Pearl Valley Public School and College

Project Description:

Pearl Valley Public School and College (PVPS & C) was the pilot project of the Kashmir Education Foundation. The school, which opened its doors on 14th August 1996, is set in its own pleasant spacious surroundings in the village of Rawalakot. Currently, there are classes up to 12th grade and in line with Foundation policy, new intake is limited to Prep class only. Pearl Valley is a non-residential day school where children from the underprivileged areas of Rawalakot and the surrounding villages (an area of around 200 square kilometers and a population of over 100,000 people), are admitted, with girls comprising 51% of the total number. At present there are over seven hundred students on the roll.

According to the philosophy of the Foundation, once a child has been offered a place he or she becomes entitled to admission in the school and financial support by the Foundation. Places are offered to parents on a first come first served basis.

PVPS & C has all the educational facilities expected in a modern educational institution, including a computer room, science labs, a library with over 15,000 books, a language lab, audio-visual facilities, an arts and crafts room, a gymnasium and an auditorium.

Many different people and organizations have helped the Foundation in the setting up and running of Pearl Valley Public School & College. These include the British Council, U.K. Voluntary Services Overseas and Australian Volunteers International. The first three Principals of the school were highly qualified British teachers and female trainers from the UK. As part of the United Kingdom Government’s International School Partnership Scheme, PVPS has established links with Valentines High School and with Acklam Grange School, both in England. Since 2008, two PVPS students have visited these schools each year on a two week study tour.

Pearl Valley Public School enjoys a reputation for excellence and regularly occupies the top positions in the Federal Board School Exam league table.

A large number of former PVPS students are now enrolled for higher studies (on merit) in leading national universities, including LUMS, NUST, Bahria and Cadet Colleges etc – a unique achievement for these rural children.