KP Education Minister Praises Digital, Sports Facilities at Sapphire International School
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Arshad Ayub Khan has praised the academic, digital and sports facilities at the newly established Sapphire International School (SIS), which was formally inaugurated at its Founders’ Day ceremony in Peshawar on Sunday.
The minister said the new institution reflects growing investment in modern education, with Cambridge-based academics, digitally equipped classrooms, interactive learning tools and extensive indoor and outdoor sports facilities.
Commissioner Peshawar Riaz Masood Khan attended the ceremony as guest of honour, while Qaiser Alam, Managing Director of the Elementary Education Foundation, was also present.
Minister Highlights Digital and Sports Facilities
Arshad Ayub Khan appreciated the school’s modern classrooms, interactive boards, learning resources and open spaces, particularly its dedicated outdoor sports facilities.
He said such facilities remain relatively uncommon among private schools in the city and welcomed the private sector’s role in expanding access to quality education.
The minister also referred to the provincial government’s recently launched Global Virtual School, a public-sector digital learning initiative designed to provide technology- and AI-enabled education to students across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Focus on Bringing Children Back to School
Commissioner Peshawar Riaz Masood Khan highlighted government efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the province.
He said recent initiatives had already helped bring more children into the education system and expressed confidence that the number of out-of-school students would continue to decline in the coming years.
International Academic Leadership
The education minister also appreciated the investment made in developing Sapphire International School and recruiting qualified and experienced teaching staff.
The school is academically led by Sidney Rose of the United Kingdom, who serves as its full-time founding principal and has international experience in education.
Speakers also acknowledged the contribution of the educational network associated with Muhammad Zahoor Sethi and Muhammad Sabur Sethi, President of City University of Science and Information Technology and Managing Director of Peshawar Model Degree Colleges.
The network’s educational journey began with Peshawar Model Schools in 1979, followed by Peshawar Model Degree Colleges in 1997 and City University in 2001. City University is marking its 25th anniversary this year.
Muhammad Ayub Sethi, Chief Executive of Sapphire International School, is carrying the initiative into its third generation through the establishment of SIS.
Speakers at the ceremony expressed hope that the new school, with its digital learning environment, qualified faculty, modern classrooms and extensive sports and open-space facilities, would contribute to improving the quality of education available to children in Peshawar.
