LAHORE: A ceremony was organised at Kinnaird Academy Empress Road Lahore hosted by Presbyterian Education Board (PEB) on Sunday to celebrate the completion of 25 years of denationalisation of missionary schools.
Punjab Human Rights and Minority Affairs (HR and MA) Secretary Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Akbar, Rev. Dr. Majeed Abel, members of Presbyterian Education Board, FC College management, overseas board members and other personalities participated in the event. Teachers, students and school management of Kinnaird Academy performed the hosting duties. The foreign delegation was welcomed by a band playing different tunes by the students.
Presbyterian Education Board Executive Director Veda Javed hosted the event and shed light on the services of missionary schools. ‘Our vision is to provide high quality education that addresses the needs of all individuals in mind, body and spirit within an environment that embodies the core values of self-esteem, self-confidence and self-discipline’ she said. She added that as
a result of an excellent team work, today the result of the missionary schools has reached 97 percent while the children of kiln workers and other vulnerable sections were getting education in village schools and they were meeting their educational expenses through scholarships.
HR and MA Secretary Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Akbar said that efforts of the entire team for the extraordinary performance of the Presbyterian Education Board were praiseworthy and it could be hoped that they would continue their excellent services in the future. He assured of the Punjab government’s full support in removing obstacles in educational journey.
Reverend Dr. Majeed Abel congratulated the board members on their 25th anniversary. He said that 60 percent of the students in the Board-run educational institutions were from the Muslim community. He said Christian educational institutions had rendered remarkable services and produced many great names. He wished that the remaining schools of Rangmahal, Hajipura and Rajabazar Pindi to
be returned soon.
In the ceremony, the foreign delegation appreciated the efforts to restore the school and won the hearts of the participants by presenting a Qawwali in Urdu. Students played various colourful performances which was appreciated by the participants.
Dr. Mike Medley, Sheryl Burke, David Hudson, Shaw Hudson, Kathryn Campbell, Jenny Harp, Mark Ford, Tom Bonney, Amy Nicholson, Caroline Heberl and IZ Dargal also gave short speeches and expressed their joy at completion of twenty-five years. They also raised slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad.”
At the end of the ceremony shields and gifts were distributed among overseas members and students.