SWAT: The participants of a function here said that every student should learn about the diverse culture of the country along with receiving modern education.

The function was organised by Catholic Public High School in Sangota. The event was meant to educate students about the diversity of cultural heritage in Pakistan.

Dressed in cultural attires of all the four provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan, the students took part in various cultural activities.

The administration of the school said that it was the only church-run educational institution in Swat, established in 1965.

The former Swat state ruler allotted 227 kanals of land for the school. Since then, the school is imparting education to girl students of the region from nursery to 10th grade. It is one of the many schools in the world run by Presentation Sisters Union, Ireland.

Sister Rosie Younes, the principal of the school, told local journalists that in 1700, a brave woman Nano Nagle known as ‘Lady of Lantern’ began teaching girls in the dark of night against the ban on education for women in Ireland.

“However, the teaching activity was extended under the Presentation Sisters Union, Ireland, and schools were established in different countries,” she said. She said that about 1,000 girls were getting quality education by submitting nominal fee while free education was also provided to orphans and poor children as per quota.

She said that the school had highly educated staff and other facilities due to which the students got top positions in board examinations every year. “Admissions to the school are given on merit and the graduates of this school are proud to call themselves Sangotians,” she added.

The students appreciated the activity and said that such events must be organised regularly so that they could learn about the rich culture of the country. “We are happy to see so many new things, dresses, cultural values, traditions, and other things, which are practiced in different parts of the country,” said Maria Ayesha Alam, a sixth grader.

The teachers of the school said on the occasion that living nations celebrated their culture. They said that people should learn about the diversity of culture and traditions practiced in the different regions of the country to enhance their knowledge.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2022