Cash prizes given to winners of anti-corruption contests for students in Quetta

QUETTA: The School Education Department Balochistan and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Balochistan jointly held a ceremony to raise awareness among students on International Anti-Corruption Day.

Prizes were given at the ceremony to students, both boys and girls, who performed well in essay writing, calligraphy, poster making and speech competitions.

International Anti-Corruption Day is observed every year on 9 December. The School Education Department Balochistan and NAB Balochistan hold various awareness programmes and educational and creative competitions to mark it.

Students took part in large numbers in the mega event held for this purpose. They showed their talents on ending corruption, honesty, transparency and responsible citizenship.

The ceremony was attended by Secretary School Education Balochistan Lal Jan Jaffar, NAB Balochistan Director Muhammad Saleem Ahmed, Director Education Schools Balochistan Akhtar Muhammad Khetran, Director Finance Muhammad Farooq, Balochistan Education Assessment Commission Chief Executive Officer and Director Development, Monitoring and Evaluation Munir Ahmed Notezai, Balochistan Education Management Information System Director Abrar Ahmed, Divisional Director Quetta Zubina Mushtaq and other senior officials of the education department.

Results and prizes

A team of experts prepared the results of the Urdu and English essay writing, calligraphy and poster making competitions. The finals of the Urdu and English speech competitions were also held.

In the speech competitions, students who took first position were given Rs7,000, those who took second position Rs6,000 and those who took third position Rs5,000 in cash, along with certificates of appreciation and certificates.

Nagina Rehman and Muhammad Yousuf of the Bureau of Curriculum Quetta served as judges of the speech competitions and performed their duties fairly.

Speaking at the ceremony, the speakers said that promoting honesty, transparency, respect for the law and moral values in society was essential to end corruption. They stressed that a responsible and corruption-free society could be built by shaping students’ character and promoting positive values in educational institutions.

Prizes for Independence Day and science exhibitions

A notable feature of the ceremony was the fulfilment of a promise of cash prizes that Director Education Schools Balochistan Akhtar Muhammad Khetran had made to students at the 14 August event.

On the occasion, cash prizes were given to boys and girls who had taken part in the Independence Day event in recitation of the Holy Quran, naat recitation, tableaux, national songs and Urdu and English speeches.

Special cash prizes were also given to the scouts contingent of Government Boys Higher Secondary School Central Quetta and to the reception band students of Government Girls High School Mission Road, Quetta.

The Director Education Schools Balochistan praised the science exhibitions held at Government Girls High School Mission Road Quetta, Government Girls High School GOR Colony and Government Girls High School Sirki Kalan Quetta. He presented certificates of appreciation to the heads and staff of the three institutions and, in line with his earlier announcement, gave a cash prize of Rs15,000 to each school.

The aim of this step was to encourage students’ scientific, research and creative abilities and to promote healthy academic activities in educational institutions.

The Director Education Schools Balochistan had assigned the arrangements and organisation of the whole mega event to Additional Director Admin Riaz Ahmed Bhangar. He performed his duties very well, made the programme a great success and earned high praise from senior officials.

Salma Akhtar, principal of Government Girls High School Mission Road Quetta, and her staff, and District Education Officer Female Quetta Zakia Kakar and her administrative team played an important role in the successful holding of the ceremony.

At the end of the ceremony, commemorative shields were presented to the guests of honour.