September 10, 2008

How best to protect and practice values - Javed Jabbar

The following email was received from Javed Jabbar of the Class of 1961.

Dear Zohair Ashir sahib,

Assalam-o-alaikum.

Thank you for your e-mail of 5th September and your thought-provoking reflections on how to best we can contribute in a purposeful way to education from our shared association with Public School.

As conveyed to you at our meeting of Publicans in Karachi on 6th September, I am marking a copy of your e-mail and of my own response here to other Publicans including the Administrator of our website with a request to place both on the website for access by all.

I am in complete agreement with you about the need to focus on values and to exert effort towards optimizing awareness and practice of estimable values particularly by the young generation and to do so in a symbolic as well as substantive linkage with the possible reconstruction of the original dome of our School or at least any linkage with a reproduction of the dome on a smaller scale.

After all, the dome was not just bricks and mortar: it represented a planned structure that encompasses learning, teaching, behaviour, aspirations and co-operation to enable each of us to improve the human condition.

As to how best to project the values that we hold and which have eroded in recent years is a matter of individual preference or judgement.

Some, or all of the projects or activities that we eventually agree upon to implement as part of the Golden Jubilee of Public School can surely help project the values that we cherish. i.e. we do not necessarily need a separate, compartmentalized project under the title of "value promotion".

For example: by honouring our teachers, by helping students to discover their own individuality, by awarding excellence, by volunteering our own time and motivating the young to devote time to voluntary work regularly: by all such activities we will be promoting good values with practical action.

As we share ideas on how best to support the cause of education, we could ensure that our stress on the practice of values is made part of any future project or activity that we agree upon.

Thank you for your participation and your interest.

We all look forward to your continued contribution.

With best wishes,

Javed Jabbar