25 January 2004	Sunday	02 Zilhaj 1424

ISLAMABAD, Jan 24: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has asked the education ministry to create awareness among schoolchildren about the ill-effects of corruption by including certain chapters dealing with the topic in the curriculum.

This was said by NAB chairman Lt-Gen Munir Hafeez while talking to mediapersons after the investiture ceremony of the newly-elected students council at Islamabad College for Girls, F- 7/4 on Saturday.

"We have formally proposed to the education ministry that separate chapters should be included in the curriculum, in the first instance at school level to sensitize students about corruption which later on would also be made part of the curriculum at senior-level classes," he said.

When asked when would such a curriculum be introduced, he said it was all up to the education ministry that how much time it would take. However, he asserted that if students in their impressionable age were educated about such menaces, tomorrow in their practical lives atleast they would think twice before committing corruption.

When asked why he accepted the invitation to be the chief guest as he was a serving military officer, he said: "I am here as NAB chairman not a general, though I am wearing uniform."

"I agree with your concern, but I have been invited by the college administration and had a nice interaction with students," he added.

A college teacher, on condition of anonymity, told Dawn that selection of the chief guest on such occasions at F.G. schools and colleges was done by the director- general Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) Brig Maqsoodul Hassan (retired) and institutions were only asked to organize an event.

During his speech after administering oath to the new office-bearers, the NAB chairman said youths of today were the leadership of tomorrow. For young women, the importance of education is manifold as they are the mothers of tomorrow and great responsibility lies on them for proper upbringing of next generations.

He said the newly elected office-bearers had put themselves in glass houses as they were accountable to their fellow students. He asked the student council to maintain high values and display balance and honesty in delivering their duties. They should be true to their pledge and should work diligently by letting merit prevail in all aspects.

The NAB chairman said being a member of the student council was an important phase in a student's life and was a step towards leadership.

The FDE director-general, Brig Maqsoodul Hassan (retired), in his remarks, hoped that the new council would play its role with due responsibility, leaving a mark of excellence on their institution. He stressed the need for character-building through co- curricular activities which were an important part of college calendar.

He also floated an idea that a certain percentage of recovered money by NAB should be allocated for uplifting of the education sector in the country.

The college principal, Rukhsana Tufail advised students to take full advantage of the guidance being provided by the institution. She said free and fair elections through which the students were elected should be used as an example in their practical life.

Earlier, the NAB chairman administered oath to the newly- elected office-bearers of councils of college, school and junior school sections separately.

The newly elected president of college council, Masooma Khan, in her speech pledged to uphold the traditions of the college and work for its success.

She said as office-bearers of the student council, "we have to act as a bridge between students and college administration".