SOLAS Education Trust

Solas Educational Trust was established in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1999 with the general purpose of assisting in the advancement of education, with reference in particularly to Pakistan. Since 1999 Solas has concentrating its limited resources on the remote area of Chitral, one of the least developed parts of Pakistan, in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan.
The basic philosophy of Solas is that education is the instrument through which inhibiting constraints, such as prejudice, want of vision and lack of inquiring spirit, that frustrate the potential latent in individuals and society, may be relaxed. While we appreciate that the problems experienced by countries like Pakistan are complex, interrelated and organic in character, and that an integrated approach to them is needed, the Trust nevertheless believes that action by individuals and small groups in specific and focused ways can be of value. The Trust supports educational activity, likely to be of a small-scale nature that encourages a spirit of inquiry and promotes a critical and humane outlook on life. Solas may engage in activities such as supporting existing institutions that are facing financial constraints or new initiatives in education on the part of local communities that lack adequate resources.

Solas sees its main activity as the development of education through assisting schools overcome hurdles in the way of their progress. Over the past six years we have assisted 10 schools in different ways, from construction of classrooms, water supply and washrooms, to provision of computers and science equipment. The schools range from large higher secondary schools to small village schools and from a girls Higher Secondary school to co-educational village schools. Many schools are located in remote areas of the district of Chitral and one of the great benefits that our activity has produced is the contact that is now being made between the schools: something that was uncommon prior to our involvement. The area in which we work is not conducive to foreign NGO activity and it is only because Solas is an organisation with strong Pakistani connections and because we are seen to be working with all sections of society, that we are able to maintain a respected presence in the area.

We aim to encourage rational and critical thought and an enquiring spirit and see the teaching of science and health and hygiene education as ways of encouraging a questioning mind as well as the obvious benefits of improving the quality of life. Indeed improving school health has been acknowledged as a major contributor to a number of other improvements, and we see our activities as contributing to the overall development, not just of school pupils, but also of the wider community.