Increase font size Decrease font size Reset font size

Students invited to prize distribution ceremony return empty handed

By Kashif Abbasi 2015-06-11
ISLAMABAD: The lack of coordination between Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) and Federal Directorate of Education, landed the CADD minister in awkward situation during a prize distribution ceremony on Wednesday.

Minister of State for CADD Barrister Usman Ibrahim was invited at the Islamabad Model College for Boys (IMCB) to distribute prize money among best teachers and students who clinched top positions in board examinations.According to the CADD secretary, the original plan was to give cash prized to ten top scoring students in class five examinations conducted by the FDE and ten top scoring students from matriculation examinations as well as ten teachers whose students produced brilliant results.

However, FDE and Educational Institution Regulatory Authority (PIERA) mistakenly invited ten top scoring students in four dif ferent categories-Model School girls, Model School boys and private school girls and private school boys.

The jovial atmosphere at the ceremony turned sour as the announcer began inviting prize winning students to the stage. Except for the top ten students in Matric and class five examinations, no one was invited to receive the cash prizes.

When the students were not invited on stage, they began protesting. Dozensof students and parents climbed up on stage and disrupted the ceremony, forcing the minister to leave.

Interestingly, those who were invited were given empty envelops for the cameras and no actual cash was given.

However, a senior CADD official said this was pre-planned and the envelops were presented symbolically, while the money would be given to students after completion of formalities.

CADD Secretary Khalid Hanif, Director General FDE Shahnaz A. Riaz, Director Female (Schools) Farida Yasmin and Director Model College Dr Tariq Masood tried their best to pacify the protesting students, their parents and teachers, but to no avail.

A source at CADD told Dawn that all arrangements of this ceremony were made in haste.

`There was no coordination between CADD, FDE and PIERA. The other day, it was decided that since the minister and secretary will grace the occasion, there should be a large audience gathering,` he said.

He said that FDE and PIERA told CADD that since students are on holiday, it would not be possible to fill the hall with students.

`So just to fill the hall, we requested position holders to bring their parents as well,` he said and added that a people travelled from their native towns and villages, where they were enjoying summer holidays.

Teachers and officials of FDE and CADD told Dawn that it was very good initiative as for the first time, top position holders were given substantial cash prizes, but mismanagement marred the ceremony.

They said top position holders will receive Rs 25000, the second position holder will receive Rs 20000 and third position holder will receive Rs 10000.

Secretary CADD, Khalid Hanif said he has called a meeting of all concerned officers on Thursday to ascertain the reasons for mismanagement.

To a query, the secretary said according to the original plan, only top ten position holders of Matric class, top ten position holder of fif th class and top ten teachers were supposed to get cash prizes.

`Now, we will try to accommodate all those who were invited in the ceremony,` he said.

Meanwhile, President Private School Network Dr Afzal Babur told Dawn the ceremony was organized in haste. `This was a good initiative, but due to negligence, it turned into a failure,` he said.