TAXILA: The Attock district has got its first state of the art high school where students would be imparted digital skills with three modern information technology (IT) laboratories.

The school, District Public School, has been completed with an estimated cost of Rs200 million, which were contributed by philanthropists and non-government organisations (NGOs).

“It was my dream that I study in a better environment, where chairs, washroom and drinking water are available as most of the schools in my area lack proper facilities,” said Ghulam Zohra, a grade 8 student who hails from a nearby village Haji Shah.

She added that not only the environment of the school is “ideal” but it has all facilities like an IT lab and playgrounds.

An excited Mohammad Talha, a Grade 5 student, was surprised to see the facilities. Shifted from a less privileged area of the district, he was stunned to see the multi-storey building with a better academic environment.

Principal District Public School Fayyaz Mehmood Zia while talking to this reporter said that the school established over 32 kanals at Teen Mela Chowk, a place which was easily accessible to the students of different towns and villages. He said that the school comprising 14 fully furnished class rooms with three state of the art information technology laboratories with 75 modern computers. He said girls and boys have separate sections.

Responding to a question, he said that 200 students have been enrolled in the school after a proper admission test and academic evaluation with highly qualified teaching staff.

Responding to yet another question, he said that the school is functioning under the supervision of the Board of Governors.

Skill-based education will be imparted in the school which will be beneficial for the future of the students and they would be able to compete with any other private educational institution in digital skills.

Deputy Commissioner Rao Atif Raza while inaugurating the admission of District Public School Attock said that Attock district was deprived of district public school for over a century, adding that this system of education plays an active role in the provision of quality education across the province.

He said the establishment of the Early Childhood Education Classroom would provide a congenial environment to children in schools to increase their interest in education.

He said in the school, the teachers would also have the educational concepts including classroom management and child psychology.

“With the academic activities of the school in the town, the children of low-income households will be able to get quality education in return for a very reasonable fee,” he said.

Mr Raza said that the school would play a key role in Attock administration’s initiative ‘digital learn and earn’ programme, which is aimed at equipping students and women entrepreneurs with digital skills and e-learning including freelancing, AI, graphic designing and other market oriented courses from early education stage.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025