A statement issued by the Langlands School and College Chitral, signed by its academic and other staff members, in response to an article published in ChitralToday on March 29, 2017, and the subsequent comments by our readers, is published here verbatim.–Editor (Zar Alam Khan):
“We, the teachers of The Langlands School and College would like to register our strong protest at the attacks being launched on our institution in the electronic media. We know the author of the attack and we know the parties who have jumped on his bandwagon. Their interest, and their motivation, in undermining this institution is clear. Our concern is that The Langlands School and College should not be subjected to such public assaults which affect the dignity of our school. Our pupils deserve better than to see their school undermined in this way.
“The Langlands School and College is heavily oversubscribed and we are unable to accommodate many applicants, even those who pass the admission test. This is the best proof of the confidence that local people have in our school. Since Miss Carey Schofield took over as principal a great many changes have been introduced which have reformed the performance and the character of our school. Here are some examples (out of many): The Senior Schools now work until 2:30pm(earlier it was 1:30pm) and lessons have been lengthened from 30 to 40 minutes. Furthermore, the working week is now five and half days, not five.
“A second break has been introduced to allow pupils and staff to say Zuhr prayers. Lesson plans and schemes of work are prepared by all teachers and checked by the Director of Studies. Monthly tests are held and reports sent home, homework is set according to a planned homework timetable and properly marked. In the Senior Schools a tutorial system is in place to ensure proper pastoral care and supervision of each pupil, and close links with the family. Co-curricular activities such as carpentry and stonecutting have been introduced, along with sports sessions after school. In the Junior School lessons on the history and culture of Chitral are held in the Khowar language by a most local scholar.
“The Principal has repeatedly stated that the teachers are the basis of the school and its most important asset. As a result, the selection of teachers, staff discipline and professional development are treated as priorities. Experts from outside Chitral are regularly consulted to advise on teaching and to build up the school’s competence. The Langlands Schooland College appears to be the only institution in Chitral that is addressing the question of helping children with dyslexia and other common learning difficulties. Our school is developing expertise in this area with the help of internationally-accredited professionals. Teachers’ salaries have indeed been raised to a level comparable to, or even exceeding, those in the government sector. At the same time we teachers work longer-than-average hours, very frequently staying after school hours to supervise co-curricular events and to prepare academic sessions.
“These measures are undertaken for the benefit of our pupils. Service to the community is stressed through organised social work undertaken by our students. The school does not publicise this work and students are asked not to put posts about it on social media. We want to record these facts about our school in the face of crticism from a few interested parties. As far as the management of The Langlands School and College is concerned, it is registered under the Registration of Societies Act XXI of 1860 as a private school. As is well-known in Chitral, it is run on a not-for-profit basis. It is managed by a Board of Governors that includes Javed Majid, the founder of the school. It is not the business of anyone outside our school to assault the principal or the management of the school. We are aware, as are many others in Chitral that the principal refused to raise tuition fees at the beginning of 2016 out of concern for the many families who had lost their homes, or suffered loss, during the floods and earthquake of 2015.
“Miss Schofield has raised funds from generous private donors to cover, for example, the cost of installing heating in the school buildings and carpeting the new First School building. For the record, during the process of upgrading the school uniform the principal’s constant concern was to ensure that the new uniform should not be too expensive for the majority of parents. In order to ease the burden on parents the charge is being spread over three months. The Principal repeatedly stresses that the only elite in the school is one of achievement and nobility of character. Great efforts have been made to bring poor children into the school, to provide full scholarships (covering books as well as uniform) and to ensure that they are then given every facility.
“We request all concerned authorities to take action to ensure that the vicious activities of a small group do not overshadow the achievements of our school, disrupt its tranquil and studious environment or endanger our security through bringing unwanted attention.”
@Ihtisham.
We are neither answerable nor bound to consult anybody before awarding the contract of the schools uniform. It is the prerogative of the school management to give the contract to any contractor which offers low bid which was done. And those who are annoyed for awarding a contract to the person question could be their personal animosity. You are fee to raise the issue wherever you like. But make sure one thing that no matter what you CAN NOT influence the decision of the school management. I would urge the school management to proceed with what it thinks is good for the school. As rumour mongers in every second street of Chitral could be seen saying whatever comes on their mind. We, the teachers are the real stake holders and we run the things the way we want because we have contributed for this institution. My advise to those talking tall to stop as we also know what their contribution is for the district.
Mr. Hasanat I haven’t raised the issue of quality of teachers as well as education at TLSC. But your offensive as well as defensive attitude shows your vulnerable condition. Your comments have compelled me to do some homework regarding tje quality of education at TLSC. By quality I mean the level of teacher’s capacity in their professionalism.
Just wait and let me do some homework on the issue of teacher’s capacity as well as the quality of education at TLSC.
Though Mr Nisar has been attacking me, I’d like to answer his two questions:
He has raised a question that the question must be genuine. For this I’d say that what else could be that genuine than the recent issue of uniform? And then on what grounds the contract has been given to that particular man?
As far as your question regarding the one who has asked the question is well known to all. I raised the issue in the meeting as well as in my write-up. I raised the issue in open platform and I’ll raise it at any forum.
From the comments of Nisar & Hasnat above it seems the new principal has converted the school into a fight club. Sadly it seems TLSC is far from being an institution that accepts criticism and engages with the parents/public in a positive manner. This is not the first time people have raised fingers on contracts of TLSC awarded to people from/close to royal family of Chitral. Earlier I remember the contract of boundary wall was also awarded to a certain Shahzada and it was widely discussed on this site without a clear answer from the principal or the school. Here again, an issue of awarding of contract for uniform is under discussion and instead of giving an explanation to the public the principal has unleashed teachers who are threatening people with dire consequences including court cases, RIGHT answers in person and what not. Issues relating to AKRSP, AKHSP, Aga Khan Schools, DC office etc. have been discussed on this site earlier and all the institutions have offered explanations in each case and in one case the late DC Osama himself offered explanation to a news item here. But the attitude by the teachers of TLSC is uncalled for and I have never seen this before.
Mr. Raeesani has compared TLSC with government institutes. I’d like to say that there is no pint to compare and reach on a conclusion because in government schools the number of students in a classroom is above 100 while at TLSC it is only 30.
As far as output is concerned he must bear in mind that last year the government institute of Chitral grabbed all the 4 seats of medical while TLSC’s output in this regard has been negligible for the last 4 years.
As far as quality of teachers is concerned that the teachers of government schools and colleges come through a fair process.
The last but not the least when a teacher applies for government job his/her degrees are verified while no one gives a damn at TLSC about degrees. There are teachers at TLSC whose degrees are still incomplete or are having 3rd class masters.
The quality as well as output of government sector institutes has been great for the last 10 years and the output can be seen in the form of professionals in different sectors, while at TLSC it is the vice versa for tje last 5 years- -that it has been a failure in achieving this goal.
Genuine answers have two pre-requisites:
1. The question must be genuine.
2. The person asking it must exist in reality, and be known.
Otherwise answers fired in the dark come back with more questions. In the past it has happened that many commenters and boasters in the media have disappeared when invited to the front. Because they actually never existed.
Mr. Nisar! The context is not the quality education and teachers problem of tlsc. The theme is the quality of uniform and management. You warn a sister (Sitara) and want to teach her the huminty, where this word humunity you take and try to justify. Yes i agreed with her you should learn and aware yourself of PPC. secondly, answer to the question not elaborate the philosophy, third, you stated that your Micro tlsc is assaulted by some people as you mentioned it “like ours is being assaulted by some interested parties”. Name the members of the interested parties who interfere in the institution to the community of chitral otherwise you must learn the PPC after visit to the honorable court.
I warned nobody, nor do I accept warning. For me peace is more important. Rather I am surprised that whenever I write something, people take it on themselves. The fact is that I don’t know any of the commenters, and thus have no personal matters with them. So no question of personal attack. However, I have the right to defend my self and my institution whenever needed. As for the PPC or court matters, meet me in person, and you will get the RIGHT answer.
I don’t understand why people are so worried about a PRIVATE institution. Why don’t they raise their voices against Government institutes whose budgets come from the tax they pay. Can any complainant about the rising fee or changing uniform of this private college tell me the annual budget of a single Government High school or college? And what are their outputs as compared to this said private college? What is the quality of education in there? And in private sector too, why these ‘concerned’ grey sheep don’t raise their voice against Aga Khan Higher Secondary Schools in Chitral where the fee are as much twice higher than the Langlands School!!!
@ Hasanat
ok we will talk at court.Very nice approach mr hasanat. if some ask a question , i mean if a parent ask question about the quality of uniform you will dragg him to the court. O people of chitral look the behaviour and attitude of a teacher from tlsc who threaten the community by not raise their voice again injustice and want to prrsaurize them to dragg to the court.
No sensible parent can ask questions in the newspapers when the school is there to listen to his questions. So those who knowingly want to assault an honorable institution from where thousands of students have graduated and hundreds are graduating need proper treatment through the court, if they show their true faces.
Dear malik: I read all the comment thoroughly. I am not talking about the quality of uniforms. The thing is this: if you go through the comments yôu will notice that, under no circumstances can people blackmail a well reputed institution creates a bad impression. Majority if these comments are propagandas and full of lies. So being a part of tlsc it is necessary for me to shut their mouth’s. The administration is now ready to expose all these people and to take them in the court. I am sure, someone is treating these people to post their comments with fake ID’s. We will not allow them to tell a lie about our school. We reserve the right to take necessary action. As I said earlier, if they have guts they should come face to face.
Hold on your horses, gentlemen!! After realizing the blunder you people made here in utter frustration and cheap publicity with fake names you are finding no place to hide your faces now.
We did clarified things through a petition signed by all the teachers and even the admin staff. But laton ke booth baton se nehi bante (People who do not give in to talks, do understand only with kicks), when you will attack my house I will definitely stand up.
This school is like a family to me. And we will fight to end to protect it.
I have got all the screenshots of the guys who had unleashed a defamatory campaign on their facebook pages by mentioning the names of the school and some honourable people. And we will knock the doors of a court of law to make you realsie what you are into.
We will not allow anybody to blackmail a school NO MATTER WHAT. How exorbitant fee other private schools are charging especially Aga Khan higher secondary schools and why no one is questioning them?
How ruthlessly the donors’ money is stolen and destroyed by the NGO mafias under the pretext of so-called human development? Why don’t you show some spine to challenge them? You can’t challenge them because your kith and kin are associated with those NGOs.
Some commentators who have no guts to reveal their identity are trying to intimidate us by looking forward to DC, AC etc. Listen, the deputy commissioner or an AC could be a big thing to you.
I am not afraid of anybody because I am honurable citizen and doing my job with 200 percent honesty. I am not a thief. I am an honest teacher. I am not a corrupt politician. So I have no fear.
If you think you are that honest why don’t you write against these NGO mafias? You will not write against them because you are the beneficiary. Your relatives are working there.
There are scores of private schools who are not paying the salaries to their teachers but why don’t you object to that and speak against them? How judiciously the district government is spending the taxpayers’ money, but again why don’t you break your silence?
How many poor women are married off outside Chitral, why your conscience is dead? If the school is not up to the mark; if the handwriting of its teachers is that ugly why over 30 kids from a family are enrolled in this school? Why don’t you opt for another school as you are claim to be richest man and can easily afford an elite school for your elite children?
Some of the critics also run private schools but why their performance is still 0/0 despite passage of so many years? If this remained the attitude of these characters we will expose everyone along with their ghost schools through which they fleecing the poor people.
Again I would urge the critics to mind their own business or I will also expose their hollow claims of being the champions of poor rights.
Whatever I have written in my previous post was written politely. I don’t know any Sher Wali who could communicate in English like you have done. If you have guts, come face to face with me I will clear your misconception one by one. Whatever you are saying is nothing but a propaganda. We the teacher of TLSc plainly stated our petition that it is a privet school. it is not semi government let me repeat it is PRIVATE.
Just like you, former DC Aminul haq also tried his level best to mislead people. But at the end of the day truth prevailed, and we the teacher’s of TlSC become victorious by giving humiliating defeat to anti education mafias of chitral. This time again do whatever you like but we,the teachers of TLSc will expose you one by one because we want our children to be educated which is not possible without a team leader like Carey Schofield.
I am being very polite and decent and warn all the propagandists to stop this drama or WE WILL DRAG ALL OF YOU TO THE COURT. Take it as a threat or advice but we will not tolerate this nonsense as you people have crossed all the limits of decency. what GDL is a history and now we have a team leader Carey Schofield and we will stand by her to defend this opportunists mafias. we are seriously considering to take action against those who blackmail a reputable school without any reason. It is a school so you must stop making it a police station.
Nisar Ahmad if you defending the school policy i am a parent i am concern about my child. every day my two children coming to home starting writing for two three hour and after dinner they also start writing. I dont see them reading the books but only writing. Is this a good educational policy of Lagaland school?
Dear Sir, I invite you to the school please. I will take you to the concerned authority.
Apropos to Mr. Nisar and other Pro Group. Mr. Nisar dont compare a semi govt educ. institute with private schools and college. And learn the difference bw semi and privoate onstitution. a semi govt institutes are run on the blood of the community that is govt fund. while the private institutions are run due to an individual struggle.
First of all, your approch and answer to the community is not satisfactory. You have no ansawer to single question. As you mentioned about the fact and figure of certain educational institution and want to defame them. then the evaluation process will first start first from you. You raise a weak finger on private institution and you have an evidence to defame them. Why you leave a famous institution of the country and join as a spoke person of TLsc?
Mr. Malik! whether TLSC is a private institute or a semi-govt institute, is another matter. I am not going for that right now. But rules for every institute are same, and meant to be followed. My statement above says we do not want to assault other educational institutes, like ours is being assaulted by some interested parties.
If you do have questions, please come to the school, and get your questions answered.
@ Nisar
Do you know what you are saying? It is a democratic republic free dom of expreasion is the right of every citizen and here every parent is serious fort heir childs.You people keep a wrong approch to suppress the voice of poor parents in the voice of chitral. A parents ask question about the quality of uniform. So sad that some one ask question and you said it is a propaganada. is it not a propaganda that you delibrately want to hit other educational institution.? Learn the ABC of pakistan pannel code first then defame the other. and I would like to appeal the local govt and DC Chitral to take action against the admins of semi govt college who threaten the other private educational institution on social media.
Please read my text again, and be clear. I already told parents with genuine matters visit everyday and discuss their problems in a civilized manner. Freedom without responsibility leads to disaster. I think learning the basics of humanity is more important than learning the panel code.
There is an answer to every question. But propagandists don’t look for answers; they look for more points to propagate, and they have a lot of time for that. Serious parents are welcome at the school anytime to discuss genuine matters regarding their children’s education.
After all, we all are Chitralis, and we know how certain educational institutes are run, and how are the staff managed. Many facts with evidences can be used to defame any institute. But this not the way sensible people behave. Respecting education involves respecting educational institutes, and for any educational institute, positive image is crucial. We want to make it clear that we respect education, and we don’t like to assault any educational institute.
I agree with Samiullah that increasing school timing is not enough but the given time should well be used. They forget the educational psychology of a child which keeps its concentration in class not more than 25 minutes. The increasing of time is just a waste of time, and making the students bored in class.I think there is dirth of educationists in this school to counsel her on education planning.
@Hasant your aggressive comments can’t justify your reason to prove that Langlands school is a private school. you himself contradict your point that no private school has been successful to bring govt donations bcz it’s difficult. govt donates to a school which has some connection with govt. Langlands school is a govt funded school therefore, is a semi-govt school, but you badly fail to understand it.
you should also remember, Carey has brought heating system for the school in four years which is mentioned in teachers petition but the govt has donated money to this school during G.D.Langlands and in his time only. your principal has also badly failed to bring govt and donation from other private donors.
If amusing funds from government is that easy why other private schools in the area could not even afford to pay the salaries of their teacher’s? The critics must know that who is collecting these donations? And who is convincing the provisional and federal government to give grant’s to TlSC? If it had bee that easy all the private school owner’s in chitral I am sure would not have wasted their time in availing the cash grants from government. Why other private schools in chitral do not approach the government, seeking fund’s for their school if it is easy? Why people trust Carey Schofield? The reason people trust her for her honesty and integrity. If a person who is bent upon calling a private school a semi government school should recall the past as similar attempt was made by some vested interest. To conclude all this I would say those are involved in these kinds of propaganda’s are cannot digest the quality of education that school is providing. If someone does not like the school he/she is free to withdraw their children. The people who think become doctor,engineer should be ultimate goal of the school they are groping in the dark.what we need is a quality education winch the school is providing without an iota of doubt. Even then if someone is bent upon blackmailing the school we reserve the right to take legal action against those making comments through fake id’s. This must be stop fast.
She has introduced reform’s virtually unknown in the area.she has introduced such reform’s in the school which will bear excellent results in future.For this every one should wait patiently, as the reforms in education sector take time to come to fruition. We witness here great effort for over all improvement and grooming of the students. Some other high quality institutions in the country also do the same but their fee are much higher than ours.
I am also surprised how the teachers of Langlands school supporting semi-government school into private. The government has purchased the land of this school,and on the fund of government this school is being run. Even its one section and office is in government property. This petition can’t make it private because government keeps records of every penny spent from government exchequer. The teachers have no purpose but its administration want to make it private only for making it independent from government influence but they can’t do it what they do for it.
What a ludicrous approach by the teachers of tlsc to defend the anti- public policy of the school administration. The elitist approach by raising the school fees to more than hundred percent and contracting out the school uniforms to the vested interest at the expense of the poor parents are a genuine issue which needs immediate redress but the teachers expression of frustration is wide off the mark as no small group can snatch away their coveted profession of teaching at tlsc from them. Their job if Carries more important than the general weal may remain a source of benediction for them but being parents it is our right to raise voice against the unjust policies of the administration.
@Nisar: Bro, I am only interested in one question, if you can please elaborate. It is very interesting. What does the guy on serial number 30: Mr. Ilyas teach????
very sad to read the present writing approach. I agreed with above my brothers comments.It is not the way to defend the policy of an educational institution. If some one not wrong in his job they never approch on such lose manner. I also don’t agree with the statment that the teachers of the same college and school write to defend the policy. its seem to me that as i read the messag and vision from the booklet or prospectus, as one brother mentioned it. while the signature list is not the prime importance and it also reflect the pressure group policy on teachering and non teaching staff.
Isn’t it a childish approach from the part of School Administration getting signatures of all the teachers forcefully on a piece of paper which has been crafted and drafted to serve a particular purpose. I bet 80 percent of the signatories would not have read a single word of the draft. If the teachers are so satisfied with School Administration and the environment out there then why they prefer to become a primary school teacher of scale 9 or 11 despite seemingly handsome package and in some cases some are reluctant to join TLSC from other mediocre private institutions. All this clearly shows that there is an issue of job security leading to uncertainty which ultimately hamper the teaching/learning process as how can you teach with ease of mind as long as sword of Damocles of being fired from the job is looming large all the time over your head. A confused environment will lead to producing such a trash bearing signatures of oppressed teachers who even don’t know what they are signing for…..Please don’t make fun of yourself with such a childish act as you belong to respectable community of teachers of prophetic profession. Being teacher at TLSC used to be a coveted position but now I am afraid to say it is not the case anymore.
Naturally, if a student sees all this controversy going on in media about his school, he will be disturbed. Those who don’t have their children in the school may not care about this. But those who have trusted the school for their children’s education must respect their trust, and be careful about their contribution in such useless controversy. Serious parents do have the right to complain about any weaknesses in the school system, but not in social media. And if possible, even the child himself must not know if something really is bad. It will ruin his confidence and pride in his school. Every child has the right to feel proud of his school. Your children are our children. And we want our children to feel proud of their school. Please have mercy on them, and let us do so. It is a humble request.
For those who comment without reading the whole text, I copy some of the points:
…
Our concern is that The Langlands School and College should not be subjected to such public assaults which affect the dignity of our school.
Our pupils deserve better than to see their school undermined in this way.
The Langlands School and College is heavily oversubscribed and we are unable to accommodate many applicants, even those who pass the admission test. This is the best proof of the confidence that local people have in our school.
It is pleasing to see so many wise people with lots of good ideas and free suggestions in social media. But the tragedy is that they don’t matter. And those who matter don’t show up.
Chronic complainers are never satisfied. They find their points even in the handwriting…
دلیل تھی نہ حوالہ تھا کوئی پاس ان کے
عجیب لوگ تھے ، بس اختلاف رکھتے تھے
The administration of the Langlands school is is on the hell-bent to make it private;for this they have taken the signature of all the staffs.It is totally illegal and beyond imagination as government-donated fund is used to meet all the expenses of the school. Either the staffs haven’t gone through the letter or they have been compelled to sign it. It is not the property of an individual,it is a semi-government school,and govt will audit its money anytime.
I don’t get any things from the above writing. What the trachers of the institution want to convey their masseg to the people in general and the parents in particular. If it is the answer of an article ” kiss death” then it is totally baseless. And if not , then don’t need to defend the objections of parents in such a backfoot style.
Dear Ihtisham how can you get the reply for your valid querry?? Madam Carey must make things fair otherwise she would lose the moral support of the educated community..she must come out of the castle built by a few chitrali capitalists…madam Carey please think about the majority of chitrali students who belong to those 85% living below the poverty line
Topic Aur article Mae zameen o asman Ka farq hae. Yahan tu school Ka pura prospectes lagaia gaya hae..baqi Jis small group Ka zikr kia gaya hae os ko mention b Karen..??
Sorry for the prospectus Brother. Did you need syllabus only?
I thank the administration of TLSC for addressing the issue raised in my write-up. However, they haven’t been able to address my single question, “The process of bidding for the contract of the uniform.”
The above scanned list (proforma) of teachers signature indicate the quality of TLSC. I request to the Principal and admins of the institution, to provide a computerized teaching-no-teaching proforma for the staffs signature . The scanned list for next time must be computerized, otherwise it looks awful.
Well! You appear to have quite UNIQUE indicator for quality in education. I am sure you are not comparing the staff with artists.
I do not support increasing working hours / working days of the school. Short but crisply productive working hours are better than lengthy and wasteful hours. Ms carry should get some ideas from the Finnish school system and implement them within her jurisdiction of authority.
2. Special emphasis should be laid on handwriting. Quality of handwriting of the staff is not impressive at all.
I am sorry but we don’t need your approval for the time table. Your concerns over the handwriting are only yours. Perhaps you should apply for the Calligraphy post 🙂
If you don’t need comments and suggestions, why do you put up the post for the same. Also if you don’t differentiate between a decent handwriting and calligraphy, what better can be expected from you.