Khan remarked that her colleagues have helped her get where she is. “I can't say that I was born a Vice Principal,” she remarked. “With the passage of time we gain knowledge and understanding about certain things; there have been both many pleasant and unpleasant experiences. “This is a big school and the senior girls section is like the central point of all the activities. We have to coordinate and deal with the Boys Section and the Afternoon Section and this is not an easy task, so these conditions make us think and try to work out all our difficulties. Management requires the ability to deal with various variables such as parents and students from all sections of society. It is not an easy task, but with the help of teachers and colleagues, every day brings new things to learn,” she said. Khan added that competition is tough and as a school, they have to face it with tact. She remarked that teachers in the school have mobilized themselves with workshops, worksheets, intensive teaching and implementing lesson plans in an effort to fulfill the requirements of 21st century education. The strength of the school is the almost 7,500 students currently enrolled in it, and the school has often been declared one of the best overseas educational institutions of Pakistan. “With the help of Almighty Allah, I have managed to overcome various administration issues related to the faculty, parents and students,” Khan observed. “The most important aspect of management is our aim. We plan our activities keeping our mission in focus; we want our students to become good Muslims, successful citizens, and patriotic Pakistanis; and we train our students to become leaders and good human beings.” Khan added that her vision is to see her students achieve their goals and ambitions in life. “Personally, I feel that I have done my best. I have achieved the goal of my life, but for my students, I want the best life possible for them,” she said. Khan was Vice Principal between 2005 and 2008, and was reinstated in 2010. Khan is originally from Peshawar in Pakistan and earned her Bachelor of Art degree at the Government Collage in Mardan and Masters of Art degree from Peshawar University. She worked as an English lecturer at the Government College Kohat in 1974, after which she came to Saudi Arabia and started her career in Pakistan International School Jeddah as an English teacher. With the development of the school and her own experience, her position elevated. “All my experiences over the past years in different positions have helped me in the management of my responsibilities as Vice Principal,” she explained. “I know about every department within the school, so every step I have taken, has given me more confidence, encouraged me, made me think, plan and organize. Planning and organizing are the two main requirements of every position.” She added that most parents of students enrolled at the school are very conservative, so the school has to keep their sentiments in mind. “We initiate programs and provide parents with information about each and every aspect of the school, exams, board exams, the availability of the books etc. We guide parents.” As Vice Principal, she seeks to provide an ideal environment by limiting 35 students to one class, and wants to enhance the quality of education and curriculum by improving the syllabus, especially from Grade five to eight. “I have already discussed the matter with the Principal and provided him with sample books. There is a proposal to start with Grade five and every year there will be a change in the syllabus for one grade. The syllabus is the basis of everything. If textbooks are good, the teaching standard will immediately be upgraded,” she remarked.
