Regional Newsletter North

Regional Newsletter North Beaconhouse School System 2018-19

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Exceutive Director’s Message Additional Regional Director’s Message

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High Achievers Ceremony Beaconhouse Learner Profile

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New Initiatives Beaconhouse International Student Convention (BISC) 2018

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GM-A Level Message Activites & Events in Northern Region

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Beaconhouse International Summer Progarmme Schools Group Heads North

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Professional Development Programme Beaconhouse Access Centre

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Northern Region Trailblazers Campus in Focus

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CSR at Beaconhouse

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ED’S MESSAGE

Dear Parents, I would like to welcome you to another exciting year at the Beaconhouse Northern Region. 2017/18 was an exciting academic session for us, with many new campuses opening and several core initiatives being launched.

Going forward, one of our key objectives in the region is going to be infrastructure improvement and development. From moving a larger number of students into custom-built campuses, to installing AC’s in classroom, to replacing old furniture with state-of-the- art ergonomically designed furniture, the next few years are going to be all about enhancing the physical learning environment of our students.

You will have already noticed that a number of large custom-built campuses have been constructed in the last few years, with many classrooms being upgraded with AC’S and new furniture. This will happen at a much more accelerated pace in the future, with a vast majority of our students having access to these advanced facilities.

There will be a continued focus on holistic development, with even deeper linkages being created between our curriculum and the Beaconhouse

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Learners Profile. One of our most recent initiatives is focused primarily on giving our senior most students broad exposure in non-academic areas. Called ACE (Active Creative Engagement), this program encourages them to participate in a large number of community service and extracurricular activities.

We hope that our parents will be our partners in this journey, and will encourage their children to be active in all the diverse opportunities that are created for them at school.

Lastly, I would like to introduce our new Additional Regional Director Mr. Wasif Mustafa. Mr. Mustafa, has extensive governance and leadership experience in a number of industries, and will be helping to guide the region through some of these very exciting changes.

As always, I am very excited about the coming session, and look forward to an exciting year ahead.

Regards,

Nassir Kasuri

ARD’S MESSAGE

Dear All, The new academic session is underway and we are looking forward to yet another eventful year ahead.

I would like to take this opportunity to bring you up to speed with the latest developments in the region.

Beaconhouse has kept up its proud tradition of producing excellent results in the annual examinations. In the 2016-17 CAIE (Cambridge Examinations), our students obtained 61 national and international distinctions as well as 17,294 A*s and As in O and A levels. Congratulations to our students, teachers and parents for their hard work, dedication and commitment. Beaconhouse is proud of its family!

Our Matriculation results continued with our tradition of excellence with our students of the F-11 Girls, Branch, Potohar Branch and Gujrat Branch obtaining highest scores of 98, 96 and 95 percent respectively.

Our IB results were no less impressive, with our students scoring an average of 32.86 against a world average of 29.78. With a scholarship amount of USD 974,300 our students made us proud by gaining

61 national and international distinctions acceptances into universities worldwide. For IB, our student to acceptance ratio is 1:5, which is the highest in the region.

This tremendous result paved the way for our students to get into some of the top universities in the world, often with full or partial scholarships. The Access

11,900 university and college placements worth 13.4 billion rupees

Centre, our very own career advisory and college placement program, has had another fantastic year and has helped our students secure over 11,900 university and college placements worth 13.4 billion rupees (over the last 4 years). This year some of the more notable placements were in universities like the University of Cambridge, Dartmouth University, Duke University and the University Pennsylvania. What is more impressive is that most of these prestigious universities gave considerable scholarships to Beaconhouse Students.

17,294 A*s and As in O and A levels In addition to these academic achievements, the previous year saw us breaking ground for many purpose-built, state-of- the-art campuses across the region, cementing our commitment to providing unmatched facilities and a congenial learning environment to our students. The Beaconhouse Potohar campus, located on G.T Road Rawalpindi, is one of our largest campuses in Pakistan and has unmatched sporting and educational facilities. This year new branches have also been opened in Mansehra, Chakwal and G-11 Islamabad. The coming year would see us opening new purpose-built campuses in Wah and Attock with modern, state-of-the-art facilities.

In line with our commitment to enhancing the school environment for our students, we plan on uplifting many existing branches in the region very soon. This would include the installation of air-conditioners at all levels as well as other upgrades in our facilities to make the overall educational experience more rewarding.

Khawaja Wasif Mustafa Additional Regional Director-North

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BEACONHOUSE SCHOOL SYSTEM – NORTH

High Achievers Ceremony

Beaconhouse School System-North annually holds its High Achievers Ceremony to applaud and honour the hard work put in by its students for their conspicuous achievements in Cambridge International, Matriculation and International Baccalaureate Examinations.

This year the elaborate ceremony was held at the Jinnah Convention Centre, Islamabad on 16th April 2018 to delightfully honour a total of 800 high achievers.

The achievements to celebrate entailed 61 distinctions nationwide, with the Northern region attaining 1 Top in the World, 2 National distinctions and 16 National Distinctions North, 4 Best Across Four Cambridge International As, 1 Best Across Five Cambridge International As and 3 Best Across Three Cambridge International As. High achievers comprised 17,254 A graders in O & A Levels nationwide.

Furthermore, Beaconhouse Access Centre has successfully attained 11,900 cumulative placements in National and International Universities including Oxford University accompanied with PRs 13.4 billion in Scholarships for their students over the past four years.

The event was graced with the presence of the Guest of Honour, Mr. Nassir Kasuri, Executive Director North, Beaconhouse School System along with Ms. Amina Wattoo Kasuri, Project Director of Concordia Colleges North.

Other distinguished guests were Ms. Uzma Yousaf - Country Director Cambridge Assessment International Education, Mr. James Hampson - Deputy Director British Council Pakistan, Mr. Abdul Rehman Habib Zai Afghanistan Embassy Cultural Attaché, Mr. Hassan Khattak - Director Examination British Council, He Jonovo Sher Ali - Ambassador of Tajikistan, Mr. Ramazan Achakzai - former secretary IBCC, Mr. Imtiaz Razvi – Director Exam Operations British Council, Mr. Irfan Mangi- DG NAB and Ms. Saman Imtiaz – Head of Study, British Council.

The Guest of Honour, Mr. Nassir Kasuri delivered the Keynote Address. He congratulated the students on their eminent achievements and lauded the students who worked remarkably hard all year and achieved these fantastic results. He also congratulated the proud parents and teachers who spared no effort to probe the hidden talent in the students entrusted to them.

Medals, shields and certificates were received by the high achievers from Guests of Honour.

Students performed a variety of vibrant acts to entertain the attendees.

The event was indeed a cherishable acknowledgement of the students’ commendable achievements.

The students of Beaconhouse continue their legacy of making Pakistan proud!

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Beaconhouse Learner Profile

The Beaconhouse Learner Profile translates our mission of benefitting students, the community and the wider world into a set of attributes essential for holistic development.

The learner profile embodies values and beliefs that are essential for students to learn and grow into responsible citizens of the world. These values are consistent throughout Beconhouse’s Early Years, Primary, Middle and Secondary schools. The learner profile helps to create a community of learners who are empowered, inspired and aware. With these attributes, students are empowered to actively engage with the complex world beyond schooling – a world to which they can contribute with compassion and a sense of responsibility.

Beaconhouse learners aim to be:

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Inquisitive:

Analytical:

Our students are curious about their surroundings.

Through our local and international curricula facilitated by teachers, our students generate knowledge leading to an enhanced understanding of the world in which they live.

Through local and international curricula, our teachers facilitate and support students to create logical connections between ideas. Together teachers and students strive to identify, evaluate and solve problems systematically through reflections on their own critical thinking processes.

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Health and Hygiene-Conscious Our schools promote and support student awareness to ensure that all Beaconhouse students are able to make conscious decisions on healthy living.

They are actively involved in physical activities both inside and outside the school, leading to heightened development of their mind, spirit and body.

Empathetic: All Beaconhouse schools promote and support good work and community service so our students can empathise with others, ensuring the development of a more just, caring and compassionate world.

Creative & Innovative: Our students aspire to generate original thoughts and ideas which add value to their lives in the 21st century. Through our local and international curricula, and with the direct support of school heads and teachers,Beaconhouse students draw on inspirational examples from human history to be creative, imaginative and innovative in their pursuit of knowledge and understanding.

Ethical: Our school heads promote student accountability and an informed responsibility for an individual’s actions. Through the curriculum, our students and teachers develop a spirit of honesty, integrity, equality and fairness.

Digitally Literate:

Resolute: Our school heads and teachers support all Beaconhouse students to become dedicated, dependable, resilient and unwavering in their quest to acquire knowledge and understanding.

Heads of school and teachers promote the ethical use of social media and digital technology to enhance teaching and learning.

Beaconhouse teachers and students are expected to create, share and disseminate knowledge and information electronically and to collaborate with others locally and internationally through an informed responsible use of digital technologies.

Globally Competent: Through our local and international curricula, school heads and teachers support and facilitate our students to critically analyse and question global issues through three principles: Equity: To learn that the increased imbalance of income, the unavailability of quality education for the poor, and the digital economy are fundamentally altering the nature of employment and the right to earn a livelihood.

Global & Social Cohesion: Mass migration from countries stuck in war and poverty create problems on a global scale. Through our local and international curricula teachers and students discuss the integration of diverse groups of people and ways to avoid the growth of extremist ideologies.

Sustainability: Our local and international curricula prioritise the investigation of sustainable goals which meet the needs of the present without conceding on the lives of future generations in the face of environmental degradation, climate change, overconsumption and population growth.

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Northern Region TrailBlazers An honour for Beaconhouse School System Mrs. Fouzia Rizwan, Senior Manager Training North has been chosen the member of Cambridge first International Education Advisory Board as the representative for Pakistan.

The International Education Advisory Board is part of Cambridge International drive to work even more closely with the school community all over Pakistan to further improve its services.

We extend our heartiest congratulations to her for this achievement!

Winners of Inter - Regional Online Documentary Competition Students of BMI-A Media Society participated in the Inter- regional online documentary competition, held in January 2018. They got 1st position across all BSS schools in Pakistan. We extend our heartiest congratulations to them for this achievement!

F-11 Girls Wins Intra - Region Documentary Competition BSS F-11 Girls Branch won first position in the Intra-Region Documentary Competition for class VIII. Our winners showcased their creativity in a video that highlighted the features of a ‘Responsible Media’ and its profound influence on our young generation. The video has multiple segments including suggestions for how to help youth have greater awareness and control over social media consumption. They emphasized that Media, as part of its role, has an obligation to portray the content truthfully. The role of the media and its impact on society and individuals is huge thus, media representatives must, by all means, accept the responsibility for everything they present to the public.

Here’s the list of our proud Winners: • Mashal Omer • Zoha Mehmood • Sobh Sheikh • Rida Kamal

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Robotics: Digital Learning Innovators Competition BCLR takes pride in announcing that our students Naveera Hashmi, Iman Zafar, Talal Kiyani, Ahmed Hanif, Haitham Tahir and Abdul Wahab of Grade 5 secured 1st position in the Digital Learning Innovators Competition (Northern Region) under the supervision of Mrs. Mehvish Waseem and Mrs. Sahrish Hina.

BCLR aspires to motivate its young scientists to

explore multiple dimensions of Robotics through different ET integrated lessons and competitions.

Intra- Regional Sports Competitions BMI-A has the history of producing the best athletes in the entire northern region. The legacy continues in this session too. BMI-A Sports Society won laurels for the School by Winning Intra Region Competition in Cricket, Football, Basket Ball (Boys & Girls) and Table Tennis (Boys).

Winners of LUMS Sports Festival LUMS Sports Fest is yet another exciting prospect for the Sports Society of BMI-A. It was held in the ďŹ rst week of January. This sports ďŹ esta is considered as an immense challenge for students all across the country. This time round it was Badminton and Volleyball where our students excelled and won laurels for their school.

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Campus in Focus Islamabad’s Premier Day-Boarding and Boarding School Beaconhouse-Newlands Islamabad at a Glance

An authorised IB World School for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and candidate school for the Primary Years Programme (PYP).

From Early Years to IGCSE and IBDP at one location.

A 35- kanal purpose-built campus designed to meet the needs of the 21st century.

Blended learning environment, combining quality teaching practices such as Project Based Learning with contemporary technology – netbooks, tablets, interactive white boards, Internet access, digital microscopes and Data loggers.

Purpose-built sports complex on campus: An outdoor swimming pool A rooftop volley ball court

A half Olympic-sized indoor pool 2 football fields

2 squash courts 2 rooftop basketball courts Gym and table tennis facilities

A day-boarding campus with an extended curriculum including a variety of clubs and sports, reinforcement classes, Nazra and Foreign Languages lessons.

Two well-resourced libraries with access to e-libraries and 4 well-equipped spacious laboratories.

Qualified Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO).

80 CCTV cameras and state-of-the-art security.

Nutritionally-balanced daily lunch.

School transportation provided for students from the twin cities.

Boarding facilities providing a conducive, educative and informative living environment.

Beaconhouse-Newlands : Hill View Road, Banigala, Islamabad. Tel: 051-2613935-8, 0300-8434028 bni.beaconhouse.net | facebook.com/bssnewlandsisb Beaconhouse-Newlands: Kuala Lumpur

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Lahore

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Islamabad

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Multan

BEACONHOUSE pOTOHAR cAMPUS Early Years to A Level 40+ kanal purpose-built campus with technology-integrated classrooms Variety of sports facilities including swimming pool, basketball court, football ground & multiple sports areas State-of -the-art dedicated play area for EY students, Independent Libraries for Early Years, Middle, and Senior School Situated on GT Road directly in front of Bahria Town Gate Phase 1-4, one of the most central areas in the city Separate dedicated buildings for Early Years, Primary School, Middle/Secondary Boys, Middle/Secondary Girls, and A levels A Level building equipped with focused A Level facilities including customised labs and Boys and Girls common areas State-of- the-art construction and design meant to inspire the imagination of our young learners

Opposite Bahria Town Gate (Phase 1-6), Main GT Road. Tel: 051-4917182-4

BEACONHOUSE WAH cAMPUS Early Years to Matric & A Level 10 Kanal state-of- th-art custom built campusTechnology integration in early years' classrooms for enhanced learning experience Focus on experiential learning in well-equipped science & IT labs Dedicated playground to promote sporting activities Custom-built play area for young learners Well-stocked library and Music & Art rooms to cater for students with diverse interests

Commencement of classes from August 2019

B-20, Officer Colony, The Mall Road, Wah cantt. Tel: 051-4540980, 4512041

BEACONHOUSE ATTOCK cAMPUS Pre-Nursery to O Level

Commencement of classes from August 2019

8 Kanal state- of- the- art custom built campus Technology integration in early years' classrooms for enhanced learning experience Focus on experiential learning in well-equipped science & IT labs Dedicated playground to promote sporting activities Custom-built play area for young learners Well-stocked library and Music & Art rooms to cater for students with diverse interests

House No. 2, Dar-ul-Islam Colony, Kamra Road. Tel: 057-2541254

BEACONHOUSE METROPOLITON cAMPUS Class 6 to Matric & A level 12 Kanal unique custom built campus in the very heart of Islamabad, providing a unique experience in the heavily dense urban area Purpose-built campus with technology-integrated & air-conditioned classrooms Club & Societies for students’ holistic development

Sector No. 100, Sector E-11/3. Tel: 051-2361131-2

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Professional Development Programme Empowered people aren’t concerned about competing with other, they are busy empowering others.

Rhona Hentricks The vision of BNR training Team is to make our schools self-sustaining entities in terms of teachers’ professional development having strong school based professional development progarmmes in place where teachers get continuous support from within the school for enhancement of students’ learning outcomes. Therefore the entire endeavours of the training Team are focusing towards empowering the Senior & Middle Management teams in schools.

We strongly believe that till the time our leaders are not fully equipped they cannot be effective in improving quality of teaching & learning.

All these courses provide an integrated teaching, learning and assessment programme that facilitate the acquisition and development of pedagogical and professional skills of our teachers. Well-crafted and delivered continuing professional development is important because it delivers benefits to teachers and the learners. CPD ensures their capabilities keep pace with the current standards of others in the same field.

Happy PD!!!

Since the beginning of this session we have conducted TRaIN (Teachers Reachout and Induction Course) for a group of 28 HMs & SMs. This course is especially designed for Early Years novice teachers which will be cascaded to them by their respective school leaders.

Similarly we delivered DEP (Developing Early Years’ Professionals) to a group of 21 Early Years School Heads. The purpose of these courses is to strengthen our Early Years classroom practitioners as they are the ones who lay the foundation.

Mentoring is important, not only because of the knowledge and skills it imparts to its mentees but also because mentoring provides professional socialization and personal support to facilitate success in promoting and enhancing student achievements. Quality mentoring greatly enhances chances for success.Very recently we completed 4th Cohort of ‘Mentoring in Action’ and altogether 110 HMs/SMs/SCs have successfully completed it which is a major step towards empowerment.

The other PD courses either in progress or to be commenced shortly are: • Cambridge Diploma Courses in Educational\ Leadership; Teaching & Learning and Digital Technologies • Leadership 101 • Teachers’ Reflection & Innovation (TRI) • SAMR & TPACK

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Beaconhouse Access Centre is the established department of the Beaconhouse

We are proud to announce another record-breaking year with over 2800 international university acceptances and scholarships worth Rs. 6.8 billion

13.4

billion rupees in International University Scholarships*

Rs.1.5billion

Rs.1.9billion

Beaconhouse 18 16 Regional NewsletterRegional North Newsletter North Beaconhouse

11905 Worldwide University Acceptances*

2303 Rs.3.2billion

2810 Rs.6.8billion

* For the last 4 years including 2017

Beaconhouse students. At the Beaconhouse Access Centre, Career Advisors help students by understanding their mindset, recognizing their potential and helping them channel these in order to make informed decisions about their future, getting the best placements at renowned colleges and universities all across the globe.

ACCEPTANCES IN FOCUS MUSA SALEEM – Dartmouth College (100% Scholarship) Beaconhouse School System and the Access Centre provided me a stable support system to rely upon throughout the often very stressful and hectic admissions process. As someone asking for pretty huge amounts of financial aid, I’d put up some very lofty aims for myself to achieve, by the end of the year. My career counsellor was there every step of the way - from helping me decide on my college list, to enabling me to discriminate problems in my essays, to guiding me through the taxing financial aid process (which, to last year me, felt like a brick wall I wouldn’t be able to climb over). Having been accepted at Dartmouth College, I'm confident now that I’ll be able to pursue my love of anthropology, literature, and social work into college and beyond.

MAHNOOR IMRAN – University of Pennsylvania (100% Scholarship) Having been a student of this fine institution for over 15 years, I can sincerely say that I would not have been able to accomplish all that I have without the constant support of faculty and administration of my school. Beaconhouse has been instrumental in guiding me over the course of my educational career. I do not think I could have found such a strong sense of principle and discipline anywhere else. Having just received an acceptance from the University of Pennsylvania, I can say with confidence that the hard work of my teachers and my career counsellor has truly paid off. In the future, I hope to proudly call myself an alumni of Beaconhouse and mentor those that follow after me.

ALISHA KHURRAM – London School of Economics and Political Science At the time of application, studying at LSE had seemed beyond the realm of possibility.

However, it was the Access Center that convinced me to give it my best and apply. The thorough efforts of my career advisor to be meticulous about each and every thing and the strong alumni network that Beaconhouse offers helped me secure a place in my dream university. Studying at LSE will expose me to the academic challenges and practical focus that I need in a competitive environment, giving life to my passion and lifelong goals.

MOAMINA BILAL – University of Cambridge (100% Scholarship) I, Moamina Bilal, recently completed my A Levels from Beaconhouse FC A Levels Peshawar.

I received university acceptances from LUMS in Pakistan, and from the University of Warwick, Kings College London, University College London, and the University of Cambridge in the UK. Beaconhouse and the Access Centre in particular were extremely helpful throughout the entire application process. From recommending university choices, to providing guidance regarding personal statements, deadlines, and scholarships, their support proved invaluable, and I will always treasure the wonderful years I spent in this institution.

MANAL ASIF – University of Hong Kong (HK $824,000) Beaconhouse provided me with a very unique platform. Not only did it give me the opportunity to excel at academics but to also grow and flourish as a person. It opened those doors for me that I could not even imagine existed. Beaconhouse, along with Access Centre, helped me on the path to achieve my dreams. The highly qualified and helpful career advisors made the process all the more easier and were there to help and guide me through every step. The scholarships and acceptances I have received would not have been possible without Beaconhouse and I am very grateful to be a part of this system.

AYESHA WASEEM – Brunel University (£53,000) Based on the Ayesha’s excellent academic profile, she got Brunel-Beaconhouse academic excellence scholarship 2018-19. The total worth of the scholarship is £53,000. This scholarship consists of a full tuition fee waiver for all 3 years. Brunel University London is ranked world top 25 university for international students (THE 2017) and 2nd in London for engineering.

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Ammar Jadoon New Jersey Institute of Technology (U$ 108,000)

Muhammad Wasiq Wasim Valparaiso University (U$ 120,000)

Syed Ammad Sohail Valparaiso University (U$ 120,000)

Muhammad Saad Irfan NYU Shanghai (U$ 100,000)

Mohammad Shoaib University of Hong Kong (130% Scholarship)

Ali Tanweer Ohio Wesleyan University (U$ 201,696)

Access Centre North Internship Programme Pakistan’s largest Internship Programme The Access Centre North Internship Programme (ACNIP) is a special project of the Beaconhouse Access Centre North (BACN) designed to offer exclusive internship opportunities to A-Level and O-Level students.

Students intern at prominent educational institutes, commercial organizations, NGOs, hospitals and research institutes. This gives students a chance to not only explore new interests and dimensions of their personalities but also to gain valuable experience in the professional environment.

Our students intern at over 40 unique organisations

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Notable Internships Northwest General Hospital A-Level students had a three week-long Internship program at the leading private hospital of Peshawar, NORTH WEST GENERAL HOSPITAL. From learning from the department heads of different wards, our students gained insight regarding the surgical procedures to patient care. Our students got to learn suturing techniques on a banana, the difference between the multiple kind of injections and the angles at which they should be injected. They were taught how to check points of pulse in 11 different places and different focus points of temperature reading.

Chemotherapy treatments and techniques were shown to students. They were also able to take care of patients with heart diseases as well as disposing off medical waste. The students also got to spend time in the nursery and learnt about premature birth care.

ETT, ECG and Echo machines were operated by the students under medical supervision. The students got

to learn all the aspects of health care.

Teach for Pakistan Teach For Pakistan (TFP), an independent partner of the renowned global organisation: Teach For All offers a very selective internship programme. This summer, 2 students were selected from Beaconhouse for this programme. Besides providing logistical help, the interns worked on actual projects and were expected to find material relevant to the curriculum being taught at the placement schools, and add them to the resources already collected. Furthermore, they had to work on improving the program by arranging book drives, help the staff plan similar activities for the placement schools and organise art and craft activities. Interns were empowered to come up with different educational and fun activities to engage the children outside of the classrooms.

Beaconhouse International Summer Programmes Yale Young Global Scholars Programme - Zoha Syed Zoha Syed attended Yale University’s coveted Yale Young Global Scholars Programme. She participated in the International Affairs and Security session, which focused on conflict resolution, confidence building and the creation of a better global atmosphere. She learnt interesting topics from within the IR spectrum, things like War theory, the Prisoner's dilemma and how the human perception of war has changed over history.

This was of course made possible by the fact that she received 100% financial aid for the programme!

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Beijing International Education Exchange The Beijing International Education Exchange held its 8th consecutive summer camp this year at the Beijing Royal School in Beijing, which three students from BMI had the privilege to attend. The programme was held to initiate cultural exchange and lend exposure to China, as more than 30 countries sent in their delegations which totaled to nearly 900 students attending. The social and cultural exchanges of the students from all over the world were observed throughout the 10 days of the camp. The Pakistani delegation engaged in traditional Chinese activities including calligraphy, fan making, martial arts and studied Chinese culture and history. The students visited historical landmarks such as The Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. The students interacted with locals on their trips and gained insight into the day to day life of Beijing. They learned about the daily use of the technological inventions such as the bike riding system and Wechat pay, in modern China. All of the students left China with an immense increase in knowledge and memories to last a lifetime.

Oxford Summer Programme This year, students visited the University of Oxford for a 2-week summer programme. The students experienced life as an Oxford student while living in student hostels for the duration of the programme. The programme involved regular interaction with current students and graduates of Oxford and Cambridge, admission workshops, well-planned lessons in Engineering, Business and Law, as well as writing essays to develop their writing skills and class presentations to build their confidence and improve their communications skills. The programme even included a tour of London and its major attractions.

LUMS Summer School

USEFP’s Career Pathways Tour

Students from Beaconhouse were once again part of the USEFP’s Career Pathways Tour. This year, the students visited several universities and colleges in the Mid-west and East Coast region of the United States.

The tour also included interesting short-courses at these institutions such as Natural Sciences and Liberal Arts, Entrepreneurship, STEM, Visual Arts, Economics and Medicine.

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LUMS hosted a magical three week summer experience to explore, learn and enjoy with a wide range of activities like Zumba/Yoga, Culinary Art, and Pottery etc, as well as academic core courses including Mathematics, English Language and Youth Leadership. It was an experience to learn new interesting skills and to polish analytical and logical thinking. The program provided a platform to learn the essentials for transitioning from school life to university life.

School Group heads- north Dear BSS family, The academic session 2017-18 has raced passed. During the session our students have matured with new attitude, skills and ideas.

It is a matter of great pride for all of us at Beaconhouse that our students have shown outstanding results of O, AL and Matric exams. Many of our students have not only got admission in well-known international and national universities but have also qualified for noticeable amount of scholarships.

Our teachers have been trained throughout the year to improve the teaching and learning process in our classrooms.

Their professional development is at par with international standards. We have structured programmes for teacher training which are developed after carrying out a detailed need analysis at each school. Teachers are supported by our academic team at School Group Office.

At BSS, we not only give importance to good grades but also understand the importance of overall development of our students. As always we have encouraged our students to participate in co-curricular activities to develop their self-confidence and to broaden their vision. Our students have been participating and winning in national and international competitions. Our curriculum design caters to the development of a broad range of skills for developing holistic personalities of our students. MUNs and Olympiad have remained a main feature of our senior schools. Through these kind of co-curricular activities we aim at enhancing the social interaction, leadership, self-confidence, patriotism, tolerance and healthy recreation. Our students have been a part of international excursion trips also.

Last year we inaugurated our purpose built campus in Abbottabad and Noushera. These campuses are equipped with the facilities which are required for conducive learning. In this session we are looking forward to the completion of our purpose built campus in Attock. I wish all the best to our new campus in Mansehra inaugurated recently with an aim of providing access to quality education in far flung areas.

Let us welcome the new academic session with high expectations and hopes. I would like to conclude by soliciting your continued support. Looking forward to meet and interact with you during the new academic session.

Please keep visiting your school face book page for latest information.

Warm regards, Safia Cassim School Group Head - I

Every year brings with it new challenges, struggles and growing opportunities, but, most importantly it brings the joys of success and so many reasons to celebrate! Schools are hubs of energy! The power houses where the future of the world is nurtured!

The new academic year begins with all the energy, focus and excitement! Starting with the analysis of past years’ achievements through a research oriented approach for a better way forward for each child and a commitment to serve our students to our best, we look forward to a very exciting year ahead!

Living in the technology era, we have challenges to meet and advantages as never before! With the information availability on a click of a button, importance of developing tolerance, acceptability and skills of co-existence has become much larger! These are the areas where specially, the school and the parents must work together for the child to develop as a responsible global citizen. We look forward to working closely with our parents to help our children stand up to their challenges!

Beaconhouse is the largest teacher training system in the country and this is a great advantage for our teachers as well as learners! The teachers are trained in line with the students growing needs, creating opportunities for each student in the class! Our staff development program is comprehensive and it empowers BSS to have the edge in balancing the child’s learning experiences in the field of Academics, Sports, Co-curricular- activities and Emotional and Social well-being!

Looking forward to a very exciting year!

Best Regards, Ms Ayesha Sohail School Group Head - II

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GM -A L EVEL MESSAGE Welcome to the Regional Newsletter of Beaconhouse Northern Region. I anticipate that you will find this write-up thought-provoking and enlightening. It intends to give you a glimpse of what Beaconhouse School System offers and what we stand for.

Our underlying goal is for each one of our students to be well educated, emotionally strong, respectful, and empathetic individuals who can make a compelling commitment to life in this century. Every student is encouraged to work hard in the quest for self-improvement. Excellent teaching conducted in a protected and safe environment give our student’s the space in which to evolve.

This year, the Beaconhouse A Level programme has been rebranded the College Programme, to indicate a renewed focus on the holistic development of the student. While continuing to focus on the importance of academic achievement and hard work, the program has a greater focus on helping students acquire values and skills that will be essential to success in the 21st century. In keeping with our learners profile, we would like our students to be empathetic, inquisitive, creative, and innovative.

To ensure that students have the opportunity to develop these skills and values, the Beaconhouse College Programme has introduced a huge bank of opportunities that allow students to explore their talents and sharpen themselves. Such opportunities include the Teacher Assistance Programme, our Internship Programme, and ACE Core.

ACE Core (Active Creative Engagement), one of our most exciting new programmes, gives students the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills and acquire crucial values by exposing them to unique extracurricular activities. Initiated by the Beaconhouse Access Centre, this program contains modules in community service, sports, clubs, societies, and a guest speaker series. To receive ACE Core certification, students are required to participate for a specified number of hours in each activity.

Our unique Teaching Assistant Programme has students mentoring their peers in properly structured study sessions. It helps mentors revise and strengthen their own concepts, and also aids in the development leadership and presentation skills. Mentees receive time critical support in topics where they may be weak. We have found that this program is tremendously beneficial for both mentors and mentees, with grades improving quite considerably for both.

Beaconhouse believes strongly in exposure beyond the classroom which is why we offer summer programmes in various settings and countries. This helps our students mingle and interact with people from diverse backgrounds and build confidence. Our students have also been attending international MUN’s, testing their debating mettle in some of the most challenging settings in the world.

One of the other critical components of the College Programme are internships. Beaconhouse students from across Pakistan participate in summer internships in a diverse range of companies, from hospitals to law firms.

The idea is to give students critical exposure to professions they may want to pursue in their further studies, and also teach them basic work related skills.

The academic excellence of our students, as well as the strength of their overall profile, has meant that they are accepted into some of the world’s best universities with scholarships. Ultimately, the College Programme is supposed to be a gateway to a student’s future. We truly believe that the diversity of this programme has helped students get into universities that will let them ultimately achieve their life’s aspirations.

If you would like to see the College in real action, don't hesitate to contact us – we will be pleased to offer you a warm welcome.

Ayesha Ansar GM-A Level Beaconhouse Northern Region

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Activities & Events IN NORTERN REGION Voice of Islamabad On the eve of 26th January, BMI-A held it's very own Voice of Islamabad. Showcasing talent from all over Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the event was a huge hit amongst the audience. Students from schools like ICAS, CCI, Fizaya, Frobeles, BMI-G, BMI-B and many other branches of Beaconhouse also took part in the competition.

The students put up an outstanding event with their resonant voices, melodious instruments and amazing stage presence. All the participants were extremely talented and enchanted the judges with their beautiful and captivating voices. It was a tough call for the judges as all the performances were brilliant but alas, as there can be only one winner, Dia from ICAS was awarded first position followed by Amna Riaz and Zar Ahmad of BMI-A bagging second and 3rd place.

The event was very well arranged and there was an exciting aura of energy from the participants which contributed equally in making the event a mega hit.

Food stalls were also set up to attract the audience.

The purpose of the event was to stimulate student interest and involvement in all types of music and to find that one person who has the vocal ability to be called THE VOICE OF ISLAMABAD. It boasted the confidence of the young and aspiring singers and provided them a platform to express their vocal capabilities.

Cambridge International Professional Development Award Ceremony April 10, 2018 was a memorable day for Beaconhouse Northern Region as it was the Award Ceremony for the first cohort of three Cambridge International Professional Development Diploma Qualifications.

Amongst all the award winners, present on the occasion were, the Honourable Chief Guest, Ms. Uzma Yousuf Zaka Country Director Cambridge International, Mr. Nassir Kasuri, the Executive Director Beaconhouse North, Mr. Wasif Mustafa, the Additional Regional Director Beaconhouse North and mentors, school heads and Programme Leaders (the Tutors) of the awardees.

We take pride in sharing that Beaconhouse is the Pioneer in the country to offer Cambridge International Professional Development Diploma Qualifications.

BSS launched three Cambridge International Diploma qualifications • Diploma in Educational Leadership • Diploma in Teaching & Learning and • Diploma in Teaching with Digital Technologies This batch secured 7 overall and 36 Modular distinctions and the caps and gowns were symbolic to the apex of their professional learning journey.

Misbah ul Haq’s visit to BMI / Team Islamabad United Champion Team of the first PSL (Pakistan Super League) and Champions of recently concluded third PSL, Islamabad United, came to BMI-A for a guest speaker session. The Sports Society warmly welcomed them and had a great session with them.

Captain Misbah ul Haq also entertained a question & answer session with the students.

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Beaconhouse North is lucky to have no dearth of professionals hence for all three courses each candidate worked under the guidance of a mentor on one-on-one basis. This was a developmental and supportive role which was a key feature of these courses. The credit of these achievemnets also goes to all the Programme Leaders who provided relentless support throughout this learning journey of 18 months.

purpose of this nationwide event was to introduce latest developments in the field of science and technology to the public and to allow students to learn complex concepts like robotics and augmented reality while keeping their interest alive.

TED-Talks @ sATELLITE TOWN rAWALPINDI BOYS BSTR-B held the first ever TED Talks by its students.

The initiative was launched by TED Ed Club two years back as we believe passionately in the power of words to change attitude, lives and ultimately the world. The objective of this event was to build a community of inquisitive learners who engage with each other at TED events and ponder over issues impacting the lives of masses in this world. The following were the exceptional speakers in the final round of TED Talks: M. Ali Asad Grade VI, Hammad Asif Grade VII, Abbas Asif Grade VIII, Syed Hassan Grade IX.

FullSteam on Wheels Beaconhouse Northern Region organized a travelling nationwide exhibition featuring projects from the disciplines of Science, Technology, Education, Arts and Media (STEAM) by the name FullSTEAM on wheels.

It was a sophisticated technology roadshow held in 12 branches of BNR showcasing how technology is transforming the Beaconhouse classroom environment and the wider world.

This series of exhibits lasted for forty five days spanning over cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Mandi Bahauddin, Mirpur, Kharian, Peshawar, Gujrat, Nowshera and Abbottabad. The exhibits offered a wide range of innovative projects involving 3D Printing, Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for the students and common public to experience.

With its first exhibit in Margalla Campus, Islamabad, the event ended upon the inauguration of the purpose-built Potohar campus in Rawalpindi. The

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Rangreza Charity Drive The BSS Harley Street Branch, Community Services Club held a Charity Event in cooperation with the BSS Senior Branch Rawalpindi at BSR premises, Peshawar Road, on 30th November, 2017.

Beaconhouse students and teachers enjoyed a unique opportunity to meet Bilal Ashraf, Gohar Rasheed and the popular, soulful rock singer Asrar Shah – stars of the Pakistani musical film “Rangreza”. Revenue generated through the tickets was pledged towards private charities including the Edhi Foundation. The event was organized and marketed completely by the students themselves from the platform of the HSPR-BSR Clubs, which gained extensive coverage on Twitter, YouTube and FaceBook. Participants enjoyed the rare interaction, lucky draws and autographed souvenirs while contributing to a good cause. Zainab Zulfiqar (President) and Eman Shafeeque (Member), HSPR Community Services, interviewed the celebrities with professional aplomb, while their witty answers greatly entertained the audience. Interview questions were dexterously compiled by Eman Ijaz and Arooba Ali of HSPR Grade VIII (Girls). The live Sufi music added to the upbeat ambience, while the excitement of the day made this a memorable evening to be cherished by all who came.

New Initiatives ACE CORE A new initiative, ACE Core, has recently been launched by Beaconhouse at its A Level campuses.

The programme facilitates the holistic profile development of our A Level students by placing practical exposure, critical thinking, and positive action at the heart of their learning. ACE Core aims to bridge and facilitate the transition of our A level students into their preferred higher education fields, and eventually the professional world by helping them become lifelong learners and global citizens.

Apart from the development that it offers, the ACE Core certification is recognised internationally, adding considerable value to the profile of the students, which helps towards gaining admissions in the best universities across the globe.

The programme has components like community service, sports engagement, a number of clubs and societies to engage students in their widespread areas of interest. It focuses on practical exposure and learning by enrolling students into activities that each component offers, particularly community service and sports.

Another significant part of the programme is the Guest Speaker Series in which professionals from different fields are invited to deliver a talk on their area of expertise. The series not only allows students to learn from the best but also helps them to decide their career path.

ACE Core’s inauguration ceremony was recently held at several A Level campuses. The students welcomed this initiative with full enthusiasm and seemed eager to sign up for the societies.

Sports Engagement

Community Service

Clubs & Societies

Guest Speakers

Active.Creative.Engagement

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Student Teaching Assistant Programme A Levels is an extremely fast paced programme and very important since it is the launching pad of a students career, which is why students in A Levels need extra guidance and focused attention, not just to fit but excel in life. Keeping this in view BNR thought of innovative ways of adding to the all-round growth and improvement of students’ profiles.

all praise for the mentors and the benefits reaped are many fold.

One of the initiatives was the launch of the “Students’ Teaching Assistant Programme” at the beginning of the academic session in August 2016. A2 students who were academically strong voluntarily signed up for the TA Programme.

• •

After their selection process, mentors and mentees followed a proper timetable and process of record keeping.

TA supervisors and administration of the school kept track of mentoring sessions and students’ improvement. Observations of TAs were carried out by the school heads and Academic Manager (S) and the programme was evaluated.

Teachers have appreciated this initiative because according to them weak students have shown considerable improvement and they understand concepts better. It is also effective because senior students have first hand fresh experience with the course and exams. Students’ are in the same age group so mentors can understand the concerns and problems of mentees in a better way. The mentees are

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• • •

Better and in-depth learning Confidence building and sense of responsibility in mentors Development of talents, skills and practical knowhow.

Better ethos in institution Improved student profiles, which helps with\ university placements/scholarships.

There is learning on both sides in this programme. It helps mentors to learn and revise their course and clarify their own concepts. It also gives them a sense of responsibility and leadership which will be helpful for them in their further education.

Beaconhouse International Student Convention (BISC) 2018 Beaconhouse has hosted three successful Beaconhouse International Student Convention (BISC) events and aims to bring continuous improvement in each successive event. BISC 2018 titled, Multiple Literacies for a World of Tomorrow, was held at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat and was a culmination of the learnings from the previous BISCs held in Bangkok (2016) and Kuala Lumpur (2017). It was endorsed and supported by the Ministry of Education, Sultanate of Oman in bringing it to the capital of Arab hospitality. The event proved itself to be a shining beacon of learning, inter-cultural camaraderie, tolerance and a magnificent display of sportsmanship

by Beaconhouse students from all over the world.

BISC 2018 featured a host of activities and competitions from various spheres of learning ranging from sports and athletics to science, technology, the visual and performing arts and filmmaking. Over 200 Beaconhouse students from five countries took part in these events, utilising a diverse set of skills that reinforce 21st century learning.

Other than the 200 students present in Muscat, thousands of Beaconhouse students worldwide participated in activities in their home countries (Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand) in order to qualify for BISC 2018.

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Corporate Social Responsibility Beaconhouse has always been a strong advocate of social responsibility and is committed to providing public and community services through wide-ranging activities.

Supporting Public Sector Schools Capacity-building Programmes in Public and Not-for-Profit Schools Beaconhouse continues to work in collaboration with NGOs to provide teacher training and to initiate capacity-building programmes in public and not-for-profit schools.

Donation of Resources Beaconhouse consistently donates resources such as computers, furniture, books and other equipment to schools, including around 170,000 books to the Sindh Education Foundation in 2016. The Beaconhouse Southern Region (BSR) also donated 2500 books to government schools in Khairpur in 2017.

Co-partnering with the Government of Punjab In 2016-17, Beaconhouse assumed responsibility for 100 government primary schools with a collective potential of 20,000 students in Punjab’s Gujranwala district and Gujrat. In addition to hiring and managing teaching and non-teaching staff at these schools, Beaconhouse has invested significantly towards physical infrastructure including new classrooms, toilets, boundary walls, furniture and other facilities.

Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Programme Beaconhouse and Humqadam’s School Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Programme, funded

by DFID, UK, aims to equip two government schools in Lahore with classrooms, toilets and furniture.

Adoption of Government Schools

The group also assumed responsibility for four government nurseries in the Islamabad Capital Territory and four SOS Children’s Villages schools in Punjab. Adoption of government schools in Sindh is in the pipeline.

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Voluntary support to the fresh cohort of 2018 Fellows of Teach For Pakistan Teach for Pakistan, is a non-profit organization which leverages promising young talent to create a multiplier effect on the education system.

They recruit and train top graduates and young professionals from all fields for a two-year Fellowship to teach in low-income schools that lack quality teachers. After the Fellowship, the Alumni use their experiences to tackle Pakistan’s most pressing problems in education, fostering action to change policy and curriculum, mobilizing resources, turning around schools, and spurring social innovation.

Teach For Pakistan is now launching as an independent organization headquartered in Islamabad with the first cohort of 18 Fellows to begin teaching in August 2018 in and around Islamabad and Rawalpindi areas.

Region worked with the Capital Administration and Development (CA&D) Division, Islamabad to revise the National curriculum for Primary schools for the subjects of English, Islamiat, Urdu, Mathematics and General Science. The Ministry of Education and CA&D Division acknowledged the valuable contributions of Beaconhouse team and thanked them for their extraordinary work. Mr. Baligh ur Rehman, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training personally met with the team commended their thorough professionalism in demonstrating commitment to this national cause.

This team assisted in revising the curriculum that is being taught in Government schools; worked on aligning the curriculum benchmarks, Learning Outcomes & progression matrix. This team helped design guidelines on teaching strategies and making assessments. Taking benefit of the expertise of Beaconhouse team; CA&D personnel involved them in selection of books to be included in syllabus.

Since the Fellows have no prior experience of teaching therefore the Regional Training Team of Beaconhouse Northern Region provided them support to develop their teaching skills to lead change in education in public sector.

Our Training Team observed lessons for needs analysis, designed questionnaire for the Fellows and on the basis of this analysis conducted a series of training sessions for them.

These trainings were conducted to develop them in following areas: • Active Learning • Assessment for Learning • Classroom Management

Capacity building of Govt. school teachers in Swat District: The Regional Office North Training Team has been working with 5 Senior Boys Govt. Schools in District Swat. This work has been initiated on the request of an NGO, SWAaT for Pakistan. The main responsibility assigned to Beaconhouse training team is to identify their teachers who have potential to be trained as Teacher trainers.

Revision of national curriculum: On request of Mr. Ali Raza, Advisor, Prime Minister’s Education Reform; a four member team of curriculum coordinators and trainers from Beaconhouse Northern

Being a remote area, teachers in Govt schools do not have exposure to good teaching practices, therefore to facilitate these teachers in inculcating and developing critical thinking in students, to encourage learning through questioning and adopting alternative perspectives, the training team devised a complete training plan for them.

In the first phase of this programme, a detailed meeting with the DDEO Swat and principals of the 5 senior boys’ schools was held.

After deliberation on the existing situation, Mrs. Fouzia

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Rizwan, Senior Manager Training North decided to conduct a Needs Analysis of the teachers from middle & senior schools teaching Mathematics, Sciences & English. The survey focused on Lesson Planning, Teaching strategies, Assessment for & of Learning and Use of Resources.

Wasif Mustafa.

The teachers and guests were also treated to some traditional music performances by our very own Beaconhouse teachers.

A detailed qualitative & quantitate analysis report along with graphical representation of data had been shared with all concerned authorities of ‘SWAaT for Pakistan’ and a teacher training programme, based on the outcomes of analysis has been devised.

In the second phase, we will be conducting the trainings for teachers and will identify potential teacher trainers from the group. These identified teachers will be further developed as trainer in the third phase of the programme.

Humanitarian Aid Beaconhouse has consistently responded with donations in cash and kind when natural disasters occur. In particular, the earthquake of 2005 that devastated the northern areas of Pakistan, floods in 2010 and 2014 as well as the crisis of Internally Displaced Persons from Swat were times when Beaconhouse, its staff and students made large contributions.

Training sessions for ICT & KP Govt. school teachers: Professional development workshops for teachers from Govt schools of KPK and Islamabad Capital Territory were held as a part of Beaconhouse CSR programme. This pledge was undertaken by the Regional Office North Training Department at the School of Tomorrow Conference, March 2017.

The Beaconhouse Atrium & Aviary

In its commitment to the health and well-being of all children, the Beaconhouse Group, developed play areas at The Children’s Hospital and The Institute of Child Health in Lahore in 2017. The Beaconhouse Atrium and Aviary provides children with opportunities to engage in physical play as well as appreciate nature in a calmer and quieter environment.

268 teachers including 150 from ICT Govt. School, 18 from Fazila Trust and 100 from KP were catered in the training.

In an interactive session where trainers from the regional explained the audience how teacher centered classes are turned into student centered classes and rethinking teachers’ role as sage on the stage to a guide on the side. This session was designed and pitched exclusively to meet the needs of these government schools from the remotest end of KPK and other government schools. In the light of the researches and findings about the latest classroom settings, our trainers helped them provide a new lens to look into their classrooms’ and students’ needs based on human instinct to collaborate, create, communicate and think critically.

The certificates were given to these teachers by the Executive Director Beaconhouse, Mr. Nassir Kasuri, as well as by the Additional Regional Director, Mr.

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Construction of Chinari Boys’ High School Beaconhouse constructed a government school in Chinari, a village very badly hit by the earthquake.

Upon completion, the school was handed over to the Education Department of the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on May 16, 2008. The school features 15 classrooms, a large examination hall, one

computer laboratory, biology/chemistry and physics laboratories, a library, two offices and a staff room. The classrooms and laboratories are fully furnished and equipped with the latest equipment.

Flood Relief Initiative In 2010, Beaconhouse donated Rs 10 million to official Flood Relief Funds in 2010. Trucks laden with relief goods worth millions were dispatched. Most members of staff donated one day’s salary to relief funds which amounted to several million rupees.

In 2011, a total of Rs 35.5 million were contributed by students, parents, employees and Beaconhouse itself.

The funds were utilised in the following projects: • Construction of a village in Moza Lal Shah consisting of 25 houses. This project was initiated under ‘Adopt a Village Programme’ by the Punjab Government through PDMA. • Construction of a co-education primary school in Moza Lal Shah for 300 to 400 students • Reconstruction of three government schools. These rebuilding efforts were undertaken in collaboration with the Army Headquarters 11 Corps.

IDPs of North Waziristan In 2014, Beaconhouse donated Rs 5 million each to the Punjab and KPK Chief Ministers’ Fund. Basic commodities worth Rs 7 million were sent through the army.

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Beaconhouse Regional Office North Capital View Road, Mohra Noor, Banigala, Islamabad Tel: 051-266-232-111 Fax: 051-2612412 www.beaconhouse.net www.beaconhousetimes.net