Two brave girls – one a visually impaired and the other a born midget – on Thursday stood tall with their normal college fellows at a convocation ceremony ready to receive their well earned honours despite their physical limitations which they have overcome with dignity and courage. Amid the proud faces they seemed overjoyed for scaling the landmark against all odds. The 26th convocation ceremony of Islamabad Model College for Girls (formerly Federal Government Margalla College for Women, F-7/4) was held at the conference hall.
Rubina Shad, 20, and visually-impaired by birth, and Munaza Altaf, 24, a dwarfism, have proved themselves equal to those contemporaries who used to mock, pity or taunt them for not being different from them. They would feel ill at ease at such remarks but today having proved themselves to be their equal they felt no bitterness and shared in everybody’s joy on the occasion.
“When I joined the college, I faced criticism from my college fellows and came across strange questions regarding my disability, which would make me feel sad and embarrassed,” said Rubina, who got her bachelor’s degree in Urdu literature and bagged first prize in Urdu poetry competition. She is also the president of Urdu literary society in the college. She cannot forget the days when her teachers would ask her, “Tell how we should teach you?”
The college was a different experience, as compared to studying in Al-Maktum Special Education Centre, from where she got her secondary school certificate (SSC).
“I faced immense difficulty during study for my FA and BA,” she added. She explained how the absence of any facilities for special persons compounded her problems, as there was no Braille or writer who could assist her, especially during exams. She also faced problems while moving around the college premises.”I plan to do my postgraduation in Urdu literature and wish to play a role in promoting my mother tongue,” she added. However, she managed to make her mark through talent and was supported by the college staff and colleagues.
Munaza who got her postgraduation degree in Mass Communications told the The Express Tribune. “It makes me glad to have proved myself to those people who used to think that because of my dwarfism, I would not be able to get this degree.” She aspires to join electronic media, for which she has applied at various organisations and awaiting replies.
On the occasion, 137 students of BA, 109 students of BSc and 35 postgraduate students were awarded degrees and certificates. Ten students received Roll of Honour for their outstanding performances in different exams.
The Azra Raza Excellence Award and a cash prize of Rs50,000 was conferred on Sara Ahmed, a graduate of 2009 for attaining highest marks in Urdu Literature in the college.
Rubina Naveed, a postgraduate of the sessions 2007-09 stood first in her class, in Punjab University examination and was awarded Hameed Alvi Gold Medal. For co-curricular activities Sidra Imtiaz was declared the best player for the session 2010.
Talking to the Express Tribune, Ayesha Nayyar, who topped in nine subjects in Mass Communication and awarded with roll of honour said, “I wanted to join media but did not get chance as it requires references, which I lacked so I started teaching at an elite school.”
Speaking as chief guest on the occasion, Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Vice-Chancellor Dr Masoom Yasinzai declared girl education vital for the development of the country.
“Keeping in mind the role of print and electronic media, the students should equip themselves with latest knowledge and quality education to meet the challenges of the modern world,” he added.
About the college’s affiliation with QAU, Dr Yasinzai said the government has approved the proposal to give affiliation of all the postgraduate colleges with the university so that the students could get degrees from the world’s top ranking higher learning institute.
Earlier Principal of the college, Ghazala Khalid highlighting the achievements of the college and the results of graduate and post-graduate levels and the overall performance of students in curricular and co-curricular activities. She also briefed the audience about the state-of-the-art media laboratories of the Mass Communication Department.
The officials of the Federal Directorate of Education, directors, principals, parents and a large number of students were present on the occasion.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 13th, 2011.
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