Principal's Letter August, 19

Dear Parents,

It is with a deep sense of gratitude, honour and responsibility that I write to you today as Principal, Aitchison College. By way of introduction, I am an academic with nearly twenty-seven years of experience in teaching, research and administration. I am also an Aitchisonian, who spent eight unforgettable years in the boarding.  This great institution has molded and nurtured not just me but also five generations of my family since 1896. I have lived the Aitchison experience as a boarder, a parent and through the fascinating stories passed on generationally. This unique privilege gives me an instinctive and intimate familiarity with the traditions, ethos, and spirit of the College. Therefore, taking on this challenge is more of a homecoming and will be a labor of love.

The last seven years have been an era of growth and stability for Aitchison. I intend to consolidate and build upon the good work done by my predecessor, Michael Thomson, and make Aitchison not just the best school in Pakistan but also at par with the highest international standards. Aitchison to my mind should be a modern and progressive school that is globally recognized for educational excellence and innovation while remaining firmly anchored in its rich history and tradition. The following are some thoughts that I would like to share with you about my plans for Aitchison College. Over the course of the next few months these ideas would be refined and shall take the shape of a strategic plan to be implemented with the help and support of the management of the College. These ideas, I believe, are in consonance with the vision of Aitchison that has always centered around the development of a student’s character and focused on building wholesome and well-rounded personalities.

As an academic, I understand the profound importance a teacher plays in shaping and impacting the lives, personality and character of students. There is no doubt in my mind that the strength and quality of an educational institution is completely dependent on the quality of its faculty. I believe that Aitchison College should have exceptional, innovative, and inspirational teachers who are also empathetic individuals that possess a sound moral compass. I am confident that by prioritizing resources towards faculty recruitment and development, the quality of teaching and learning at Aitchison can be improved substantively.

To prepare students for the challenges of university education and life beyond that, the school curriculum needs to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Moreover, to inculcate a much-needed sense of social empathy and responsible citizenship, education must be broad based, community centered and experiential. Along with STEM subjects, emphasis on languages, arts and humanities, is essential as it cultivates reason, tolerance, humanism and cultural sophistication. There is also a need to transition from traditional examination-based assessment to more varied and innovative methods of evaluation such as research projects, group activities, community service, role play and presentations etc. While some of these initiatives are relatively easy to introduce, others would take some time to implement. I will be working closely with the school heads and teachers to design and gradually implement a more holistic curriculum.

Aitchison College is unique in terms of the extent and quality of sporting and co-curricular facilities it offers. The college has re-invigorated sports in recent years supported by a state-of-the-art infrastructure. This effort would be continued with greater vigor and further strengthened by including sports as part of the curriculum.

Every student will be required to play a sport of his choice and meet minimum athletic standards according to age. Other co-curricular activities such as debates, drama, crafts and hobby clubs, arts and music are all integral components of a broad-based curriculum. Important character traits of discipline, fair play, teamwork, perseverance, confidence, creativity, appreciation of the arts and eloquent articulation of thoughts and ideas are learnt not necessarily in the classroom but in the playing fields, on debating rostrums and theatre stages.

In the last couple of years boarding house facilities and life have improved dramatically leading to an increased number of boarders. As a former boarder I know through personal experience how important nurturing pastoral care is for the mental and physical wellbeing of boys particularly in junior and prep school. Careful selection of resident housemaster/mistress and the introduction of a tutor/advisor for each student is essential for the boarding house to become a home for the boys, offering comprehensive support for their academic and personal development. I would be taking a special interest in the life at boarding school by closely interacting with the boys and their house masters/mistresses over meals and through frequent visits.

Aitchison College is a national institution and should have students from all provinces and different segments of society. A structured academic and sports scholarship and financial aid program for deserving students will be introduced across all schools to increase diversity on campus. I am certain that our extensive and prosperous alumni network would contribute generously to this program.

Finally, Aitchison needs to internationalize - a strategy to attract students from the neighborhood and beyond would be put in place. Student and faculty exchange programs with similar private and public schools in the UK and other English-speaking countries would be a step in that direction.

The above were some thoughts and ideas about Aitchison that would become part of a strategic plan, institutionalized through an appropriate policy and organizational structure. All this would be in the offing in the days to come. I shall keep you updated on the developments and changes that I am certain will enrich the Aitchison experience of your son.

During the year, I shall be meeting you at different events and occasions and shall value your candid feedback and suggestions. A recent addition to the parent’s portal is a comments box – you are welcome to share your thoughts anonymously about any matter related to your son at Aitchison. For me this is the beginning of an exciting new journey, and I am looking forward to welcoming the boys on campus very soon.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. S.M. Turab Hussain
Principal