Presbyterian Education Board

The Presbyterian Education Board is an autonomous Board under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan and is supported by the Presbyterian Church (USA) and other churches and organizations worldwide. Its purpose is to provide high-quality education fully informed by and rising out of its Christian values and its Christian roots. The scope of the Board extends to primary and secondary schools, higher education and vocational, professional and technical training for children regardless of race or creed; and hostels for Christian children.

Vision: Our vision is to provide, in an enduring way, the highest quality education responsive to the needs of the whole child with preparation for the needs and demands of the 21st Century. We wish to offer this education to children of all religious backgrounds regardless of their ability to pay who choose to come to Christian institutions – not to be converted but to receive high quality education fully informed by Christian values.

Mission: Our mission is to provide high quality education that addresses the needs of all individuals morally, physically, intellectually, socially and spiritually so essential for each individual’s quality of life. The Presbyterian Education Board exists to provide the human and financial resources necessary for educating children in mind, body and spirit within an environment that embodies the core values of self-discipline, integrity, tolerance and respect for others, and fairness and justice in all of our dealings. We value all religious traditions while being rooted in our own Christian tradition. Christian students will be empowered and enabled to deepen their faith and their sense of community with one another. All students will be educated to have a spirit of service and a quality of character that will enable them to become contribute to positive changes in society as citizen-leaders of their community, their church, their country and the world. They will be prepared to successfully compete as they go on in intermediate and higher education and as they prepare for the world of work.

Presbyterian Church of Pakistan

The Presbyterian Church of Pakistan was formed and declared on November 18, 1993 at Naulakha Church in Lahore, Pakistan. It has a long history that is deeply rooted in the establishment of the Lahore Church Council of the United Church and the Synod of United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan during the 1850s and 1860s.

The Presbyterian Church of Pakistan consists of about 300000 people. It contains over 220 congregations, 208 pastors, 100 church buildings, and 80 parsonages. Session is the basic unit, comprised of a pastor and a few elders. The higher body is the Presbytery which consists of at least ten Sessions. The highest body is the General Assembly which is represented by the 1/4 delegates from all the presbyteries, and it occupies the central position in the entire church system. The purpose of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan is to make the work of God known to all and to spread the good news of Jesus Christ through word, thoughts and deeds.

Pakistan

General Information: The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, created in 1947, is the 6th most populous country in the world with a population of over 180 million people. The name means “Land of the Pure” in the official language Urdu (English is the other official language). Pakistan occupies a geopolitically important location at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia. The country covers approximately 307,374 square miles, about the same land area as France and the United Kingdom combined. This ethnically and linguistically diverse country has about a 97% Muslim population. Christians account for about 3% of the population.
Weather: The climate varies from tropical to temperate, with arid conditions in the coastal south. Winters are usually cool and dry, followed by a hot, dry spring season. Heavy flooding often occurs during the summer monsoon season. Rainfall amounts vary annually, and alternating flooding and drought happen regularly.

Education in Pakistan: Pakistani children begin school at age 5 and continue through high school (class 10). They can continue to higher secondary education (classes 11 and 12). A 4-year bachelor’s degree can be obtained, followed by a master’s degree (1 – 2 years of study) and doctorate (3 – 5 additional years of study) which are available in some universities.

Literacy: Literacy is an important indicator of a nation’s viability, and improvement in the literary rate has a long-term effect on the welfare of the people. Literacy in Pakistan is much higher in urban areas than rural areas, and men have a higher rate of literacy than women. The current overall literacy rate is about 58%.

Economy of Pakistan: Pakistan is a rapidly developing agricultural country which has faced a number of challenges on both political and economic fronts. Despite being a very poor country in 1947, Pakistan’s economic growth rate was better than the global average during the subsequent four decades. Recently, wide-ranging economic reforms have resulted in a stronger economic outlook and accelerated growth especially in the manufacturing and financial services sectors. There has been great improvement in the foreign exchange position and rapid growth in hard currency reserves in recent years. Major foreign investment has been made in several industries. The top industries in Pakistan are telecom, software, automotive, textiles, cement, fertilizer, steel, shipbuilding, and more recently, aerospace.