“Old boys protest after Aitchison College governors in Lahore say they will no longer support sons of the rich and powerful” (for admission). This was the headline of The Guardian, the world-renowned British daily newspaper, in its July 9, 2014 edition when the privilege of ‘kinship’ for admission was scrapped and a total merit policy was adopted for admission by the board of governors of Aitchison College.

Likewise, a recent tussle between the BoG, dominated by alumni of Aitchison College, and a senior bureaucrat elevated was picked up by national and international media. This issue compelled its principal, Michael Thompson, to resign, not due to conflict on any academic aspect but due to parents’ strife to retain the prestigious tag of this college for their children.

A recent article published in these pages (‘Daanish dilemma: beyond the fold’ by Dr Ayesha Razzaque) on April 18 acknowledged the commendable academic performance of Daanish schools. The article highlighted the impressive achievement of students at Daanish schools, with 90 per cent of SSC students and 70 per cent of HSSC students securing top grades of A and A. However, the article also raised concerns regarding the high cost associated with this educational model, suggesting that these resources could be better utilized to address the issue of 26 million out-of-school children in Pakistan. While concerns regarding out-of-school children are undoubtedly valid and require immediate attention, dismissing the Daanish school model solely based on its cost overlooks its immense potential for promoting social mobility and educational equity in Pakistan.

Discrimination in education has been a persistent issue throughout history, with powerful groups or privileged classes often restricting access to quality education for the majority. Unfortunately, not all public-sector institutions in Pakistan are of the same quality in terms of school area, building specifications, teaching-learning facilities, curricula, qualification of teaching faculty, and budget for co-curricular activities of students. On the other hand, high-quality private schools, while offering superior education with smaller class sizes and modern facilities, remain inaccessible to the majority of the population due to their exorbitant fees. This creates a stratified educational system that perpetuates social inequality.

In addition to historically elite schools like Aitchison College Lahore, Lawrence College Murree, and Sadiq Public School........

© The News International