Master Ayub: A Little Interminable Deed In The Capital
He did it. The boys of his age might not do it. May be this thing felt beyond their scope. He was 12-year-old when he helped a kid in returning home who was running away from the home for an act of stealing. Mother of the kid agreed and promised to be kind towards the kid.
Master Ayub is harboring an image of Edhi of education in Islamabad locality and beyond. The sixty-five-year-something man of chocolate complexion, having trimmed white moustache, with army-style-combed hair was wearing blue cotton clothes in addition to classic BATA shoes was standing with 5’5 height in the midst of children who were studying enthusiastically as their teacher was teaching them passionately.
Caring spirit was ingrained in the Master from the beginning. “I am a civil defense worker whose function is to help people during war and peace times, and natural disasters. But this happens rarely and I wanted to do something good for my community every day. I see. I observe. I survey to find some legendary work and I found it: Education.” He was saying this with few breaths and rather in a very rote-learned way.
Nobody knew that Ayub who had lost parents by the class 9, would not only support his family but could develop an acute sense for the need of education for the poor in the society.” When I saw kids in the streets busy in gambling, fighting, car-washing and thievery I knew I have to do something about it.” He said with an inspiring-awe in his eyes.
In Pakistan amid a war of narratives and anxiousness for change Ayub seemed to have chosen the effective weapon to fight against ignorance. The way of education is long-term and slow but long-lasting strategy for change.” The real change happens through education. I have learned that very early in my life”. He added with faith-bound confidence.
“The truth is I am also attached very much to this place. But for progress we have to leave.”
Master Ayub
Challenge is his favorite word. He challenged the popular notion of success in the cities although he came from a town Mandi-Bahauddin in the central Punjab but he didn’t get influenced by the atmosphere of city where notion of materialism was rising.
“I was called agent, cynic, crazy, and was out-casted with stones even by children and boys, for calling people to read in Park. Police, CDA(Capital Development Authority) and many other try to thread me to leave my path but I didn’t”. he continued while sitting on a cement-made chair in the presence of number of students who got disciplined from their master in the clamorous voice from time to time.
“I have been doing this for the last thirty-two years. I live in a simple house and ride by my bi-cycle from home to office and then to school-park. As the number of students are increasing at a rapid speed, I feel we will need a new building. I want to convert it into a proper building but my students have made a symbolic monument of me here (he pointed towards a place where a lot of pebbles were kept together similar to graves in cemetery). They don’t want to leave this place. The truth is I am also attached very much to this place. But for progress we have to leave.”
He uttered these words with a mixed feeling of pensiveness and nostalgia. Commenting on the question of why educated people who know about the value of education but still are not doing enough for education, he said with a little embittered tone,” Greedy, Job-Hungary, and money-making minds do not understand really the value of education”.
Master Ayub tries to make this unroofed school experience a memorable for children through some activities like Dhharam Day. It happens once in a year where children can play with their Master like a Golden Night in the Army. No rules on that day.
Sun was hiding behind the curtain of darkness with dimed glow, and the birds while leaving footprints of singing in the atmosphere of park were returning to their dwellings on the horizon, and children were waiting for their Master to resume the class when he said with a paternal feeling, “we should kindle the candle of knowledge to derive away the shadow of ignorance”.
