Saint Patrick's - The School
by
The Principal

Saint Patrick's is probably the biggest institution of its kind under one management with all its sub-institutions located on the same campus, in what is now midtown Karachi.
It offers three different types of education leading to different certificates, local and international.

It is probably the only school in Karachi which has set up its own teacher training program leading to a Primary Teacher's Certificate (PTC), Certificate of Teaching (CT) and B.Ed Degree College on its campus.
It set up its own college in 1962, offering a Bachelors program in Humanities and Commerce. It was nationalised in 1972.
It is probably the only school in Pakistan with a record of participating in sports events at the National All India and International level.
It has one of the most impressive list of Alumnai anywhere:
Two Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church (Valerian Cardinal Gracias and Joseph Cardinal Cordeiro, the latter was very much in the running for the Papacy in the 1978 elections (as reported by Time and Newsweek). Also many bishops and minor huminaries of the Catholic Church.
A Prime Minister of Pakistan and Two Chief Ministers of Sindh (highest provincial executives), one of these the grandfather of Benazir Bhutto.
The leader of the Opposition political party in India, the BJP, Mr. L. K. Advani.
Mayors of Karachi: Mr. Misquita, Mr. G. Allana, Mahmood Haroon, Yusuf Haroon, some having reached very high positions of power in the province.
Great Sportsmen: P. P. Fernandes of Hockey Fame, J. Britto who participated in the World Games (1950) and the Olympics (1936) and some famous test cricketers.
Well known educationists all over the sub-continent, top bureaucrats and countless names in the world of business.

History of the School

Its foundation dates back to May 06, 1861 when a building was erected more or less at the present site - or rather across the road. One of the contributors to the building fund was Sir Charles Napier - the British General who added Sindh to the Empire. He was then the Governor-General.
Its founder was Father J. H. Willy of the Society of Jesus. It started as a co-education institution. (We have now come a full circle in keeping with the times, by giving girls the same opportunities of education and admitting them to 'A' levels, for which there was an urgent need.)
By March 18, 1862, the girls were given a seperate institution - the Saint Joseph's Convent School.
The School was officially registered as a high school - Saint Patrick's English School in 1867. Its first candidate for Matriculation was Mr. Thomas Duncan who stood first Class first in the Bombay Presidency.
The next 33 years were a period of great expansion. The period following the Partition of India was again a period of great expansion as the population of Karachi increased by leaps and bounds, following the influx of refugees from India, described as the greatest mass migration in history. Saint Patrick's, always in the fore-front of providing educational facilities, rose to the occasion as usual. It is one of the most sought after schools in Pakistan.
The management of the School lay with the Jesuit Fathers from 1861 to 1935, when it was taken over by the Franciscan Order. From 1950 it has had Pakistani Principals belonging to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi.

Organisation of the School Today

The School is selective starting from Grade 1, Children enter at age 5.
The students are diverted to different sections after Grade 5.
Most end up in the Matric section which prepares students ultimately for the Matriculation Certificate (Secondary School Certificate) of the Board of Secondary Education, Karachi, at the average age of 15 years.
Some students change over to the Technical Section, where they receive the Matric Technical Certificate from the Sindh Board of Technical Education.

The best academically speaking join the 'O' Level certificate of UCLES (University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate) - U.K. There is open admission on merit for the 'A' Levels, which attracts some of the best 'O' level students. (The 'O' level results from Karachi must be amongst the best in the World.) The 'A' level programme offers physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, economics, Management of Business, accounting and ofcourse, English. It is from this stream that students apply to American, Canadian and British Universities, as also the best institutions of higher education locally - The Aga Khan University Medical College, Lahore School of Management Sciences, Ghulam Ishaque Khan University of Technology, the N.E.D. Engineering College, etc.
In the last few years several students have obtained more than 9 A's in the O Level Examinations.
In the A Level most of the successful students obtain either A, B or C grades in their elective subjects.
Also on the same campus are located training facilities for PTC and CT courses and B.Ed and M.Ed Degree programmes run by the Australian missionaries - Sisters of Mercy.

Other facilities offered:

Six laboratories catering to all science experimentation by:
a) Matric,
b) 'O' Level,
c) 'A' Level

Libraries
a) General Library with 5194 volumes,
b) 'O' Level library with 2000 volumes,
c) 'A' Level library with 1600 volumes,
d) B. Ed. library with 20874 volumes

Sporting Facilites

Fields for Hockey, Cricket, Football, Basketball, Volley ball as well as indoor bedminton and table tennis. Students are instructed in these sports by professionals.

Scout Troop of a very high standard.

A renowned School Band, probably the best in Karachi, with a choir used for school functions.

An auditorium with a seating capacity for 600; also a smaller auditorium.

College Counselling services (with possible expansion into career counselling) for both local and foreign admissions to colleges and universities.

Computers

A fully equipped computer laboratory for students appearing for the Secondary Board's Examinations and the Cambridge Examinations.

Some sporting highlights of the past:

The School has been represented at the Provincial, National and International and even at the Olympic level.
The sensational achievement was the winning of the All India Cabral Shield for Field Hockey when the school team in 1941 captained by Aga Sadruddin Durrani, beat India's best Hockey team, the Bhopal Wanderers. (Upto a few years ago the Champion teams of the World hailed from either India or Pakistan).
The School has had a tradition of laying emphasis on all round development. Students are encouraged to participate in games, and regular coaching camps are held in the summer vacation to train students in the finer points of athletics.
Saint Patrick's High School hockey teams have in the past participated in first class hockey tournaments. In the 1930's and 40' teams used to be sent to play in the All India, Aga Khan Hockey tournaments that were held in Bombay and in 1932, 1933 and 1934 they were the runners up. Some of our ex-students have gone on to represent the country in international games. Mr. P. P. Fernandes was selected for the All India Olympic Hockey Team of 1936 before preparation time. Others who featured in the Olympic Hockey was Mr. O. B. Nazareth who was made the Deputy Manager of the London Olympics team in 1948 and Mr. Milton D'Mello was a member of that first team to play for Pakistan in an Olypmic Tournament. Mr. Jack Britto was selected for the 1952 Hockey Olympics team.
In cricket several of our ex-students have represented Pakistan in Test and First Class Cricket. Among them are Khalid Wazir, the (Late) Wallis Mathias, Antao D'Souza, Wasim Bari, and Haseeb Khan. Among others who played in the All India Pentangular Matches were Jacob Harris, Jack Britto and Edward Tellis. Aga Sadruddin Durrani, the former Deputy Speaker of the Sind Assembly, was captain of both the hockey and cricket first eleven.

O. B. MASCERENHAS
M.A. (OXON)
Rector & Principal

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