MOST of us who are aged 70 years and above went to government schools for their secondary education, and did very well in life. The government schools at the time were spacious with impressive buildings, playgrounds and qualified staff.

The trend of recruiting teachers on ‘recommendations’ and ‘connections’ had not started yet, and most teachers were migrants with high degrees from Aligarh University or other reputed universities. There were science exhibitions, military trainings and sports of all kinds.

Students had to come back to school in the evening for playing hockey, cricket or a game of their choice. Debate was a popular activity and students visited other cities to participate in inter-school debates. Head masters of these schools enjoyed a VIP status in the smaller towns of Sindh.

A delegation of head masters was sent to the United States to study the public school system there. My mother was the head mistress of Government Girls High School, Larkana, in the 1950s, and the school had a large campus that included even residential quarters for the teachers. I recall those days with a deep sense of lament and grief, and wish that government schools may somehow revive their lost glory. We should be honest and earnest at least in providing quality and affordable education to our children.

Khayyam Durrani
Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2023