Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: About 422 school and college grounds under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) have worn a deserted look of jungle and parents of students through written complaints have demanded of Ministry of CADD and Director General (DG) FDE to ensure arrangements for grass mowing and cleanliness of grounds.

Due to callous attitude of the administration of these institutions, the grounds have turned into breeding grounds for poisonous bees and other insects and allergy has become routine.

According to information available with Daily Times, the grounds of about 422 schools and colleges except G-8/2, F-7, H-8, and G-7 have taken the shape of filth depots owing to non appointment of any gardener therein. The children are always at the risk of receiving any injury due to their crossing these grounds.

Due to lack of grounds and recreational activities in the colleges and grounds the children become engaged in committing mischief during the interval and their mischievous activities end in bickering and quarrelling. The teachers on the other hand don’t pay any attention to what activities the students have become indulged being engaged in gossiping in staff room during break.

The complaints from the parents in this regard continue to flow in the office of principals but no efforts are being made to implement norms of discipline in true letter and spirit in the respective educational institutions.

When contacted, Tanzila Bibi, Riffat Karim, Saqib Nisar and Gulzar Ahmad, parents of children from the educational institutions in G-8, G-7 and F-7 toldDaily Times that model schools in Islamabad are model schools in name only as no ground for recreational activities of children is existing in any model school except a few one in Islamabad. Heaps of garbage and wild grass can be seen in the grounds if existing in any school. The parents get embarrassed over such state of affairs in the schools.

They said that in this regard they had lodged written complaints with the principals of schools and colleges on several occasions but complete apathy was shown towards their pleas. The children clash with each other and get injured due to lack of supervision of the teachers during break time, they added.

They appealed to ministry of CADD and DG FDA to ensure arrangements for keeping the grounds clean and providing recreational activities to the children.

When contacted secretary CADD, Hassan Iqbal toldDaily Times all the facilities have been provided only in 22 schools out of 422 schools and gardeners have been appointed to look after the grounds. But no gardener has been appointed in 400 schools. Ministry of CADD has sought gardeners from CDA for carrying out one time cleanliness work. Notification will be issued to DG FDE for ensuring that teachers keep watch over the children during break time.