Presentation Convent Girls High School
Encyclopedia
Presentation Convent High School Rawalpindi, is a missionary school located in Lalkurti
area of Rawalpindi
Cantonment, Pakistan
.
In 1895 Mother Ignatius McDermott, Sr. Xavier Lonergan and Sr. Evangelist Coatsworth arrived in Rawalpindi
from Madras. The first Mass was celebrated on 8 September 1895 and the school was opened on 1 October- with ‘three Sisters, three pupils’. The school was for Christian
children, the sons and daughters of army personnel, British
and Irish
. http://www.presentationsistersunion.org/whereweare/default.cfm?loadref=6 Since then, thousands have attended Presentation Convent, belonging to all religious denominations.
There are Presentation schools in Rawalpindi
, Murree
, Jhelum
, Sargodha
, (Khushab
District), Wah
, Peshawar
, Risalpur
, Mingora
(Swat) and Sindh
.
The Presentation Convent Schools of Pakistan had their origin and inspiration in the Ireland
of the 18th Century where the first Presentation Convent was founded by Nano Nagle
in 1775. Nagle attempted to redress the societal ills she perceived by opening schools to teach the children the rudiments of education, thereby becoming one of the pioneers of popular education in Ireland. To ensure the continuity of her work Nano founded the Congregation of Presentation Sisters.
On October 1, 1995, the school celebrated its centennial with Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
as chief guest. She unveiled a centenary plaque and planted an evergreen tree. The Pakistan Post Office honored the centenary with a stamp depicting the school.
A student of the school secured third position in a speech contest and children’s art competition organised at the National Art Gallery as part of the Japan-Pakistan Friendship Fest 2007 by the Japanese Embassy in Islamabad.
At a ceremony at the Pakistan National Council Auditorium in Islamabad, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani
on December 16, 2008 presented a check for Rs. 50,000 to Sr. Julie Watson, the Principal of the Presentation Convent to celebrate the Christmas season.
On November 2, 2009 the school was shaken when a bomb planted by terrorists exploded 100 metres from the school. The window panes of most of the buildings were broken.
Lalkurti
Lalkurti, literally meaning 'red shirt', is a locality in the heart of Rawalpindi cantonment in Pakistan. Places with the same name are also found in many other garrison cities of Pakistan and India, such as Peshawar, Kanpur, Ambala, Meerut and Delhi....
area of Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
Cantonment, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
In 1895 Mother Ignatius McDermott, Sr. Xavier Lonergan and Sr. Evangelist Coatsworth arrived in Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
from Madras. The first Mass was celebrated on 8 September 1895 and the school was opened on 1 October- with ‘three Sisters, three pupils’. The school was for Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
children, the sons and daughters of army personnel, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
. http://www.presentationsistersunion.org/whereweare/default.cfm?loadref=6 Since then, thousands have attended Presentation Convent, belonging to all religious denominations.
History
Today in Pakistan there are branches of this school catering for the educational needs of a total of around thirteen thousand children in Urdu and English-medium schools. These schools, which are managed by Pakistani and Irish sisters, are under the administration of the original Rawalpindi school.There are Presentation schools in Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
, Murree
Murree
Murree city is a popular hill station and a summer resort, especially for the residents of Rawalpindi/Islamabad, and for the cities of the province of Punjab, Pakistan...
, Jhelum
Jhelum
Jhelum or Jehlum may refer to:* Jhelum, a city in Pakistan on the banks of the Jhelum River* Jhelum District, an administrative division in Punjab, Pakistan surrounding the city of Jhelum...
, Sargodha
Sargodha
Sargodha is a city in the Sargodha District of Punjab province, Pakistan.Sargodha is located in the northwest of Pakistan. It is the eleventh largest city of Pakistan and also known as Pakistan's best citrus-producing area. It is an agricultural trade centre with various industries...
, (Khushab
Khushab
Khushab is a city of Khushab District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The city serves as the headquarters of Khushab Tehsil an administrative subdivision of the district....
District), Wah
Wah
Wah is a city in the Rawalpindi District in Punjab, Pakistan. It contains a garden which is said to have been built by the Mughal emperor Akbar in the 16th century. Wah Cantonment is nearby....
, Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, Risalpur
Risalpur
Risalpur is a city in Nowshera District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on the Nowshera-Mardan Road. It is nearly 45 km from Peshawar and 15 km from Mardan and is located at 34°4'52N 71°58'21E. In a basin some 1014 feet above sea level, it is bounded on the south and west by the Kabul and...
, Mingora
Mingora
Mingora is the largest city in Swat District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at an altitude of and lies on the banks of River Swat about from Saidu Sharif, the present capital of Swat. As of 1998, the population of Mingora was about 175,000...
(Swat) and Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
.
The Presentation Convent Schools of Pakistan had their origin and inspiration in the Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
of the 18th Century where the first Presentation Convent was founded by Nano Nagle
Nano Nagle
Honora "Nano" Nagle founded the "Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary" in Ireland . Of the many schools founded by the Presentation Sisters - a number are named after Nano Nagle.- Family background and historical context :The time of Nagle's birth was one of dark sorrow for...
in 1775. Nagle attempted to redress the societal ills she perceived by opening schools to teach the children the rudiments of education, thereby becoming one of the pioneers of popular education in Ireland. To ensure the continuity of her work Nano founded the Congregation of Presentation Sisters.
On October 1, 1995, the school celebrated its centennial with Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
as chief guest. She unveiled a centenary plaque and planted an evergreen tree. The Pakistan Post Office honored the centenary with a stamp depicting the school.
A student of the school secured third position in a speech contest and children’s art competition organised at the National Art Gallery as part of the Japan-Pakistan Friendship Fest 2007 by the Japanese Embassy in Islamabad.
At a ceremony at the Pakistan National Council Auditorium in Islamabad, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani
Yousaf Raza Gillani
Yousuf Raza Gilani is the current prime minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was nominated as Prime Minister by the PPP, with the support of its coalition partners, Pakistan Muslim League , Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Muttahida Qaumi Movement, on 22 March 2008...
on December 16, 2008 presented a check for Rs. 50,000 to Sr. Julie Watson, the Principal of the Presentation Convent to celebrate the Christmas season.
On November 2, 2009 the school was shaken when a bomb planted by terrorists exploded 100 metres from the school. The window panes of most of the buildings were broken.
Past administrators and teachers
- Sr.Julie Watson (Principal)
- Sr.Christine (ex-Principal)
- Sr.Emer (ex-Principal)
- Sr.Cabrine (ex-Principal)
- Sr. Baptist (ex-Principal)
- Sr. Christine (ex-Principal)