Makli

Mr Roy was given the award for the work he has done to improve the quality of primary and secondary education in Pakistan.

The music star is one of the youngest ever recipients of the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan’s highest civil honours, and he has also been awarded Pakistan’s highest humanitarian award, the Sitara-i-Eisaar. MTV Pakistan also recently gave him two awards for his music.

Expressing his joy at getting the prestigious fellowship, Mr Roy told Dawn that during his one week stay in Chicago (planned for Oct 24-31 this year) he would like to impress upon notable American educationists, politicians, reformists and media persons the need for the Pakistani government to be pushed to bring about reforms in schools, particularly by replacing outdated textbooks and updating curricula. He said he would appeal to foreign agencies for funds for these projects.

He hoped that during his meetings with Americans from different walks of life and his presentations on educational reforms he would be able to convince agencies to help the Pakistani government realise the importance of reforming the public school system.

‘The award, which has been given to me in recognition of our reform work in government schools, will, on the one hand, encourage us to replicate the SMB Fatima Jinnah Govt Girls School in more government schools and, on the other, help in highlighting the importance of turning around government schools among officials as well as teachers, so that they may extend their full cooperation to us in this regard,’ he said.