ALL those who knew Begum Amna Majeed Malik, commonly referred to and addressed as Baji, are bound to remember her kindness to one and all and her dedication to the cause of education. She gave freeship to quite a few deserving students of the two institutions she founded — PECHS School and PECHS College in Karachi.

One day a lady visiting her home, which was an open house, suggested to her that she should start collecting two months’ or three months’ school fees as many of the newly founded chains of schools were doing. “That will improve your cash flow,” she said.

Baji, sporting her characteristic benign smile, replied: “Bibi, the day my students’ parents start getting two or three months’ salary in advance, I shall do what you suggest.” Another guest who needed no invitation, I felt relieved.

Strangely, while everyone is raising hue and cry about the high fees that a good number of schools are charging, no one is protesting against two or three months’ fees charged by schools. Surely, the managements of these schools don’t pay their staff in advance, nor do they pay their utility bills in one go.

Asif Noorani
Karachi

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2019