In the Hejazi spirit of revelation and renaissance, the Nawaz Sharif Schools of Eminence beckon noble hearts to rise as partners in divine light

In the blessed tradition of the Hejaz, where divine light first pierced the veil of ignorance in the cave of Hira, the eternal journey from darkness to guidance continues. Today, across the sacred soil of Punjab, this timeless call echoes through the Nawaz Sharif Schools of Eminence (NSSE) — a visionary initiative under the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF). It is more than an educational project; it is a covenant of hope, transforming humble sparks into beacons that shall guide the destiny of the nation.

It was upon a golden evening in Rajanpur that this truth revealed itself in living poetry. The open ground where a new NSSE campus is under development brimmed with innocent vitality. Local children in simple, everyday clothes — the normal attire of ordinary village and town life — ran and played freely across the dusty earth. Their laughter rose like tasbeeh toward the heavens as they chased one another in carefree games. I stood beneath the ancient neem tree, my heart hushed in contemplation, when a soft, ethereal chiming floated upon the breeze — delicate silver bells whispering from realms unseen. In that instant, my inner vision blazed with a single name: “BaBa Tal”.

He emerged as though the very light had parted its veils. Tall and serene, clad in a flowing navy blue robe embroidered with golden threads of timeless wisdom, the small bells upon his sleeves and hem sang sweetly with every step. His eyes held the depth of oceans kissed by divine mercy and the warmth of a grandfather’s embrace. He drew near, leaned gently toward me, and whispered with profound tenderness:

“Bacha… I like very much your poem Clay Lamp to a Lighthouse — the one you composed that blessed morning after the dream. You saw yourself trapped in that amber-dark room, struggling, sweating, pushing with all the strength of your soul against unyielding walls… until you burst forth, no longer a small clay lamp confined to gloom, but a towering lighthouse standing firm upon the shores.”

The bells chimed in gentle harmony as he moved and settled upon a low, unfinished brick wall at the edge of the ground. I walked over and sat beside him. The children’s joyful voices continued their pure symphony. With a nod full of quiet command, BaBa Tal said softly, “Read it for me, bacha.”

Under the vast open sky of Rajanpur, with the future of Pakistan playing vibrantly around us, I recited with a heart full of fire:

Clay Lamp to Lighthouse

From the dust where shadows choked the light,

I rose — a mere spark, denied and denied!

A humble clay lamp in a suffocating gloom,

Burning on a single drop in that forgotten tomb.

But watch me now — the dark has no chain for the bold!

A flicker explodes when the spirit turns gold!

I shatter the walls with a roar in my flame,

I burst through the prison, I rewrite my name!

No more hiding in corners where silence decayed,

I awaken the thunder that history betrayed!

No whisper, no limit, no dust on my wings —

I burn with the courage that destiny brings!

Now behold — a towering lighthouse on Pakistan’s shore!

I stand fierce and fearless, I thunder and roar!

Guiding lost ships through the wildest sea,

With the unstoppable fire that was always in me!

I am the child of this soil, this blood, this fire,

From clay I have risen — higher and higher!

Let storms come raging, let tempests collide,

I will blaze even brighter — Pakistan’s pride!

As the final lines rose into the evening airbr”BaBa Tal” ‘s bells rang clearer and brighter — a celestial seal of approval.

An innocent question then arose through “BaBa Tal”’s whispers:

“Bacha! It’s a game of tens of millions… who will invest and why such a heavy amount for free schooling? Keep your eyes wide open to check malpractices.”

This visionary encounter captures the soul of NSSE: an open invitation rooted in a noble Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model managed by the Punjab Education Foundation. Since the schools under the NSSE scheme are currently under process, private partners (licensees) shoulder the sacred responsibilities of infrastructure development, academic excellence, teacher recruitment and training, and day-to-day operations. In return, PEF provides performance-linked subsidies, quality oversight, textbooks, and comprehensive support to uphold international standards.

Eligible partners include visionary individuals, young entrepreneur groups, established educational chains, pioneering Ed-Tech firms, dedicated NGOs and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and capable Education Management Organizations (EMOs). The five-year renewable license is merit-based, demanding inspiring KPIs: minimum enrolment targets, at least 85% BISE pass rates, qualified teachers, smart classrooms, and advanced STEAM laboratories. Financial support encompasses tiered per-student monthly subsidies, incentives for air-conditioned campuses, and assistance in marketing, training, compliance, and monitoring — all directed toward free or highly subsidized quality education for deserving and middle-class families.

The initiative is already gathering blessed momentum. MoUs have been signed with dynamic partners for 155 schools in one phase, including young entrepreneurs, educational chains, Ed-Tech innovators, and committed NGOs. In Jauharabad and Khushab, the eagerness is palpable. Parents gather in earnest discussions, their faces lit with hope, while children speak with sparkling eyes of a “dashing school” that will finally match their dreams.
I was standing at Muzdalfa Town Chowk on Bhoun Road when my eyes fell upon the building where, for years, a school had illuminated this area with the light of knowledge. But now it appeared closed. The sight was deeply painful for me. I was still absorbed in that feeling when a passerby informed me that the school had actually been shifted to a new and better building. He further explained that a modern digital school was soon to be established here — one that would rival the country’s elite and expensive institutions, yet provide completely free education to children. The building was being renovated in a contemporary style, the administration had been reorganized, and a new faculty was passing through interview stages.
Perhaps the man continued saying more, but my gaze had already fixed upon a young boy carrying a bag of bread from a nearby tandoor. Alongside him walked a little girl, heading toward Jahangir Town. The exhaustion upon their faces clearly revealed that they belonged to a poor family. The stranger gently shook my hand to draw my attention back, and I thanked him.
I had already read about the Punjab Government’s Nawaz Sharif Schools of Eminence. Now a thought arose within me: the deprived children of my own area, too, would soon be able to receive the same quality of education as those studying in the “big” schools — and entirely free of cost. The thought filled my heart with immense joy. At that very moment, the playful children of Rajanpur also flashed across my mind.
“Bacha! Pakistan’s tomorrow shall be more developed and better than its today,” someone whispered.
“Baba Tal?”
A question mark lit up inside my mind like a neon sign.
When I looked around, “Baba Tal” was indeed standing there. Sensing my astonishment, he smiled.
“When a human being becomes trapped in the storm of his own thoughts, he grows unaware of the world around him, as though lost in another realm. That is why today you did not even notice the sound of my arrival bells,” he said.
As he spoke, the bells attached to his deep blue robe began to chime softly, for he had already started walking toward the buildings of Jamia Al-Habib visible ahead.
His bells continued ringing in affirmation as he slowly disappeared from sight, yet he left behind a profound feeling of hope and responsibility. This Chakwal campus stands as a symbol of the preparations for the Nawaz Sharif Schools of Eminence — where infrastructure is taking shape, systems are being organized, and where a proud daughter of Chakwal has been invited from outside the city to shoulder this responsibility. “Dukhtar-e-Dhan Kahoon” — Madam Noreen Sohail — with her higher education and more than two decades of distinguished service in the world of teaching, has already earned a respected name for herself
“BaBa Tal” ‘s bells chimed in affirmation as he faded, leaving a profound sense of urgency and hope. This Chakwal campus symbolizes the readiness of NSSE — infrastructure progressing, systems aligning, and the community eagerly awaiting the transformative education it promises.
Allah, the Exalted, declares in the Glorious Quran:

“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly star lit from a blessed olive tree — neither of the East nor of the West — whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it. Light upon Light! Allah guides to His Light whom He wills.” (Surah An-Nur 24:35).

This verse embodies the very essence of NSSE. The struggling clay lamp in our poem is that blessed niche. The child who breaks through walls becomes the oil kindled by divine will, emerging as Light upon Light.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) taught: “The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it” (Sahih Bukhari).

He also said: “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him” (Sahih Muslim).

A third Hadith powerfully echoes: “Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it” (Sahih Muslim). Partnering in NSSE fulfills all three in perpetuity.

Western literature too glimpsed this truth. Alexander Pope wrote:

“True wit is Nature to advantage dressed,

What oft was thought, but ne’er so well expressed.”

Wordsworth saw children “trailing clouds of glory.” In Punjab, NSSE elevates this vision — forging not mere clouds, but steadfast lighthouses that defy tempests.

In a later moment of reflection, “BaBa Tal” appeared once more. Seated upon the humble brick wall as twilight deepened, bells chiming softly, he spoke with gentle urgency: “Bacha, convey this message far and wide. The path is clear for sincere partners. From Jauharabad to Chakwal, from Khushab to every tehsil, the children await. Tell the groups and NGOs: the soil is fertile with divine permission. Rise, build, and let the light multiply.”

This op-ed serves as a guiding light for all interested parties. The NSSE framework welcomes those with capacity and commitment to serve. It demands dedication but rewards with eternal legacy — schools where innovation meets tradition, where excellence becomes accessible, and where every graduate stands as Pakistan’s pride.

Let storms rage and tempests collide. The fire within, kindled by faith and nurtured through these schools of eminence, shall blaze brighter. From the dust of Punjab shall rise beacons that proclaim to the world: here, the children of this blessed land have turned clay into eternal light.