Remembering Madam Rizwana Jaffery

Ma'am Rizwana Jaffery taught me English in Beaconhouse Jhelum in 1999. I was very weak in English. I feared the language. I would start sweating when ever some teacher would ask me to read a passage in English. She painstakingly taught me the language and made me what I am today. I remembered her during all my formative years. I also nurtured a wish to see her again. When I finally returned to my home, I started finding her whereabouts. I succeeded after some effort, but it was an effort worth it.

I wrote a letter to her and mailed it through registered post. The letter came back to me as the recipient has refused to receive it. I knew the reason. The word advocate written on a registered post is always meant to bring some bad and expensive news. I tore open the envelop and resend the letter in ordinary mail. I have just received a call from her. She sounded same as she used to sound some12 years ago. 

She was happy that someone remembered her. She has read the letter before a school meeting and also to her children. Here is the letter.     

To

Ma’am Rizwana Jaffery,

Many teachers have tried to teach me English during my academic life. Only you succeeded.
I remained a student of yours in Beaconhouse Jhelum in 1999. I was not a bright student then. I was not good in English. And participation in the class was a scary affair for me. I never got rid of these three problems during your tenure in the school, but you, I believe, instilled curiosity in me. That curiousity led to obsessive reading which led to many improvements.
The curiousity eliminated all my fears. I started writing prose and got a evening job in an English newspaper, merely on my language skills. I worked in the Daily Times and later in Express 24/7, before returning to Jhelum after I completed my LLB.
I wanted to thank you for making me what I am today, but no one had any idea about your whereabouts. I even contacted Beaconhouse Jhelum for a couple of times. They were of no help. The curiosity came to my rescue once again. One night when after I had updated my blog, I googled your name. There was a news report about a debate competition, presided over by you. I noted down the name of school and found its address.
I still have, with me, the English book, you used to teach us from. The book has remained a source of inspiration for me throughout my academic life. You have remained my mentor and will always remain so.

Regards,

She is currently the principal of Beaconhouse Primary Branch, Peshawar Road, Rawalpindi. I went Rawalpindi just to meet her. She was so glad to see me. She served me a nice sumptuous tea and chatted for two hours. It was a day worth it.

Remembering teachers at Punjab Law College

Before my memory fades away, I have decided to write about my law college teachers. I remained a student of the Punjab Law College from 2006 to 2009. I was taught by scores of teachers during these three years. These three years were part of formative years of my life. I have categorized my law teachers in three universal categorize: the ugly, the okay and the good.
Before branding my teachers with these tags, let’s discuss the national attitude towards teaching. The teaching had become the least sought after job after a few decade of the formation of Pakistan. Anyone who could not become doctor, engineer, civil servant or successful person would become a teacher.
The profession, let’s call it profession for easy reference, became plagued with failed personalities. These teachers were devoid of dedication but knew something about their subject. Things worsened gradually. Today’s teachers don’t know dedication and their subject altogether. Most of teachers that I had to bear were lifeless people, having no aim in life except the end of the month.
Coming back to Punjab Law College. We had some teachers in the college’s permanent faculty and some in the visiting faculty. The visiting faculty members were slightly better than the permanent teachers. They had a lot of exposure, were well-read, were well-travelled, knew their subject well and encouraged academic debate during lectures.
Retired government employees i.e. retired judges, army officials and bureaucrats were exceptions in the visiting faculty. They encouraged flattery, would tell about the superman tasks they did to save the system (aka Pakistan) and would discourage questioning during the lectures. Their favourite weapon in this regard was the heart-burning one-liner. "Baita jitni app ki umer hai, utna mera tajurba hai." (Kid, my experience is more than your age). The one-liner is quite potent to discourage anyone from asking any question during the rest of the teacher’s term. And besides they have an over-hot temper which boils quite often.
The permanent faculty had its own issues. Most of permanent faculty members were young struggling law graduates. No profession is as tough for the novices as practicing law. Been there, done that. Initial years of practice are labourious but rewardless. Most young lawyers either quit the profession, joining civil service, becoming judges or teachers in law colleges.
They are given a meager pay for a hectic 10-hour shift. And most of the time they are given subjects they hated during their student-days.

The ugly: 
There was a teacher in our permanent faculty who was so confident of his speaking skills that he would speak nothing but non-sense for good 50-minutes. Such was the level of his confidence that he would do it often to kill the time. He would often disclose before us that he hated teaching. Incompetent, but honest. I had to bear him for two years.

The Okays: 
Most of permanent faculty members fall in this category. They were in their formative years. Had so many of inferiority complexes, insecurities but were hard workers. They would prepare the lectures in advance. Ms Shaista, Mr Azeem Farooqi are the two names that I can remember know in this list. They were hardworkers, did not mind admitting their ignorance on law points. They would often note down questions and answer them in the next lecture.

The best: 
Mr. Anwar taught us English Jurisprudence. He was a handsome person by every standard. He knew his subject like the back of his hand. He would give the most accurate and satisfying answer to any question thrown at him. Anwar would do brain storming during the lecture and would also encourage the same. I never met him after my graduation but most of his lectures are still fresh in my mind. He encouraged me to read my text books. He would make the whole class think. I owe him a lot.
Ms Hadiya Awan was and still the principal of our college. She taught us Law of Contract. She was soft spoken, loved to laugh and had a beautiful laughter. She looked like everyone’s dream teacher. She would painstakingly explain basic concepts to late comers, without showing any annoyance. She was a dedicated teacher and knew everything about anything. Hadiya had this ability to explain eveything in its most easiest form. She had sacrificed her family life over her dedication to her profession. She was good with remembering names. We never had to repeat our names to introduce ourselves. And for those of you, who have not seen her, I have found this link http://www.plc.edu.pk/faculty_principal_lhr.asp

Postscript: The next post will discuss my class fellows, and yes, including the front row buxom girl we all loved to ogle at.