Pakistan, Sept. 22 -- It is sad to note that poor results in government schools have become a routine affair, and authorities are scrambling to obviate further rot. Anyone can come up with reasons explaining the current state of educational affairs, but it does make me recall and analyze that what made it better and different getting educated at a government institution of my times in mid-seventies and eighties.

May not be true for most government schools of those decades, but a few definitely left a delectable mark on their students. My alma mater, Islamabad College for Boys (ICB), G-6/3, Islamabad, was one of those outstanding educational institutions of the country which were known for providing an all-encompassing education, right fr...