Sadiq Public School Bahawalpur

Sadiq Public School, Bahawalpur, Punjab is an elite premier boarding College-preparatory school of Pakistan.(Though a significant number of Day pupils study here as well). It is spread over convert|400|acre|km2 of land. It is one of the most expensive and Aristocratic public school in Pakistan. In respect to area covered and owned it is the largest in the country and in continental Asia. It has passed its fiftieth anniversary. During this period it has passed through various phases of evolution to reach a stage where it has become one of the foremost Boarding Schools of the country.

Making

The Foundation Stone of Sadiq Public School Bahawalpur was laid by the late Ala Hazrat Nawab Sir Sadeq Mohammad Khan V, on March 04, 1953. The School was intended to produce young men with high moral principles, who should be self-reliant and self- confident, with qualities of initiative, sense of responsibility, selfless devotion to duty, religious outlook and burning desire to serve the cause of Islam and the country.

The project was taken up under the advice and guidance of Makhdumzada Syed Hasan Mahmud, the Chief Minister of Bahawalpur State and was executed with the blessings of the Ala Hazrat. The Government of Bahawalpur allocated a sum of rupees nineteen lacs for the construction of the buildings. In addition, convert|450|acre|km2 of land was given by the Ala Hazrat at a token price. The project was completed in a record period of nine months. The site was transformed into a spacious campus of lawns and playing fields, in the midst of which rose nine complete buildings ready for use. The School started functioning on January 18, 1954 when the Ala Hazrat performed its opening ceremony.

Organization and curriculum

Sadiq Public School is divided into three schools:

*Junior School (Grades 1-5)

*Prep School (Grade 6-8)

*Senior School (Grade 9-12)

Pupils in each school are subdivided into houses. Houses are designed to promote inter-house competitions and mentorship opportunities.

The Senior school offer four types of diplomas/certifications. One branch is School Certificate/O-level (for grades 9-10) and the Higher School Certificate/A-level (for grades 11-12).

The other two types are Secondary School Certificate or Matriculation (for grades 9-10) and Higher Secondary School Certificate or Intermediate (for grades 11-12).

Boarding Houses

*Kamal Pasha House-East Wing -- "Nursery to Grade 2" - (Junior School)
*Kamal Pasha House-West Wing -- "Grades 3 to 5" - (Junior School)
*Alamgir House-North & South Wings -- "Grades 6 to 8" - (Preparatory School)
*Salahuddin House -- "Senior School Girls all grades 0-12" - (Senior School)
*Mehmood House -- "Grades 9,10,11 & 12" - (Senior School)
*Abbas House -- "Grades 9,10,11 & 12" - (Senior School)

Principals

To begin with the School had only 37 children and 7 teachers. Mr. Khan Anwar Sikandar Khan, the first Principal, developed this institution from scratch and converted a veritable wilderness into a campus of panoramic spectacle. Khan Sahib was the Principal for over 18 years. For his meritorious services rendered in the field of education he was decorated with Sitara-i-Khidmat. On his retirement, Mr. Abu Zafar Haneef who was the Vice Principal took over as the Principal in March 1972. The next two principals were Col (Retd) Zahoor ul Haq from 1974 to 1990 and Mr. Agha Khalil Ahmad from 1990 to 2001. The previous principal, Prof. Mohammad Asif Malik took over in September 2002. He is a recipient of the President's Award of Pride of Performance for services rendered in the field of education. Maj. (R) Syed Munir Ahmad, an Old Sadiqian, took the charge as Principal in Nov, 2007, after the departure of Prof. Mohammad Asif Malik to Chand Bagh School Muridke as a Principal. Major (R) Syed Munir Ahmad had served in Shell Pakistan Limited as Country Manager before taking the office of Principal Sadiq Public School. He is the first Principal of Sadiq Public School who is an old Sadiqian. He left the school in 1966. He played instrumental role in Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Sadiq Public School in 2004 and was Member Executive Committee OSA (Old Sadiqians Association) Islamabad Chapter.

50 Years

On January 18, 2004 the School completed its 50 years of existence. The School is widely recognized as a premier residential institution, imparting quality education to boys and girls from KG to 'O' and 'A' levels (Cambridge University) and local board Matriculation / Intermediate. The school currently has over 1250 boys and 350 girls supported by a staff of about 110. The curriculum of the School has a special correlation with its time tested traditions and the routine activity of each day.

To a young mind, SADIQ provides rich examples of devotion and honour in the form of those Old-Sadiqians of this School whose patriotism and fortitude has become a part of national history. As of January 18th,2004 some 30 old-students of the School were sitting in the Senate, National and Provincial Assemblies.

This hefty congregation of legislators far exceeds the number furnished by any single institution in Pakistan today. In addition, SADIQ can boast of moulding for the main stream sitting Chairman of the Senate, Chief Minister of Sindh, Federal and Provincial ministers, two serving Lieutenant Generals, four serving ambassadors, well-placed bureaucrats, leading industrialists, prominent scientists and also two former national cricket team captains namely Rameez Raja and Waqar Younis. In 2003 one of its students won the first prize in the English Essay Writing Competition organized by the Royal Commonwealth Society, London. Another student got the best result in A Level examination in the whole of Asia. A number of old students have joined the Armed Forces of Pakistan. Old-Sadiqians made significant contribution during the lndo-Pakistan wars. Two former students embraced shahadat. 2/Lt. Khalid Karak was decorated posthumously with Sitara-i-Jurrat, and 2/Lt. Farooq Afzal with Tamgha-i-Jurrat. (Statistics as of January 2004)

Girls Section

As from May 2006 the Salahuddin House was converted in a hostel for girls.

Information Technology Center

Realizing that computer literacy is increasingly becoming a critical factor in success in the workplace,an I.T. Centre has been established adjacent to senior school academic block. School's Computer Department comprises a specialized team of very talented and supportive professors/ lecturers to provide excellence in training to the enrolled students. Currently it is also serving as a Exam Centre of Virtual University of Pakistan.

With plenty of labs available, equipped with high-end computer workstations, the facilities are second to none. The range of software covered in courses is impressive too, ranging from general productivity applications to more specialized tools for graphics and web design.

Administration

Administratively, the School is governed by a Board of Governors with the Governor of the Punjab as its President. District Co-ordination Officer, Bahawalpur and Principal of the school are also members of the board along with the General Officer Commanding 35 Division. Six to eight Old-Sadiqians also sit as members of the Board for a period of three years. The day-to-day administration is entrusted to the Principal, managed by the Executive Committee with the General Officer Commanding 35 Division as its Chairman.

"Board of Governors"

A Board of Governors with some prominent public figures oversee the various administrative, academic and financial activities of the School they are as

Ex-officio members:

*GOC 35 Div Bahawalpur
*Secretary Education Punjab
*DCO Bahawalpur
*Principal

Old – Sadiqians

*Mr. Rahim Yar Abbasi - "Class of 1959"
*Lt General Tariq Waseem Ghazi - "Class of 1966"
*Lt General Javed Hassan - "Class of 1967"
*Mrs. Shahnaz Hamid Paracha - "Class of 1967"
*Mr. Jahangir Khan Tareen - "Class of 1969"
*Dr. Syed Ghazi Gulab Jamal - "Class of 1970"
*Mr. Ch. Zaka Ashraf - "Class of 1970"
*Mr. Tariq Bashir Cheema - "Class of 1974"

Facilities

Education

*Boarding Houses
*Science Labs
*IT(Information Technology) centre
*Audio Visual Aids
*Libraries
*Dramatics Societies (English/Urdu)
*Debating Societies (English/Urdu)

Sports

*Swimming Pools
*Squash Courts
*Tennis Courts
*Badminton Courts
*Basket Ball Courts
*Volleyball Courts
*Gymnasium
*Horse Riding Club
*Cricket Club
*Hockey Club
*Football Club
*Athletics and Gymnastics Club
*Sports Fields
*Coaches and training accessories for all sports

General

*Guest Houses for Parents/Wards
*Mosque
*Hospital (with fully equipped ambulance service)
*Canteen "(General Store, Tailor Shops, Shoe Store, Barber Shop, Post Office, Ice-Cream/Drinks Parlor, Bakery, Fruit Shop)"
*Internal Telephone Exchange System (EPABX)
*Auditorium

Gallery

ee also

*Abbottabad Public School
*Chand Bagh School Muridke
*Aitchison College

References

* [http://www.sps.edu.pk/ Official Website]
* [http://www.oldsadiqians.com/ Alumni Portal]
* [http://www.dawn.com/2004/01/29/nat23.htm/ Article in Dawn]
* [http://www.sadiqian.com/ Web Site for Sadiqians]
* [http://www.pakpost.gov.pk/philately/stamps2004/sadiq_public_school.html Sadiq Public School Commemorative Postage Stamp]