Langlands School doled out Rs10m to its principal in one go
By Zulfiqar Ahmad
ISLAMABAD: The governing body of The Langlands School and College (TLSC), which runs on donations from government and private individuals, showed an “extreme generosity” towards its British Principal Carey Schofield by releasing her over Rs10 million in one go as an overdue salary and accommodation expenses without explaining the period of the dues.
According documents available with ChitralToday, on March 3, 2017, three members of the governing body approved Rs10,550,121 for the principal about two years after her return to Pakistan after being denied visa by the then federal interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
Langalands, who passed away last year, had approached his former student Chaudhry Nisar after the principal terminated the services of five teachers, including the vice principal and co-founder of the institution.
The principal and her supporters moved from pillar to post to restore her visa claiming that she would turn the school into a mini-Cambridge.
According to the letter of the governing body, Rs5,975,121 incurred by the foreign national from March 2013 to October 2014 for herself and for visiting “volunteer teachers and advisers” were released from the Chitral branch of Bank Al-Falah.
The governing body also approved Rs4,875,000 against her salary but did not mention the duration against which Rs5,975,121 were approved for her accommodation expenses.
“It was resolved at a meeting of the governing body of The Langlands School and College on 3rd March 2017 that overdue salary amounting to Rs4,875,000 should be paid to Miss Carey Schofield from the school’s bank account held at Bank Al-Falah in Chitral,” read the letter.
“It was also resolved at the meeting that accommodation expenses Rs5,975,121 insured by the principal between March 2013 and October 2014 for herself and visiting volunteer teachers and advisers should be paid to Miss Carey Schofield from the school’s bank account held at Bank Al-Falah in Chitral.”
Meanwhile, former district nazim Haji Maghfirat Shah demanded a “physical and finical audit of the school’s accounts and a third-party validation” of the school.
Mr Shah said the late Langlands also used to bring volunteer teachers from abroad but never spent a single penny from the school funds on their accommodation etc.
When contacted, Sirajul Mulk, one of the members of the board of governors, denied any illegality in the affairs of the school and claimed that all the documents regarding financial transactions were “bogus.”
He said the British principal of the school had been trying her best to attract investment to the school and parents and teachers were happy with her performance. He said he had had no financial interest with the school or the principal, who he said was the best and dedicated teacher.
An email was sent to Carey Schofield to get her version since she is currently living in London but she did not respond.
Go Carey go, Go Siraj go, Carey ka jo yar he ghaddar he, Carey ke yaron ko aik dhakka aur do. Go carey Go, Stop carey Stop.
The tirade against the British principal coincides with the expected visit of British Royal family to Chitral. The lady must be given a chance to meet the royals with respect and grace. She deserves it. If discipline and dutifulness
In case you don’t know, this tirade is against the misuse of the donations.
And who cares about the British royals? Even their own country only uses them as a publicity stunt – media toys. They do not have any say, whatsoever, in the British foreign policy.
Why, us Chitralis have such low standards for ourselves that we believe if a woman who firstly, has no qualification to be appointed as a principal; secondly, has misused her power and the schools funds, should be given respect because she is British?
Can you imagine, a Pakistani behaving like that in England and getting away with it??
Madam Adeeba Khair, No one is opposing investigation into financial affairs, but as far as discipline and orderliness in the school is concerned it is definitely far better than it was at the time of late Langland. In Pakistan when someone tries to put things in order he/she faces furious opposition. No teacher likes to be punctual and come under discipline. It is only natural . Langland teachers are no exception. It is easy for the principal to make everyone happy and enjoy her time without caring for the future of the students. It is like our previous governments who made people happy with borrowing money, which our children will have to pay back. They had their good time and left.
Let us have a heart and and give the lady her dues on merit. After all Chitralis are known for being large hearted, if nothing else.
The question is quite simple: where did the lady principal spend the huge money of Rs5,975,121? This is not a small amount. It is a huge amount for a backward valley like Chitral. How can the board of governors approve such a huge amount with one stroke of pen?
“It was also resolved at the meeting that accommodation expenses Rs5,975,121 insured by the principal between March 2013 and October 2014 for herself and visiting volunteer teachers and advisers should be paid to Miss Carey Schofield from the school’s bank account held at Bank Al-Falah in Chitral.”
This is what the board of governors are saying? This is in no way justified. The British woman should be grilled for
The irony of the matter is that the principal is deducting salaries of the teachers without any hesitation but on the other hand she is drawing such a a big amount without any hindrance with the help of the BoG. It means the governing is involved in this.
I beg the people of Chitral to raise voice as fight for your rights as this money was meant to be spent on your children.
As for as Ms Carey keeps one influential person happy & does as he wishes she will remain as long as she and He wants. We people of Chitral are Naive and we will still chant Zindabad for both of them.. no one will ever think of the school.
I dont think anyone is above accountability for his actions. But I would like to see that its no witch hunt or ulterior motive that drives accountability. Between 1999 and 2012 this school functions but is never registered. It has supposedly a board which functions under no law and changes with the likes and dislikes of some people in Chitral. No accounts are available of this period and if they are no one knows who audited them. But no one questions this. There is a virtual free for all but no questions asked. Since 2012 or so it functions under the Social Welfare Act with a responsible board of distinguished people who contribute their time voluntarily. It has its accounts audited and every penny is accounted for and details found in its annual financial statement. There are resources raised during this period by its Principals efforts. No credit is given. Accusations are made and abuses hurled without even bothering to read its accounts. It all looks very sinister. It has nothing to do with improving the governance or improving the quality of education. Its all seems to be the story of attacking all institutions and bringing them under one mafia. There is no question about making it accountable and I fully support it. But what is being witnessed on the social media etc is all very familiar and is undertaken by the same people so questions should be asked
Ms. Carey spent a whooping Rs. 314,480 per month for her accommodation from March 2013 to October 2014. The total amount spent alone on her accommodation is Rs. 59,75,121, and still people are saying that she is working voluntarily. She is indeed taking peanuts.
Go Carey Go.
Back in the day, when Ms. Carey was freshly appointed as a principal of Langlands School and College, Chitral, I met her with a teacher from University of Peshawar, who was willing to offer her services voluntarily to teach at the college during summer vacations as she had plans to stay in Chitral for over two months, but Ms. Carey was very non cooperative at the time and flatly refused to avail her services. That meeting gave us an impression that she was not altogether interested in attracting the best minds to the college and was not open to suggestions who wanted betterment of the college. Now things have come to a head with this report claiming that huge amounts of money were doled out to teachers/volunteers who came from abroad to supposedly teach at the college. Sounds like more money is going out instead of coming in and it seems like the college is being run in a shady manner with no accountability and monitoring of it’s financial resources.
But the most important thing is that the college is going down in academics as well. The college has not been able to perform well in all the board examinations held till date under Ms. Carey. Other institutions are performing far better than this college in academics. The college needs a complete overhauling and strict monitoring of its financial resources. This news of financial misappropriation by the incumbent BoG members and the principal should be verified by an independent auditor and the people behind this fiasco should be brought to the book. Otherwise a greater tragedy and disaster is awaiting this college.
I am not even surprised by this news; it was long due. Several complaints were also heard in the past about the irregularities in appointment of new teachers; dismissal of pioneering teachers on flimsy grounds; procurement of items for the college; building boundary wall around the premises of the institute; and the expenses incurred on the personal accommodation of the principal. All these irregularities are an eye opener for the general public to realize how this college is being run at the whim of a person who hasn’t got a clue about running an educational institution.
All these developments are a slap in the face of those social media campaigners who had raised meaningless hue and cry on social media about bringing back Ms. Carey to save the college. It now looks like that the so called savior has turned out to be someone who is looting the college funds with both hands. Well, the evidence is out there.
An esteemed brother commented that Carey was hired because she agreed to work for peanuts, I must say that those peanuts were some expensive peanuts…LOL
Secondly, how did a journalist whose credentials are to write about Russia and terrorism (https://clarealumni.com/file/documents/ClareNews_Edition32.pdf) was appointed as a head of this institution? Don’t you need a back ground in teaching and educational leadership to be appointed as Principal of an educational institution?
All these need to be answered by an impartial investigation on both alleged misappropriation of the funds and the total disregard for merit while appointing people on such important positions.
Agreed. Verily, when it’s about such a far flung area like Chitral. People have been raising their concerns and are unhappy of the things going on there in TLSC after the lady has taken the charge as principal. It is alarming for all of us, that why are we as a nation getting influenced by these foreigners who at their own place, get nothing to do for a living but we take them as our ideals, are they supernatural or we lack somewhere.
Ms. Carey was considered as a savior and a panacea for all the problems of Langlands School and College, Chitral but the chickens have come home to roost and the disaster is waiting to happen. She is neither an educationist,nor someone who has any experience in administrating an educational institution. Her behavior and attitude towards the school has always been that of a a person who always wants her way with things taking it to a point where financial misappropriation and maladministration have become its hallmark. The school is performing badly academically and its coffers are becoming empty with each passing day. Faculty hiring and firing are done according to the whim of the principal with no proper mechanism in place. There are no rules to fire and hire teachers with cronies of the some influential people making their way to take higher positions in the administration by boot-licking.
When Ms. Carey was deposed, a social media campaign was launched in her favor to reinstate her again and tall claims were made at that time that she is the only person fit for this job. The general public were tricked into believing that she would turn this school into a high class seat of learning overnight, and the result: zero. The school is performing at its worst and is going down in all parameters of a good institute. The huge amount paid to her out of nowhere is a textbook example of how the Board of Governors is playing into her hands and how she is taking such huge amount of money for doing nothing at all, although she agreed to work voluntarily as a principal. She should be sent packing and all those teachers who were removed illegally should be reinstated immediately. Mr. Abdullah worked there all his life and spent half of his precious life dedicated to the school on a meager salary and without even applying for Govt. jobs and the all he got was a forced and illegal removal. An inquiry should be made and the record should be brought before the public to make them aware of the real crisis that is unfolding.
Other things aside, let me stress on the fact that during late Langland’s time, the school had no doubt brought in funds but was at it’s lowest ebb in matters of discipline and character building. We should decide which is more more important for an educational institution, fund raising or discipline and character building.
The old man (may his soul rest in peace) at an age when instead of being admitted to a nursing home was given charge of an important school. The result was obvious. He was oblivious to what was happening in the school vis a vis financial irregularities by his staff and deterioration in discipline. It is a pity that we measure success only in terms of getting funds (it happens in politics also). No importance is given to the mission and spirit of the institution. This is what was with Mr Langland’s school during his time.
With due respects to the name of Major Langlands, I strongly feel It would be fair and most pertinent to revert the name of the school to Sayurj school, the original name with relevance to Chitral. At most an auditorium of the school can be named after late Major Langlands.
Ref your suggestion to name an auditorium after Major Langlands, I would recommend rather name the ‘Account Office’ after his name, because there is where he was most concerned, whether garnering grants and charity for the school or bungling of those funds by his account office.
It is 2019 and the school still does not have a website, its accounts/financial statements are never audited, no one knows how many funds are generated and how much is spent and what was the reserve funds when Langland left and what is the reserve fund now. I don’t remember when was the last time any mega educational event was organised by the once legendary Sayurj Public School or was in news for anything brilliant/good. Meanwhile students of AKHSS are shinning like stars and many new small schools are doing brilliant job. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that the school is now reduced to to being just another ordinary private school and that is not only sad but painful for any true Chitrari.
I don’t know who to blame but the fact of the matter is our beloved Chitral is losing a legendary school and losing it fast. We all should be worried, but we are such an interesting society that rather being worried we have actually taken up sides where one group is maligning the other & other group is defending Mam Carey & her friends/benefactors.
For the love of Chitral and the future of our kids we need to ask tough questions and preserve what once was a dream of every Chitrali kid. Do we have the capacity to that that? can we hold anyone accountable? can we ask tough questions??
@Wazir Baig: You have so much info so rather shooting the messenger (the reporter who reported a factual news item) maybe you can help everyone understand what was the financial position of the school during the last say 5 years? I would be very interested to know that.
I would also like to request reporter to dig into the monthly expenditures of the principal. Her monthly expenditures, to my knowledge, surpass the total cost of the school’s 45 supporting staff. Besides, the house which she has built for herself should be in the notice of the people of this backward valley.
Another thing thing which is of utmost importance is that how much fuel she burnt for the generator of her residence due to load-shedding in Chitral.
It is said that if a dog bites a man it is not news, but if a man bites a dog it is news. This is so true in the case of the news splashed about in your newspaper to depict the Langland School as a den of corruption. Did your correspondent bother to find out how many years did the Principal of the School work without a salary or any reimbursement for her living in Chitral? He did not do because the writing was not motivated by any desire to further a public cause but to besmirch names and destroy the credibility of a school to attain ulterior motives.
We all know that the Langland School, previously known as the Sayurj School was founded by the Deputy Commissioner Chitral and a number of other individuals of the civil society in the late eighties to fill the gap for good English Education in Chitral. The large number of English speaking tourists who came here, their ability to speak English and their willingness to stay on longer plus their desire to gain invaluable experience of living in a different part of the world created an ideal environment which was tapped to draw them in a teacher. This was how the Sayurj School was born. It was entirely a voluntary effort on part of a well-meaning Deputy Commissioner and some members of the civil society. They also were lucky. The standing for election by Mrs. Bhutto from Chitral also attracted a lot of senior political leaders to Chitral. This was tapped to generate funds for the school. It was all about entrepreneurship within the public sector so different to the working of a slow and ponderous bureaucracy. The school was also fortunate that in those days the bureaucracy had not yet suffered the slings and arrows of the devolution that dented it badly and from which it has barely recovered. Men like Shahzad Arbab, Ishtiaq Ahmad who followed Javed Majid and the many other illustrious people who followed them, all supported the effort without rocking the boat or ever forgetting the purpose for which the school was established. To give the school sustainability and a credibility, Mr. Langland’s was enticed to come to Chitral to become its principal. We must remember this was all done informally. Mr. Langland who was in his eighties by then brought his strong social networks to the School which paved the way for additional resources for the school. The informality of the school’s governance system continued because it was built around individual initiative and not any institutional strength.
In the days the school began there were a group of people who thought it was a danger to “pristine culture” of Chitral. Harassment of the school teachers in the hostel that was established was a common phenomenon to close it down and make them run away. It was considered a threat to one of the “idealogical” schools in the town. As days passed the resolute support of the administration ensured that the school and its teachers survived. But its detractors found new ways of penetrating the school by joining the party.
As Mr. Langland grew old he lost grip over the administration. He would use a magnifying glass to go through his accounts. Gradually teaching standards declined, drugs and cheating became part of its culture. It was the stature of Mr. Langland’s, his strong networks, his ability to raise resources that kept the school going. But with age Mr. Langland’s learnt to coopt and to compromise, the Asian way of doing things. How else could anyone survive as the devolution struck a blow to the steel frame that had kept things in place in Chitral and elsewhere in the country. The quality of leadership in the administration fell (with notable exceptions like the illustrious Osama.) and it was not surprising to find an invalid holding the position of the Deputy Commissioner at one stage where the workers of a political party would sit with their feet on the table to belittle him and to remind him how beholden he was to them for his position. How could Sayurj School be an exception to this? Good it had a board of well-meaning people to see it through the storm.
With the funding that came in during the time of General Musharraf a Trust was established at Lahore under Mr Langland and the search for the successor of Mr Langland was begun. It was decided that an expatriate would replace him. Carey Schofield was kind enough to help with the search. However, finding one turned out to be difficult. In the end Carey was requested to become the principal and her emoluments fixed at rates that are not exorbitant and very reasonable by Pakistani public sector standards. A comparison with people of similar qualification would show that she agreed to work almost as a volunteer. Three cheers to her. For almost three years she did not take any salary because one of the Trustees who had agreed to contribute towards her salary did not pay his dues. The Board of the Langland School took the correct step to settle this matter and not allow it to go on as pending. This was only after she herself had been able to raise additional resources for the school and continue where Mr Langland had left off.
The important issue facing the school is whether it needs people like Carey. The best judge for this would be the parents and the children who study there. Should the school get the best results if you allow open cheating or should it be a place where character is an important part of a student’s upbringing? Does it still need foreigners to manage it or should it attract the best in Chitral? These are valid questions that need time and thought especially of the parents. Sadly, the people who want to make a decision are a group of politicized people whom Carrey had to move out to restore discipline and respectability to the school when she joined it. It has left a trail of bitterness. These people have gone to the High Court and Labour Court. But instead of allowing the courts to settle the matter they would like to use administrative and poltical powers to settle the issue. Hence the use of innuendos and anonymous mails, use of alternate facts and playing on religious sentiments and abuse of political positions. The saddest episode in this chapter was when even Langland was emotionally blackmailed by these groups while in his late nineties and having lost most of his ability to make judgements to undermine his own legacy. Every institution is invited to come and join the melee and defame and degrade the school and anyone who wants to help it.
A big issue is made whether the school is a public sector or a private institution. It was never envisaged as a public sector institution by its founders because a public institution with the bureaucratic rules that cramp it would never have been able to attract either the funding it was able to do or attract the international teachers who gave it a name. Neither was it envisaged as a private cut throat profit making institution. It was always envisaged as a nonprofit public institution that would be built on social entrepreneurship. It’s obvious the school would always be dependent on public support. But so have some of the other great schools in this country. Can we really salvage something good for Chitral which while preserving the autonomy of the school also retains the support of the school is a big challenge? Sadly, the kind of writing Mr Zulfiqar has resorted to hardly help. They play into the hands of people who see the school as nothing but another ugly public sector institution that does not function and which have become the bane of this country.
Chitral is too remote and too small in the overall affairs of the country. With the small size of its population its political importance is negligible. The poor state of its infrastructure and the dismal level of public services in the district shows all this. However, it was pleasing to read about the recent meetings of its Board in Islamabad and Peshawar. Among others Mr Arbab Shahzad, Fakhr Iman, Aftab Sherpoa, the Chief Secretary KPK, Commissioner Malakand and DC Chitral attended it. This was no small achievement. Chitral needs a lots of friend and at least Sayurj School and its principal have not let Chitral down on that. I hope the enterprising spirit that initiated it continues.
Instead of writing a thesis on history of the school and contribution of its founders, it would have been wise to tell us why such a huge amount was paid to its current principal. If it was her dues in terms of salary tell us the period of dues ie for how many months or years.
Agree with this detailed write up explanation as the most realistic in the list of comments
While Adeeba Khair sings the praises of the enterprising Deputy Commissioner who helped establish the school she fails to state that the enterprising Deputy Commissioner who later rose to the position of a Provincial Secretary in the Punjab still whole heartedly endorses all the decisions of the Board of the school as a Board member. The decision to appoint a Principal was of its Trustees established in Lahore by Mr Langland under his own supervision. After a lot of search, for the peanuts Chitral offers no one was willing to join the school from the international lot whom the trust had decided to select. Ms Carey was kind enough to do so not being paid any salary for three years and working at a salary at a small amount compared to those in the education sector. The Board wisely settled this matter. What so abnormal about paying her a salary when she struggled to raise additional resources for the school? No one dissolved any Board because non ever existed. A board exist if you are registered under some law. Can Adeeba explain what law the school was ever registered under? The Board as far as I know comprises of distinguished people who gain no benefit from a school that has to live hand to mouth most of the time. This fight is not about education or the school. It is about a group of people who want to run the school despite not being competent to do so
This iconic school was a brainchild of a forward thinking district officials, made a reality by a group of Western volunteers and mostly Chitrali pioneering staff. The people who claim to be the ‘God fathers’ of this institution have played no role in its foundation; on the contrary, their vested interests have brought this institution down to the dumps. Its about time, that the people of Chitral reclaim their hardworking being turned into a business enterprise.
Secondly, does anyone know who this lady named Carey Schofield is? Why Ms Schofield is not present on any of the professional forums such as Linkedin where every professional from the developed countries has a profile?
What are her credentials and how was she selected for this important position and later granted an absolute authority in dissolving the board of governors and appointing her favorites and to to turn this school into a business enterprise ?By abusing the funds without any check and balance?
An amount of that sort could have been used to not only improve the facilities but also to fund many bright children of this region who can not access quality education because of lack of financial resources.
We demand a thorough investigation into this matter and share the findings of that investigation with the people of Chitral.
It’s pitty that in this era where Allahmdulliah majority of Chitrals are educated but alas alas their mantality…jumping to conclusions …..commeting without knowing the truth …… believing in people who play dirty politics for self gain ….and just like that start commenting and pointing finger on others …..
Until and unless if you all don’t have evidence and solid proof plz don’t mess things up….
Best wishes
Razaulmulk
Classic example of how one local businessman destroyed a reputed educational institution for petty monetary benefits and just to serve his and his families ego. Except Osama Shaheed this Son of the soil “neutralized” every other officer and dolled out millions of contracts to his family members and has used the school just to claim that his family established and is running a school is just impoverished area for consumption of western audience primarily his “guests”. We Chitralis will never learn our lessons.
Go carey go
What is going on at the Langlands school and college?From dancing of english girls to doleing out millions .How can we expect from her.We strongly request to District Govt , Dc chitral and other representative that we need pakistani principal.
It’s quite painful to see a great school in such poor state where there exists no rule no regulation but monopoly of some opportunists who are running it like a trader union and not a governing body of an institution.
There is only one and easy solution to the problem: replace the principal with an educationist. Also, it should be handed over to the government. Or else, closure of the school is a writing on the wall.
My request to the British principal is she must stop playing with the future generation of Chitral. If you failed to make difference – except withdrawing huge sum of money from the hard-earned donations – you will not be able to make a difference even in 100 years.
How did a school in Chitral get so much money in its account?? a question.
From 2013 to 2014 there were no volunteer teachers in school, and late there was only one teacher. Why such a big money was given to a single teacher? Impossible. Where this amount has gone?
The Govt of Pakistan through FIA and NAB should conduct investigations of this legal corruption in a donation based school.
And the propaganda that Carry does not take salary was a big falsehood of the year. Such a big amount she has cashed living in England. Shame shame