ISLAMABAD, Nov 8: Education is more than teaching courses and includes extracurricular activities. But children straining under heavy schoolbags are more common a sight than competing in sports and debates as most schools shun extracurricular activities, especially those run in residential buildings.

Ten-year-old Ayesha Ahmed however won’t have it. Since her school in F-7 was not celebrating Iqbal Day, she turned up with her father at the Pakistan Council of the Arts (PNCA) to participate in their debate.

Ayesha, a resident of G-9/3, received lots of appreciation from the participants for her speech on ‘National poet Allama Iqbal.’ While talking to Dawn, she said: “I have been taking part in debates within the school but the school management refuses to facilitate me in taking part in such programmes outside because for that they have to spare a teacher.

So, today I decided to take part in the speech and requested my father Ashfaq Ahmed to take me here.”

She said delivering the speech on the national poet was a nice experience and it increased her confidence.

A large number of government and private schools sent their students to taken part in the Iqbal Day celebrations arranged by Children Art Workshop (CAW) of the PNCA.

The children paid tribute to the national poet through tableaus, speeches and reciting his poetry.

Speaking on the occasion, Tauqeer Nasir, the director general of the PNCA, said Iqbal’s poetry was all time relevant and gave us the message of independence.

His philosophy and poetry is a beacon for humanity to make life meaningful and peaceful.

These days are celebrated to remember the teachings of our elders, he added.