Zahira G80 recognizes excellence in high achievers

Text and picture by Ruzaik Farook

Zahira, Group of 80 (G80) considered as the pioneering group of Old Boys of Zahira College, Colombo, touching 20 years of dedicated selfless service to the Alma Mater, held a ceremony recently at the Gaffoor Hall of Zahira College to award the 2011 Advanced Level (A-L) Examination High Achievers with a branded computer laptop, in recognition of their excellence education performance for obtaining 3 As and those who obtained 2 As and 1 B, filling a dire need to facilitate them in continuing their chosen career advancement in academic studies at University and/or in professional course.

It is noteworthy that this is a ground breaking programme in the College core activity area of education and considered as a first of its kind in the recent history of the College in growing high quality education standard.

College educational standards needs to be focused, due attention placed and prioritized given its economic cost to the parents and Zahira G80 hopes to concentrate more on this area in the future as well to support the College raise its educational standards. G80 had extended its theme of 'courage to be different' with to lead where it matters and has declared the year 2012 as the year of education, giving prominence to college educational standard raising projects, said the President of G80 Feroze Inham in his address at the function. Members of G80 is healthily placed in the affairs of the College when considering a large number of its membership is serving in the College Board of Governors, Old Boys Association and Parent Teacher Association forming a formidable strength. However, its rather difficult to mobilize resource pool when educational projects are planned considering the challenges of peak hour demands made on those G80 and other old boys.

G80 expects recognizing of high achiever students who would encourage and motivate more students achieve better performance levels in future public examinations.

Principal Zahira College Jiffry Haniffa said G80 programme design helps to share the best practices of high achievers that would definitely inspire and motivate the students to achieve better results in public examinations and thanked the G80 for this innovative initiative and the donors for supporting it.

The first recipient of 3 As Sinhala medium – Commerce stream was Mohamed Rifkhan Kalam who had a z score of 2.6202 and all island ranking 58 and district ranking 28, the darling of entire teaching faculty, who recalled with a moving speech of gratitude by recalling the names of his entire class teachers by name, gradewise from Grade 1 to Grade 13. Moreover he gave a special tribute calling Asoka Senanayake as his Primary School Mother and Anjalie Senanayake as his A-L Mother.

The second recipient of 3 As Mohamed Mafaz Faiz, the third recipient Mohamed Azri Nahas, the fourth recipient in the 2 As and 1 B Mohamed Nishanth Kareem, fifth recipient in the 2 As and 1 B – Farzan Arif Shafraz were each presented with branded laptop computers.

Zahira G80 extended the recognition of the 2011 A-L examination student high achievers to Fathima Muslim Balika College, Colombo when it awarded a branded laptop to the all island ranking No. 3 and district ranking No. 2, bio stream student Fathima Halidha Saleem who topped with an astonishing z score of 2.8665, who said have an aim in life and plan to achieve with a positive frame of mind and then anything is achievable.

Zahira College, Senior Vice Principal Ananda Ponnemperuma said in his vote of thanks, when the high achievers were in depth interviewed and findings evaluated the ranking of economic, social and environment setting as the barriers to higher educational achievements is a big myth and added that student's commitment and motivation, teacher and parent dedication, love and care is the key for high achievement in education.

The donors Dr Fazli Nizar, M B Reza, M U M Azmi and OBA Qatar were profusely thanked for their coming forward in making this presentation.

Deputy Principal Trizvi Marikkar, G80 Founder President M S M Niyas, Board of Governors Secretary Rizvi Niyas, members of the G80, parents, teachers and students were present at this ceremony.