude of the officials concerned, students said the condition of toilets was appalling and harming their health.
The institution seemingly is a blemish on the face of the capital city’s education system, as the authorities do not have money to paint the building or renovate it. Talking to Pakistan Today, Principal Chaudhry Muzaffar said he had taken over the charge just 15 days ago. “All the problems are the gifts of negligence shown by the previous administrators,” he said, adding, “What can we say about the condition of the college, which has no boundary walls.
He admitted that the students were involved in unwanted activities, but claimed that he would bring a change within a year. “I need some time to bring the systematic changes,” said the principal, adding that sports activities played the role of oxygen in every institution and the school would get a better playground soon. Muzaffar said he was holding the first meeting with teachers because of which some of the children went out of the school and clashed with outsiders.
“I will renovate the toilets, ground and boundary walls on a priority basis and bring the changes which remained a dream since 1965,” claimed the principal. However, it has become a tradition in our country to place the responsibilities on other shoulders. Notwithstanding the claims of the new principal, the reality is that parents endure huge expenses for a better future of their children and the high-ups of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) should take a strict action against lethargic attitude of teachers and principals which can sabotage the future of hundreds of thousands of children. The most regretful part of the story is that former principal Abdul Hafeez Khwaja, who is considered as the main cause of all the problems, is now serving in another institution of the federal capital.
Students of a college near Constitution Avenue feel insecure
