Page 237 - Muzaffargarh Gazzetteer

NAYA SAAL NAHIN; NAYA DAUR

All the initiatives mentioned above were not inaugurated or launched in bits
and pieces. Had it been so, much difference would not have been made. It
was rather decided that those initiatives would be components of a larger
and well-coordinated reform strategy, which would then be implemented all
at once to have maximum impact. It was such a comprehensive plan that it
was given a slogan “Naya Saal Nahin; Naya Daur” (رود این ،ںیہن لاس این) and was
unveiled on May 2, 2019, at the eve of start of new academic year in public
schools. The slogan meant that it was not merely the new academic year that
was setting in, it was all ushering in a whole new era. The fact was that all
those initiatives were taking place in the public schools at such a large scale
and in such a coordinated way, probably for the first time, in the province, if
not beyond. The news had already reached Lahore, wherefrom the Minister
for School Education especially came to personally preside such a historic
moment. The office bearers of school councils of dozens of public schools of
the city area were administered oath by the Minister; first bundles of
magazines were distributed to the schools’ heads for the book reading
initiative; Roshni, the online magazine, was launched electronically by a
click; and more.
All the above initiatives, in general, and the imposition of ‘Examergency’, in
particular, bore immense fruits. When the results of matriculation exams
were announced, amongst all 36 districts of Punjab, Muzaffargarh topped
the tables with a record 91.4 % results. Overwhelming majority of schools
showed improved results over last year. It was matter of more consolation for
the Deputy Commissioner that the school adopted by him, Government High
School Talkot, showed the maximum improvement over the last year, that is
from 52.63 in 2018 to 88.24 in 2019. All those heads, teachers and students
who had shown extra-ordinary performances were invited to a special
ceremony and awarded prizes. No wonder their joint effort would eventually
translate into hundreds of more doctors, engineers, IT experts, business
graduates and other professionals from amongst the children of
Muzaffargarh in the times to come, Inshallah.

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