By-A.Muneeb Qamar
Multan: A five-day mega event of School Olympics has been inaugurated by Provincial Minister for Education Dr. Murad Ras at Qila Kuhna Qasim Bagh Multan today on Tuesday. The event on the pattern of international Olympics is being held at Multan under the auspices of South Punjab School Education Department. 1900 athletes from all over Pakistan including 11 districts (Khanewal, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Vehari, Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan, Lodhran, Rajanpur, Layyah, Bahawalnagar and D.G. Khan) of South Punjab and Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan & Azad Jammu and Kashmir are participating in different games including Football, Hockey, Badminton, Table tennis, Volley ball and Athletics. Girls are participating in all games except football.
Separate venues are selected for boys and girls for different games in Multan. Draws of Football would be held in Divisional Sports Ground Multan, draws of hockey would be held in Multan Hockey Stadium, Matital Road Multan, draws of Badminton, Table Tennis and volley ball (Girls) in Govt. Girls Comprehensive School, Gulgasht Colony, Multan, draws of Badminton and Table Tennis, (Boys) in Sports Gymnasium, Divisional Sports Ground Multan, Draws of Volley ball (boys) and Athlethics (boys & girls) at BISE Multan. Athletics include 400 m running, high jump, 100 m running, Discus Throw, 800 m running, Long Jump, Juvenile Throw and, Triple Jump and Shot Put. Finals of the games would be played on November 12, 2022 and prizes would be distributed among the winners at the closing ceremony at multan.
Talking about the School Hockey League and School Olympics Games organized under the auspices of the School Education Department of South Punjab, the Provincial Education Minister said that this initiative will help to restore sports in educational institutions and create a nursery to prepare international quality players. Games will reduce the attention of children from computers, games, mobile phones and other such electronic devices, he added. School Olympics will promote good habits, discipline in children and create opportunities for quality entertainment. The provincial education minister expressed hope that keeping in mind the continuation of the successful organization of School Olympics in South Punjab and in view of the representation of other provinces this year, it is hoped that one day this School Olympics will be held as a national event in all the provinces of Pakistan.
Secretary School Education Department South Punjab Dr. Ehtasham Anwar said that hundreds of girls and boys are participating in the mega event for which all the venues are tastefully decorated to make the event ant impressive show. He further said that the purpose of this event to provide equal opportunities to both girls and boys and to promote the culture of sports for mental well-being of our children. He said that the event will not only a sports event but also a healthy recreational activity meant to inculcate the spirit of team building, tolerance, problem solving skill and higher sense of self-esteem. He said that trophies and medals would be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd position holders while participation certificates would be distributed among all players.
Mr. Tariq Mehmood Awan, Additional Secretary Colleges, Higher Education Department, South Punjab told that 15 member organizing committee comprising officers of Schools Education Department has been constituted to organize the whole event that include monitoring of accommodation facilities for players of all districts, coordination with District Food Committee for provision of quality food, supervision of draws and to decide the time schedule and venue for games.
Dr. Fareed Sharif, DPI (Colleges), Multan Division/Member of Redressal committee told that 7-member redressal committee was constituted for immediate redressal of complaints filed by aggrieved party/team and to decide the matter under rules before the start of next match. He further told that 7-member technical committee is constituted to decide the match duration, order of playing, appointment of match officials, survey of grounds, implementation of sports rules and to deal with any other technical issues.
During the competitions on first day, the enthusiasm of the students in favor of their respective teams was visible. These competitions of the School Olympics will continue till November 12.