A cheque worth Rs0.5 million was awarded to the son of samosa vendor in Malakand who clinched top position in Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) examinations in 2015.The amount was presented to Shah Faisal by Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif Khan to Shah Faisal. The cheque was awarded at a ceremony held at the elementary and secondary education department’s committee room in the city on Wednesday.The 19-year-old bagged top position in the secondary school certificate and FSc computer science group. The results were announced in June 2013 and August 2015, respectively.Currently, Faisal is studying computer studies at University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Peshawar. Speaking to journalists, Faisal said he belonged to an underprivileged family of Chakdara, Lower Dir. He added his father sells samosas at Chakdara Bazaar.“After school, I also help my father in his business to fulfil family expenses,” Faisal said. “Today, I am very happy to have received this award from the minister.”He said government schools have a large number of talented students who are seldom provided the opportunity to excel. “I have faced various challenges in obtaining an education as I was poor,” he said. “I cannot afford the expenses. But my father supported me and today I am a student at an engineering university.”Farman Ali, Faisal’s father, said he sold samosas in Chakdara Bazaar to earn a livelihood.He said Faisal is his eldest son and he helped him with work after school.“My other son is a student of class nine and also intelligent like his brother,” he said.Speaking on the occasion, the education minister said the condition of government schools has improved over the last three years. He said the government has allocated considerable funds for Stori Da Pakhtunkhwa Scholarship to support underprivileged students.Published in The Express Tribune, June 23, 2016.