CHITRAL: The news of the demise of Geoffrey De Langland has sent shock waves across the valley of Chitral here on Wednesday who had served as principal of Sayurj Public School for quarter a century before he retired in 2012.
The news of his demise spread like a wild fire in Chitral and his students started calling each other and it became a talk of the town and the people were found extolling him for his services to establish the premier English medium school on sound footings.
Shahzada Sikandarul Mulk, one of the parents and founders of the school, said that it was the then Chitral DC Javed Majid who compelled him to come to Chitral in 1989 and take charge of the school which had been established a year ago.
He said that Langland prove his worth much more than they expected and it is due to his strenuous efforts that the school is ranked amongst the best institutions of the district known for its quality education.
“It was his foresight that he selected a piece of land in the outskirt of Chitral town in the same lines as did Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayum Khan had done for Islamia College Peshawar who chose then a deserted place near Jamrud which later on developed to four universities.
He not only selected the land but also persuaded its owner Shahzada Burhanuddin to donate it for the great cause”, he said adding that now the school is area-wise, the largest school in the district which can afford expansion to any extent.
“He did not hesitate to contact his former students of Aitchison College Lahore, who were in high positions, including former President of Pakistan Farooq Leghari and won grant-in-aid for the school for its upgradation”, he said.
One of his former students Shahzada Ali, a captain pilot of PIA, said that the fatherly treatment of Langland towards the students emboldened them and inculcated in them self-confidence.
“He was totally unaware of corporal punishment although it was then in vogue in other schools of Chitral while he never annoyed anyone who failed to pay their tuition fee timely and he encouraged the students to discuss with him about their problems and this endeared him to us”, he said.
“Two years ago, when I came across him in Islamabad in my uniforms of the airline, he was overjoyed and appreciated how smart I looked in uniforms”, he said adding that he continued to meet him regularly till his demise as his love and affection as teacher attracted him like a magnet.
