Dr. Farzana
With over 170 schools spread all over Pakistan, catering to 120,000 students, our role as educators and shapers of the national narrative is a duty we take very seriously.
Pakistan Day’s significance in the hearts of Pakistanis across the world cannot be overstated. It has been 77 years since the Pakistan Resolution was signed on March 23 and the country has come a long way since then. As citizens of Pakistan, it is our responsibility to ensure that it keeps moving forward on the path to progress, however tumultuous it may prove to be. It is important at this juncture, to look back and forward simultaneously, learning lessons from our mistakes while preparing for a stronger and more stable future. At this point, I reiterate something I have already stated on previous occasions; “A nation is only as good as its schools and a school is only as good as its teachers.”
We all have a responsibility towards making our country a better place to live, and what better way than to train future generations to become better contributing members of society? The importance of education as a tool for nation-building never loses its significance. This is where The City School (TCS) Network comes in. I started this network with one school in 1978 in Karachi, when the government wanted the private sector to step in and assume the responsibility of providing quality education to our children, where the state could not.
And this is exactly what we did. Fast forward 40 years, and it is clear that the private sector has done more than just fill up a vacuum; it has redefined what quality education used to mean for the people of Pakistan. It has introduced new curriculums, teaching stratagems and has developed the minds of thousands of students. My own experience at TCS is enough to tell me that we have made a lasting difference, one that is being felt across the generations, as they decide how best to educate their child.
The private sector’s particular focus on the primary years has given our students a strong base; their prowess during their formative years is the only thing that can ensure that they continue their journey towards excellence with complete commitment. We have worked hard to give our students the ability to compete with the best on the global stage for higher education and more.
We also strive to make our students recognize the difference they can make in Pakistan, laying the foundations for a stronger and more prosperous future. I have personally spoken to individual students on many occasions, to inculcate a sense of loyalty to Pakistan, making them realize that the best decision they can make is to serve the interests of the country in whatever profession they may choose.
It is a matter of personal pride for me to see so many TCS students turn into productive adults and contributing members of society — as educators, doctors, engineers, activists and so much more. With over 170 schools spread all over Pakistan, catering to 120,000 students, our role as educators and shapers of the national narrative is a duty we take very seriously. I am proud to be part of a system that looks at students as individuals, with varying abilities and capabilities and it is the job of our teachers to ensure that they bring out the very best in our students.
We all have a responsibility to actively pursue making this country a better place to live. And when I visit schools in the TCS Network, or come across students both old and new, I am pleased to see that we have played our part well. I can only hope that on this year’s Pakistan Day, when the resolution to make this country was signed, we make resolutions of our own — to unceasingly work towards making this country the place we all want it to be.
