150th Anniversary of St. Patrick’s High School, Karachi Pakistan.

150^th Anniversary of St. Patrick’s High School, Karachi. Commemorative Postage Stamp December 31, 2011:- St. Patrick’s High School began a hundred and fifty years ago with only three students on the rolls. The old school building shifted its site three times and at one time stood where the St. Joseph’s Convent play hall now stands. In 1948 it moved into the Primary building which already existed since 1937, and two years later it expanded to the main building which was completed in 1950. The middle building better known as the “E” Building was constructed in 1954.

Now, a hundred and fifty years and twenty three principals later, we have over five thousand students and three hundred and fifty staff. Admission to the school was much sought after and in a city with a growing population and few academic institutions of quality, there was great pressure for admission. To cater for its students educational and trade needs over those years the school, added a few more branches: The O’Levels in the early fifties, the Teachers Training College in 1951, the Technical Section in 1964, the Afternoon Shift in 1973 and the A’Levels in 1979.

The Technical Section, which prepares its students for the Technical Board examinations in the four Technologies: Metal Work, Electricity, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning, Auto-Diesel Mechanics and Electronics. Very lately the section has agreed to a joint venture with Toyota Company called T-TEP. Toyota instructors come to the school to train the students in updated methods of assembly and repair in latest car engines. Only recently, the Technical section has started a Body and Paints Department, which is being ably managed by the Crises Management team in collaboration with ICI Paints.

The Afternoon Section, which was initially started as the brainchild of Bishop Lobo in 1973, helped to alleviate the pressure of the Morning Section with regard to the excessive admissions that were pouring in. It was clear that the masses held the institution in high regard and were not willing to wait to get admission in the morning shift; hence the introduction of the afternoon shift solved that problem for all. With quality education still being imparted, there’s no wonder why the afternoon shift still has a handsome enrollment of students till now.

The St. Patrick’s College of Education, which was founded in 1951, has catered to the needs of CBE schools by providing the training teachers with great help and also to overcome the obstacles that they face in joining professional institutions. The training teachers do the B.Ed course over a period of two years, during which time they are given practical exposure through teaching schools as well as being sent up north for training there too.

The O’ and A’ Levels, which prepares students for the General Certificate of Education Examination of the Cambridge University has been outstanding over the past few decades and has brought great recognition for St. Patrick’s High School. The O’Levels was started in the early 1950’s and since then there has been no looking back. With impressive showings from the students right from its inception the O’Level section of St. Patrick’s set a benchmark for the other schools that were also functional during the same time. In 1979, Bishop Lobo decided to take the Cambridge University educational system a step ahead and thus, he started the A’Level’s section. Both these additions to the school have taken the educational standard to a new level and this has been proven from the results that have been earned.

To commemorate 150^th Anniversary of St. Patrick’s High School, Karachi, Pakistan Post is issuing a commemorative postage stamp of Rs. 8/- denomination on 31^st December 2011.