China-Pakistan Primary School: Bonding People through Education

Located in the Faqeer Colony in the port city of Gwadar, Balochistan, Pakistan, the China-Pakistan Government Primary School is the only educational institution in Faqeer. The school was launched by the China Foundation for Peace and Development (CFPD) with a US$400,000 donation and was inaugurated by Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on September 1, 2016. Covering an area of 752.44 square meters, the school has not only fulfilled local kids’ educational aspirations, but also strengthened China-Pakistan friendship. 

“The Chinese People Can Help Us”

When asked about the origin of the donation that resulted in the school, Xu Zhensui, secretary general of the CFPD, traced the idea back to something mentioned by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his first state visit to Pakistan from April 20 to 21, 2015. During the visit, China and Pakistan tightened their bond with 51 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and comprehensive cooperation. To implement the related agreements and strengthen people-to-people connections, the CFPD decided to donate the funds necessary to build a school in Gwadar and dispatched an investigative team to look at potential building sites across the region.

Gwadar’s population of 85,000 remains comparatively poor, and its children have few educational resources. “The investigation found that only a couple of primary schools in the whole city have decent conditions,” Xu explained. “Faqeer didn’t have a single primary school. Some local kids traveled very far to attend school, but most had no place to go at all.”

China and Pakistan have enjoyed a longstanding friendship, during which time China has given Pakistan wide-ranging support, but the CFPD is the first Chinese non-governmental organization to carry out charitable activities in Gwadar. “When the investigative team arrived, the locals had already heard that Chinese people were coming to select a site to build a school, so they welcomed us excitedly,” Xu said. “Among them was a humble old man named Haji Sher Mohammad. After hearing the news, he came to us saying he had private land he wanted to donate for the school.” Soon, the school site was determined.

In 2013, when the Pakistani government transferred the operational rights of Gwadar Port to China, a plot of land of 1,000 square yards (836 square meters) cost just 500,000 rupees (US$4,907). Currently, however, it has surged to 7,500,000 rupees (US$73,602), almost 15 times the previous price.

When we asked whether the old man ever regretted his donation, Xu said they had never heard him say so. “He considers the land granted by Allah and said it is best used to benefit the local people,” said Xu. “He also expressed faith in the Chinese to provide the necessary help to fulfill local kids’ dreams of going to school.”

Ideal School for Local Kids

On November 11, 2015, the groundbreaking ceremony for the primary school was held in Gwadar. Wang Xiaotao, vice minister of China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), together with then Chief Minister of Balochistan Abdul Malik Baloch and Pakistani Minister of Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal, attended the historic event.

“When construction began, we ran into many difficulties, but the local government and people gave us tremendous support and encouragement,” Xu said. “We got green lights all the way.”

Because the site is close to the port, the ground is very sandy. Local construction resources were limited and building conditions poor. To build the perfect school for the local kids, the CFPD commissioned a most capable Chinese company to design and build the school according to local conditions.

First, the school was designed in an Islamic style. Second, the construction team strictly adhered to local standards and rules and selected only building materials acceptable to the locals. Considering the local marine climate, the walls were built to withstand strong sunshine and rain erosion. Final construction was thoroughly supervised and checked by Pakistani administrators.

Strong passion could be felt every day at the construction site. Not only did the Chinese staff work day and night, but Pakistani security forces guaranteed a safe environment. Every day, several villagers could often be found at the site, chatting enthusiastically and watching the school become reality.

From the first site investigation on July 27, 2015 to completion on August 15, 2016 was a stretch of 13 months, but actual construction took only 10 months. The Chinese workers managed to overcome various difficulties to stay on schedule while maintaining quality standards.

On August 26, 2016, the school officially opened. A total of 450 kids from surrounding villages applied for places, far beyond the school’s planned capacity.

On September 1, 2016, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited the school. When an official in his entourage asked children welcoming them which school they attended, one child proudly replied: “I’m from the Chinese school!”

Eye on the Prize

With bright classrooms and well-equipped facilities, the China-Pakistan Government Primary School in Gwadar has not only fulfilled local educational needs, but also delivered Chinese care to Pakistan, helping local people quickly enjoy real benefits from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Belt and Road Initiative.

In addition to the primary school, the CFPD disclosed that they have already broken ground on another project in Guetta, the CPEC Center of Excellence (CCE) at Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), to cultivate local port management talent. Due to less-than-ideal conditions, the CFPD’s donations in Pakistan now primarily fund hardware support. They are considering sending teachers and personnel in the future.

According to the CFPD, the primary school  in Gwadar sets a pristine example for other Chinese non-governmental organizations to join the state’s call for participation in the Belt and Road Initiative. Many other projects in its wake should continue strengthening people-to-people bonds between the two countries, including cooperative programs under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Xu pointed out that as a non-governmental organization, the CFPD’s abilities to contribute are quite limited. He hopes that in the future, more Chinese non-governmental organizations will go global and join them in strengthening bonds between China and other countries along the Belt and Road. Through joint efforts, such organizations can play an important role in fueling the Belt and Road Initiative. “The future will bring a lot more to do,” added Xu. “We will hold tight to our mission and keep moving forward.”