PAKISTAN: Past pupils to save school
National Federation of Past Pupils signs contract to manage Salesian school in Ziarat
(MissionNewswire) The National Federation of Past Pupils in Pakistan is working to save a school in Ziarat that was founded by Father Pietro Zago, a Salesian missionary who passed away in 2017. He spent 62 years as a missionary, serving youth in India, Indonesia, East Timor, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and finally Pakistan, where he spent the last 18 years of his life.
Fr. Zago profoundly influenced the lives of countless children in Pakistan. He founded the two centers in Quetta and Lahore and contributed to the support of refugees and the poor, as well as to the reconstruction of villages after the earthquake of 2005 and the floods of 2010. Today, his legacy survives through these institutions.
The National Federation of Past Pupils visited Quetta in December 2023 to establish local elections for the organization and to visit to a school Fr. Zago started in Ziarat in the early 2000s. During the visit, past pupils learned the school was risking closure due to insufficient funds.
The goal now is for the National Federation of Past Pupils of Pakistan to develop an operational plan that will allow that organization to take responsibility for the management of this school, and to explore ways to prevent the closure of this vital institution for youth in Ziarat and throughout Quetta.
Asif Boota, national vice-president, explained, “We are now formulating and discussing the plan with the Salesian community and we are all determined to honor Fr. Zago by ensuring that this school remains operational and continues to provide quality education to the children of Ziarat. We recognize the profound importance of this center and we are committed to mobilizing resources to support it.”
The National Federation of Past Pupils will sign a contract to provide management for the school in Ziarat for one year, based on compliance with certain parameters. It will entrust the management to the local Past Pupils in Quetta and will continue to monitor all activities.
Boota added, “This agreement would not only honor the legacy of Fr. Zago, but would also guarantee the continuity of education and service to the less privileged of Ziarat and Quetta. I am sure that together we will be able to support the mission of Don Bosco and the dear memory of Fr. Zago while ensuring that his vision of education and service to the underprivileged continues.”
Salesian schools provide economic benefits, scholarships and accommodations for students from the poorest families so that education is not only accessible but also an incentive for parents to send their children to school. Pakistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in South Asia at less than 50%. Although the country’s constitution acknowledges free and compulsory education between the ages of 5-16, the rule is often not followed in rural areas for those over age 13.
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Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
World Bank – Pakistan
