Reformative measures in KMC schools start showing results

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The implementation of reformative measures taken by the City Administrator, Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, to bring improvement in the academic standard of KMC schools, which according to him were in a mess, has started showing results.

The Administrator of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has entrusted the challenging task to his Advisor, Brig A S Nasir, who is known and respected for his disciplinary strictness. 

Brig Nasir, for the first time in the KMC’s history, convened a largely attended meeting of Head Mistresses and Head Masters of KMC Schools in the Z A Nizami seminar hall at Civic Centre on October 27, with the objective to have close interaction with them in order to achieve the cherished goal of bringing KMC schools into disciplinary circle and improve their, otherwise battered, academic environment. 

In his thought provoking and soul stirring address on the occasion, the KMC Administrator, Rauf Farooqui, called upon the teaching community members that they will have to employ their capabilities honestly and transfer the same among the children who are supposed to should the future national responsibilities. 

He was critical of the educational environment in KMC schools and said the conditions prevailing therein had brought bad name for them in the society with bad reflection on KMC itself which is today regarded as merely a sweeping agency. 

He noted that there had been lot of complaints against KMC school teachers who too had lot of grievances for what they called injustices being done to them. 

“Within eleven months we have reached a stage where we can now provide protection to their due rights including their promotions and seniority which previously used to be dealt with an element of adhocism”. 

The Administrator also observed that the gender imbalance between male and female teachers with females being in higher number than the male and said this has to be removed for n even field for both to achieve the desired results of academic excellence. 

Rauf Farooqui informed that the administration is working on the provision of quality training facilities for the KMC teachers along with eliminating the group mafias in the education sector. “We have started seeing improvement with the introduction of initiatives taken so far”, he added. 

He, however, made it clear that unlike the past practice, the teachers will now have to perform their responsibilities and they will not be tolerated to attend or not attend the schools at their whims and just drawing salaries. 

The Administrator emphasized that they are supposed to prepare a generation and for this realize their responsibilities honestly. He pointed out that if certain schools are known for their high standards, it was because of their quality teachers and the same pattern should be followed by KMC school teachers. 

Earlier in his address the Advisor to Administrator, Brig (Rtd) A S Nasir, who previously held many challenging positions in the Sindh Government, made a clarion call for eradication of corruption from KMC's education directorate and the schools under it and said cheating in examinations is one such element of corruption. 

He said that whole nation has great expectations from the teaching community and Karachi, being the biggest metropolis of the country, can play a leading role in this respect. 

He appreciated Administrator Rauf Farooqui for giving top priority to education which, he reckoned, is the basis for a strong nation building.