Once a centre of excellence, Government Christian Higher Secondary School at Raja Bazaar, the oldest educational institution in the garrison city, is yearning for past glory.

In 1856, American Presbyterian Mission established the school. Originally it was called Mission High School, and for the people it is still a missionary school.

This school was affiliated with Calcutta University. In 1893, it was given the status of a college. In 1902, the college was separated and named Gordon College and shifted to its present premises near Liaquat Bagh, but the school was still on its original location at Raja Bazaar.

Sir Sikander Hayat Khan, former Sindh governor retired Justice Deen Mohammad, former prime minister Sir Firoz Khan Noon, former railway minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, former MNA Malik Shakil Awan and many other politicians, engineers, doctors and journalists got early education from this school.

In 1970, like other institutions, Mission High School was nationalised. At present, it is being run by the Punjab government. Ever since it was handed over to the provincial government its standard of education, which used to be one of the best under missionary board, started declining.

Former railway minister and Awami Muslim Leaque President Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told Dawn that he got early education from the Mission High School.

He said the school would provide better environment for academic and co-curricular activities in those days.

He said under the government control it failed to maintain the standard.

Having glorious past, the school is presenting the picture of neglect and official apathy. The old block is in a dilapidated condition and needs renovation.

The local government has turned a blind eye to the encroachments on the land around the school.

Six classrooms adjacent to main hall have caved in and the condition of the examination hall was no different.

The shopkeepers of the area have turned the playground of the school a dumping site.

An owner of the plaza in the Raja Bazaar has installed a generator on the roof of a classroom.

Originally, the total area of the school was 37 kanals which reduced to 20 Kanals with the passage of time and still many people eye on its land.

“At present, 13 former employees have made the premises of the school their abode and refused to vacate it,” said the school principal Muzaffar Khan while talking to Dawn.

He said that he had sent several letters to District Coordination Officer and Rawal Town Municipal Administration seeking their support to get the school’s building vacated by the encroachers but to no avail. The presence of illegal occupants poses serious security threat to the schoolchildren, he added.

Replying to a question with regard to returning the control of the school back to Missionary Board, the principal said the issue was in litigation as Presbyterian Education Board Lahore moved the Lahore High Court for the control of the school.

Executive District Officer Education Qazi Zahoorul Haq told Dawn that the custody case was pending in the Lahore High Court. He said that some missionaries wanted to take over the school custody but they failed to establish their ownership.

He said that encroachment was a big issue as many former employees have made settlements on the school premises. He said that many shopkeepers on Iqbal Road, Sabzi Mandi and adjoining bazaars also had encroached upon the land. He said that the issue was brought to the notice of the higher authorities but no action had been taken.

“The management has serious security concerns about the schoolchildren as it is located in main Raja Bazaar,” he said.

United Presbyterian Church Raja Bazaar Pastor Hanook David told Dawn that the Church had nothing to do with the schools, rather they were managed by education board.

Punjab Teachers Association (PTA) Rawalpindi President Sagheer Alam while talking to Dawn opposed the idea of giving the school management back to missionary board. He said the board would increase the fees, which would be unaffordable for the ordinary people.

He said the government should pay some attention to the condition of school and improve its standard.

He said that education and health facilities should be provided to the people free of cost and enforced a uniform syllabus in the country. He said that the government educational institution also produced a lot of engineers, doctors, teachers and others.

Pakistan Minority Alliance Shamoon Gill said the government should hand over the custody of the educational institutions to missionaries. He said that the school established by the missionary provided quality education.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2015

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