Sharing your dreams: Free-of-charge education to level the playing field

Saad Saleem wants no other student to be denied opportunity to study O, A Levels

KARACHI: Carrying the burden of an unrealised dream to appear for his O Levels examination, 24-year-old Saad Saleem is determined to make sure no other student is denied that opportunity.

Saleem's financial conditions stopped him from pursuing his educational dream. "I do not want any child to feel what I have gone through when I was not able to study in a Cambridge school," he remarked.

In 2014, he opened two schools in Landhi and Gulshan-e-Iqbal with the aim to provide free O and A Levels education to underprivileged children of the city. More than 100 students were attending the two schools. However, due to some problems with the premises, he plans to close the two schools and shift the students to a new locality by August this year.



He collaborated with Amna Subhan, owner of Fair Field Mount School, in North Karachi to provide free education to the underprivileged. "We aim to provide free quality education to the students who cannot afford high fees," Subhan told The Express Tribune.

She opened her school in 2013 and around 150 students are currently enrolled in it. However, the school caters to students of class seventh and below. "We will extend the school as soon as students from Saad's schools join us," she said.

The criterion for the admission requires the parents to submit copies of their electricity bills and salary slips. Saleem has enrolled more than 168 students and Subhan will test them to decide who will be enrolled in what class. "We plan on targeting as many as 10,000 students," he added.

Saleem, who owns two software houses, will bear the expenses of the students' education including their admission fee, tuition fee and exam registration fee. "I will also provide a van service to the students," he claimed.

"The profit from one of my software houses will be dedicated to these children," he said, adding that he has many friends in India and Bangladesh who have supported his idea and pledged donations. "I have enough resources to run the school for at least three years," he added.

Sharing future plans, he said he is thinking of making an official contract with his friends who are willing to fund the school.

Setting an example

The journey of Saleem serves to remind people how determination and hard work can help people realise their dreams.

"I was always fond of technology and when my father bought me my first computer I spent all day learning how to make websites on YouTube," he remembered.

Saleem was completing his matriculation when he made a website and participated in a competition. "I won the competition and got a scholarship to do some short courses in Canada," he said.

After completing the courses, Saleem started working in an IT firm in Canada and used to come to Pakistan to complete his intermediate once a year. "I still don't have a degree but have done certified courses from University of Saskatchewan [Canada]," he added.

After completing his basic education, he became a motivational speaker. "A degree is needed but it is not compulsory to make you what you are," he remarked.

"I developed my understanding of a software company when I was in school and wanted to open one myself when I had enough money" said the owner of the software company, Galaxy of Leaders.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2016.