Wake up FDE, It is high time:
Repeated requests of parents, teachers fall on deaf ears;
Confusion prevails as extension in Summer Vacation begs to be notified
Despite repeated requests made by the parents and teachers to the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) for extending Summer Vacation till Eid, no notification has yet been issued despite the fact that only two days are left in reopening of schools and colleges in the capital.
Though it has been reportedly conveyed to the principals of the institutions that summer vacation will be extended till Eid, parents and teachers are confused owing to the uncertainty prevailing.
Muhammad Abid who is a teacher at one of the Islamabad Model Colleges for Boys told INFN on phone, “I am in interior Sindh right now at my home town and I am not sure whether to reserve a seat for Islamabad or not. There are rumours that summer vacation are likely to be extended.”
“However, FDE has not yet notified it with only two days remaining before the reopening date of institutions i.e. 11th August, 2011. I request the FDE to wake up from its deep slumber and notify the extension of summer vacation as it is really difficult for teachers like me to come back from the far off home towns only for a fortnight and then return to my birth place for celebrating Eid with my near and dear ones,” he pleaded.
Another teacher, Muhammad Naeem Akhtar teaching in a rural area school under FDE told INFN, “I am praying that the summer vacations are extended by FDE as it will cost me my whole salary to go to Islamabad from Rahim Yar Khan, return back for Eid and yet gain go to Islamabad immediately after Eid.”
A worried parent, Saleem Ahmad explained his plight in these words, “My 4 children who study at government schools run by FDE have gone to the home town near Multan. I am really worried and confused as I am still not sure whether I will be blessed by FDE the peace of mind in the form of extending summer vacation as only then I will be going to Multan and bringing them back after Eid that will save me a lot of money and from mental agony or I will be cursed to go to Multan to bring my whole family back to the capital and only after two weeks I will be forced to take them back to Multan for Eid.”
“This is not the end of it and it is really painful for me even to think that I will be bringing my kids back to Islamabad within a couple of days after Eid. I am unable to understand that what logic FDE would present in opening institution mid-Ramadan. The only logic can be to irritate the already worried parents and putting them under immense financial stress,” he argued.
“My children are not willing to come back and my wife has said that we will return to Islamabad after celebrating Eid at Peshawar but I am really worried that the children who remain absent from colleges, their named are struck off from college.”
“I am stuck in a situation ‘Between Devil and the Deep Sea.’ I request the Director General, FDE and Secretary, Capital Administration & Development Division to immediately notify the extension of summer vacation so that we may enjoy the true blessings of Ramadan and are not left on the mercy of the pathetic transporters that fleece general public under the pretext of gas load management these days,” he pleaded.