3-Day Science, Technology and Arts Competition concludes at AKHSS Chitral

Chitral Times Report

CHITRAL: The three day Science Technology and Arts Competition concluded here on Sunday at Aga Khan Higher Secondary School Seenlasht, Chitral. High government officials, leadership of civil society organizations, NGOs, AKDN representatives, educationists, Teachers, students and dignitaries of Chitral witnessed the concluding ceremony.

The mega three day event started on November 16. Activities of the inaugural session were the display of projects and appreciation by visitors, Key note speech by Dr. Hafeezullah of Chitral University, speech of the Chief Guest DPO Chitral Mr. Furqan Bilal, Presidential address of Mr. Muhammad Afzal President Ismaili Council Lower Chitral and Speech by the Principal AKHSS Chitral Mr. Tufail Nawaz. One segment of the inaugural session was a stage talk presented by students of the host institution on a theme “the pace of Science and response of man”. The segment explored with profundity, the future of scientific and technological developments and a possible human response to the astonishing development in the making. The key note speaker stressed the students to give a practical form to what they learn in theory. The Chief guest appreciated the activities of the host institution and congratulated all the participating institutions in the magnificent program. He was particularly moved to see the performance of AKHSS students on stage. The president of the occasion concluded the first day of the mega event with his presidential remarks

The 2^nd day of Science, Technology and Arts Competition (November 17) witnessed high profile visitor, students and general public to witness the works of young scientists of Chitral. Besides general public, students and teachers of numerous schools and colleges across chitral visited and appreciated the displayed projects.High profile guests from AKU, AKUIED and AKF also visited AKHSS Chitral to witness the event and displayed projects. Among the guests, Dr. Carl Amrhein Provost & Vice Presidents AKU, Dr. Rosalind Raddatz, Dr. Sajid Ali, Dr. SadruddinPardhan, Dr. Ellen Amrhein, Ms. SalimaPunjwani and Ms. Sughra Choudhry Khan, Director Education AKF (Pak) encouraged the students by showing their interest in the projects and appreciated the presentations. External judges assessed all the displayed projects in the event and gave their marking to the projects based on the set criteria.

Young scientists from 14 of schools and Colleges across Chitral with their projects in the category of Information Technology, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Mathematics and Arts were present at Aga Khan Higher Secondary School Seenlasht to show their talent and acumen and received applause and appreciation from visitors. Projects prepared by the young scientists of Chitral like ATM Machine, Hydraulic Bridges, Models and working demonstration of human organs like heart and liver and mechanisms of respiration, wind energy electricity production projects, projects on drip irrigation system, project using low cost and no-cost materials, projects using LDR, PIR and other numerous projects in information Technology, to name a few were open for appreciation by visitor.

The third day of the mega event (November 18) was the concluding ceremony. It was presided over by Commandant Chitral Scouts Col. Moenuddin and Deputy Commissioner Chitral Mr. KhurshidAlam was the Chief Guest. Dr. InayatuallahFaizi was guest of honor of the ceremony. The concluding ceremony was meant to appreciate the works of students and the distribution of awards, medals and certificates among the participants and the projects which secured first, second and third positions. According to the assessment of the judges, the following positions were secured by different schools in different categories and were awarded with recognition tokens.

The segments of the concluding ceremony included stage shows, drama items and musical show by AKHSS Chitral students. The students presented the contribution of Muslim scientists to the field of science in version of stage show.

Principal of AKHSS, Chitral shared the objectives of the mega event. The Chief Guest of the occasion, DC Chitral appreciated and thanked AKHSS Chitral for organizing such mega event and providing platforms to the students of other schools and colleges to demonstrate their talent and potentials. While addressing the students, he tried to explore the important, existential philosophical question, “What is the purpose of life?” and conveyed his response to the students appropriate to their understanding level. He asked the students to go for the career which is in harmony with their interest and ask them to remain away from dispositions like hate and jealousy for others. He said that, for successful and happy life, being scientist is not the only option, rather “one can be successful and happy by even being a good farmer.”

The renowned educationist, Dr. InayatullahFaizi appreciated the program and said that, Chitral is rich in talent and values like inclusiveness, peace, rigour are respect etc; and education according to him was the winning combination of these values. The President of the occasion Colonel Moenuddinwas also full of praised about the event and the efforts of AKHSS Chitral. He presented to the audience his own philosophy and understanding of what education ought to be? By considering and constructing meaning from each alphabet of the English word “Education”, he succinctly conveyed his understanding of the purpose of education.

At the end of the program the guests visited the projects and appreciated the efforts of the students. Hence the mega event of Science Technology and Arts Competition-2018 concluded by witnessing more than two thousand visitors. Total 133 students from 14 different Schools and Colleges presented 52 different projects during the event.

It may be appropriate to mention here that, November 10 is celebrated as World Science Day for Peace and Development by UNESCO. By “highlighting the importance of science in society and the urge to involve general public in debates over evolving scientific issues”, the day aims to “ensure that citizen are well informed about scientific developments as well as about the role scientists play for the sustainability of society.”  The international body’s celebration of the days has a purpose; one being to “invite” people, organizations and institutions to be its partner in materializing the aims and objectives set for the “campaign”. This “invitation” was much eloquently received by Aga Khan Higher Secondary School Chitral by organizing a three day event on Science, Technology and Arts. Although, the event is one of the calendar activities of the institution, but segments of the events were in total harmony with what UNESCO has had outlined in the aims and objectives for World Science Day celebrations and the participation of dozens of Schools across Chitral shows the responsiveness of these Institutions in bringing “science close to society”.