Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts

Rs 26 crore for Darjeeling hill schools

7:08 AM

Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling: The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has decided to invest around Rs 26 crore to build 56 school buildings across the Darjeeling hills.

Amar Singh Rai, Darjeeling MLA and member of the education department of the GTA's board of administrators, said: "Under the Sarva Siksha Mission, the GTA has decided to construct 20 primary school buildings and 36 upper primary school buildings. Tenders have already been floated."

Upper primary schools have classes till VIII.

Sources said that primary schools building would be built at a cost of Rs 28 lakh each while construction of a upper primary school building would cost of Rs 58 lakh.

In total, Rs 5.6 crore will be spent on building primary schools and Rs 20.88 crore for upper primary school buildings.

Rai said: "Our aim has been to give a major thrust in education in the hills. We have identified those schools which are situated in far-flung areas of the hills. The GTA is holding continuous meeting with the state government on various developmental initiatives."

" Following the meetings with the state government, it has been decided that 99 school buildings will be constructed in the hills. The 56 buildings that are being constructed is part of the first phase of work," Rai added.

The minister informed that the GTA was working in tandem with the state government to ensure that the educational standard is improved in the hills.

"We are committed to improving education in the hills and regain the past glory. We will go our best and will place our progress report before the public for them to judge," he said.

In the last couple of months, the state government and the GTA has regularised jobs of 137 ad-hoc teachers.

In January, Binay Tamang, the GTA chairman of the board of administrator, had handed approval letters to 429 secondary teachers, solving a decade long problem.

The secondary teachers had been given appointment in various hill schools in 2010 by the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council but with the approval only coming from DGHC education secretary and not the district inspector of schools, the teacher's post retirement benefits were in doubt.

However, with the DI giving its approval, after the GTA pursued the issue, the secondary teachers problem have also been solved.

Via Telegraph

Police case filed against Shahitya Academy Award Winners, school heads and GJM leaders

2:54 PM

LANGUAGE ISSUE: Police Cases Filed Against Heads of Schools, Shahitya Academy Award Winners and GJM Leaders

Writes: Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling police have started a suo motu case against Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders, literary figures and heads of educational institutions who had attended a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the government's decision to make Bengali compulsory in schools.

Apart from Morcha leaders Bimal Gurung, Roshan Giri and Binay Tamang, cases were drawn up against Jiwan Namdung and Prem Pradhan, former presidents of the Nepali Sahitya Akademi, and Rev. Joy Halder, the rector of St Paul's School.

The police have also filed a case against Pemba Bomjan, the president of Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan, the oldest social organisation in the town.

The Morcha had called a meeting on May 30 where literary figures, academicians, college professors, teachers and people from different walks of life discussed the state's plan of a three-language policy.

During the meeting, Gurung had announced a two-day closure of educational institutions in the hills yesterday and today and rallies with black flags during the chief minister's visit next week to protest the government's decision.

Classes were suspended in a majority of the schools in the hills today as the students had not turned up.

Most of the speakers at the May 30 meeting had said that while they were not against any particular language, imposing one on students of a region was not acceptable and they should be given the option to choose.

The FIR filed by Saumyajit Roy, the inspector in charge of Darjeeling Sadar, states: "It is to be noted here that the above accused persons are purposefully trying to create an issue unnecessarily with a motive of provocation to ignite feeling of hatred and enmity between different castes of people on the basis of regionalism and trying to distort the government policies...."

"It is also to be noticed here that no such notification in view of compulsion of Bengali language to the education system of the hills has been imposed till date."

The accused have been booked under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 155A(b) (promoting enmity between different groups), 505 (statement conducting to public mischief) and 34 (common intent) of the Indian Penal Code.

Told about the police case, St Paul's rector Rev Halder said: "I am hearing it from you. I am quite taken aback. Whatever I said in my speech was based on my personal experience about learning different languages. At the end of my speech, I had also said that since we are all governed by CISCE, we need to await for a notification on this matter."

The chief minister had yesterday clarified that CBSE and ICSE schools in Bengal would have to teach Bengali as one of three languages up to Class X but students need not write the board exam in the third language

In the hills, most students have English as their first language and Nepali as the second. The students mostly opt for Hindi as the third language, which they will have to drop for Bengali if it is made compulsory.

Morcha leader Tamang said: "It seems that we cannot even speak or voice our grievances now. Where is the freedom of speech? We have not spoken against any language, we are merely saying that you should not impose a language and make it mandatory."

[Via: Telegraph, file pic]

Of Titaura and Kateko Suntala: School Days in ‪Darjeeling‬

10:48 AM
Writes: Bicky Sharma

Recently, during my stay in the plains, I would go around for a walk in the morning after waking up. What I would see were students waiting for their school bus on the side of the road, with a certain gloomy texture on their faces (obviously, my mornings would start late enough). It reminded me of the hills.

Having a nursery school just above my home, I witnessed a completely different scene here. The parents (usually moms), in their best appearance, come to reach their kids to school – holding their little hands and revising the lessons for class. The eyes of the kids start shining as they start meeting their friends and start approaching school. The kids enter the school with a smile and the parents still stay back outside the school having their share of guff-suff with the fellow parents. In fact, many of them make good friends in the process. The most amazing view is to see the kids walking “puldung puldung” carrying a bag of their size and a water bottle strapped around their neck – “naani parney LKG, jhola bokney 10 kg”.
Of Titaura and Kateko Suntala: School Days in ‪Darjeeling‬
School Days in ‪Darjeeling‬
The same kids return home with their parents’ after school with wai-wai, chocolates or tittaura in their hands, trying hard to frame their expressions in the short sentences of broken English. One could spend his whole day listening to a conversation between two classmates, embedded with lines like-“oi, tomorrow come fast okay” to “she kotharing (to scratch) on your face no?”

Takes me back to the days when I was at school.

Studying in Darjeeling has been one of the best experiences of life for me and it must be the same with everyone. From having the best of the teachers to the best of friends, your student life enriches you with all the best and funny moments, which you can only miss throughout your life.

You know you have studied in Darjeeling if you have treated yourself will the enthralling delicacies, that were mostly limited to the “bari ko dokans” outside the schools or certain selective shops.

Aludum, in its place, ranks the top spot in the list of all the delicacies. Every school has shops around it that would definitely sell aludum or some innovative derivates of aludum – like aalu mimi, aalu momo, aalu mama, aalu matar, and the list goes on. T momo, taipho, aalu thukpa, oranges sliced to half with spices sprinkled on them, slices of cucumber with acchar, tittaura (usually for girls), pepsi (ice cream of school times), sukkha matar (“class ma alchi laagda ko timepass”), beth gera, aaru cha etc were the things that school life enriched us with besides aaludum. We indeed used to take lunch from home that we finished within the first break itself.

How many of you haven’t made tattoos on hands with pen during school? There are so many things I remember vividly about schooldays. A school day itself would start with walking to school with your friends, meanwhile seeing students of other schools along the way. This little journey has in fact seen a lot of love stories, and even more “man manai love, man manai breakup” stories.

Every class would have monitors who would write the “talking names” on the board, where a few people’s name would proudly stand on the top every time; it would be me for my class, most of the times. Off periods would be the best part of the day, while break times would see serious games of chungi. Fights would often come up in class, which would end with phrases like “tero afterschool/after exams huncha”. I guess everyone has tried to bunk assemblies just for the heck of it, or bunk a class or two even.

Rainy season would see umbrellas piled up in the corner of the class and it would sometimes be a blessed feeling to sit through the entire day wearing wet socks. Forgetting an umbrella in that case was a usual affair. Coming to school or returning home during rainy season would be a strategic affair, putting every effort not to get wet. And sometimes you would have to use all your management skills to fit under an umbrella with two extra friends. Cold season had in its part a different flavour. It would be heaven to go outside in the sun after hours of sitting in the cold classroom.

From shaking hands with dozens of people while entering the class to banging the desks and singing songs during breaks, everything had its own share of happiness. One of my sisters from Loreto had however asked me to mention “favours”. I don’t know what it actually means, but the girls from Loreto would know, and if you do please mention it in the comments section.

The exchange of “Happy Holidays” and “Happy Dasain” before holidays, with all the happiness in heart; enjoying the end of the exams with your friends – everything captured in our hearts permanently, knowing that we are never going to have those times again.

The smiles that started to light up towards the end of the class, that would be brightest on Fridays of course, have been the most sincere smiles I have ever known. We all used to have a piece of cloth with us that would always be lying under the desk and would be used “jutta talkawnu” after school, before going home. No matter how smart you look before going to school, it’s a well known universal fact of Darjeeling, that you feel kind of “jhattey” while returning home. At least, the day would end with a shining pair of shoes and “chittikai mileko kapal”.

The whole school life story turns out to be a beautiful ode. Time has its monopoly over us and we fail to build a bridge over two different time periods; we can just manifest the memories – memories of hitting each other with chalks; memories of walking with two friends under a single umbrella; memories of cracking jokes with the teachers. The fragments of memories are held closely together to form a beautiful piece of happiness. The years of schooling at the most beautiful place of the world dissolves smoothly in your life to give it a beautiful colour.


Via The DC


Rueben Memorial School (RMS) 100 % Success in West Bengal School Board Examinations 2016

6:46 PM
Rueben Memorial School (RMS) which is located almost 25 kms away from Darjeeling town, in the remote and peripheral region in Chongtong tea estate has secured 100% results in the West Bengal School Board Examinations 2016. The school which is celebrating her Silver Jubilee this year, has maintained this trend since 2001, the year when her first batch of students wrote their class 10 board examinations. Only two students had appeared in the exams then.

This year fifty students had appeared for class 10 Madhyamik Examinations and all of them attained success. The highest score was 73 per cent. In the +2 level RMS has only Humanities/Arts department. This time twenty-one Arts students had appeared in the West Bengal Higher Secondary Board Examinations. Out of 21 candidates, 19 of them secured first class while 2 were graded second division. Amon Tshering Sherpa was successful in securing 86 per cent while the lowest secured percentage was 56 per cent.
Rueben Memorial School (RMS) 100 % Success in West Bengal School Board Examinations 2016
Rueben Memorial School (RMS)
Despite of many barriers and drawbacks of a life in tea garden, the socio-economic hardship and grassroot political disorders, these students have proved their worth and commitments towards their studies and future. They have gratified their families, school and society at large and made everyone feel good and proud. These motivating students have literally proved the phrase "where there is a will, there is a way" and have armored themselves with 'education' - which according to Nelson Mandela and Malala Yousafzai, 'is the greatest weapon of the modern times that has the power to transform the world'.

On this occasion, the Ruebenian Family including our teaching and non-teaching staffs would take the opportunity to congratulate all the successful students of the school and region for their success and wish them good luck for their future endeavors.

Submitted by Rueben Memorial

INDIAN GORKHAS 10th 12th Board Exam TOPPERS LIST 2016

12:23 PM
The results are out for board exams,  ISC exams, Madhyamik  and ICSE 2016 and here are the toppers from the Indian Gorkha community across the country.

Mrinal Pradhan, Scored 98.75% in ISC, Mrinal Pradhan of St. Joseph's School, Darjeeling for scoring 98.75% in ISC exams and standing 2nd topper in West Bengal.The fact that he didn't take any tuition for his finals is what sets him apart. We are proud of you Mrinal and CONGRATULATIONS to You and North Point for upholding the Gorkha name.

Devika Rai Potential Hill Topper
TheDC team sends our Congratulations to Ms. Devika Rai a student of St Joseph's Gitdabling who appeared exams from St George's HS Pedong for scoring 86.6% in Madhyamik and for being the potential topper among all hill students. We are writing "Potential" as we are yet to get complete update from all the hill schools and not even DI office is aware of who topped in the hills, however Devika has likely scored the highest among all hill students.
INDIAN GORKHAS 10th 12th Board Exam TOPPERS LIST 2016
INDIAN GORKHAS 10th 12th Board Exam TOPPERS LIST 2016
Manisha Tamang Scored 82% in Madhyamik -
Highest Among Nepali Schools, our Congratulations to Ms. Manisha Tamang of Dr. IB Thapa Nepali School, Siliguri for scoring 82% in Madhyamik and for being the topper among Nepali medium schools.Her achievement is highly praiseworthy and inspirational as one of our readers Mr. Pradeep Pradhan explained, "She was raised up in an orphanage children's home in Siliguri though not an orphan. Coming from a poor family didn't prevent her from excelling in her studies. Manisha went to Bhanubhakta Primary School School up to class 4 and then to Dr. IB Thapa Nepali School."

Sahil Pradhan and Supal Rai
Congratulations to Sahil Pradhan a student of St Robert's School, Darjeeling for scoring 85% in Madhyamik and for being the sub-division topper, and Supal Rai of Vidya Deep Educational Institute of Parbong, Pulbazar Bijanbari who appeared for exam from Chongtong High School for scoring 82.28% and emerging as Bijanbari Valley topper.Both Sahil and Supal are amazingly talented students, and the achievements of Supal is more praiseworthy as he comes from a small rural school and yet has managed to score such a high marks through his grit, determination and scholarship.We are PROUD of you Sahil and Supal and CONGRATULATIONS to You and St. Robert's, and Vidya Deep School for upholding the Gorkha name.

Anurag Mukhia and Aayush Raj Chettri
TheDC team sends our Congratulations to Anurag Mukhia of Himali Boarding School, Kurseong and Aayush Raj Chettri of Pinehall Academy, Soureni Mirik for scoring 95.25% in ISC, and 94.2% in ICSE.Both Anurag and Aayush come from the tea gardens and while Anurag is from Ringtong below Sonada, Aayush is from Soureni. Coming from rural areas and achieving such high marks in ISC and ICSE shows their grit, determination and scholarship.

Snigdha Pradhan of Loreto Convent School, Darjeeling for scoring 96% respectively in ICSE. It is noteworthy that Snigdha didn’t take any tuition in preparations for her finals

Suman Sharma of Sunshine School, Birpara for scoring 94% in ISC.
What sets Suman apart from other students is that he comes from a very humble family from Makrapara, one of the more impoverished regions in Dooars. Coming from a economically backward family and achieving 94% in ISC shows his grit, determination and scholarship.

Kritisha Pradhan from Lewis English School scored 90% in ICSE
"Kritisha Pradhan of Lewis English School Scored 90% in ICSE. She is daughter of Krishna Pradhan and she is from Panighatta."

Abigail Rai 92% Nagaland 
Abigail Rai From Queen Mary Higher Secondary School Mokokchung District of Nagaland State. The only Gorkha Girl who has bagged Rank 4 (Top-4) securing 92% Science Stream, in the recent Exam of NAGALAND BOARD OF SCHOOL EDUCATION.NBSE.

Pravish Chteri from Nagaland scores 93.83% in HSLC
Mr.Pravish Chetri from ‪‎Kohima‬ Nagaland who has Secured-93.83% and Bagged Top-18 in Class-10 (Matriculation) in the recent Exam of Nagaland Board of School Education (HSLC).

Sidhhart Chhetri from Banarhat scores 96% in ICSE
Sidhhart Chhetri a student of Sarwan Memorial School, Banarhat for scoring 96% in ICSE.Sidhhart comes from Palashbari tea garden and is an amazingly talented student, and given that he comes from a small rural school and yet has managed to score such a high marks through his grit, determination and scholarship.

Dawa Sherpa 89% and Urgen Sherpa 87% in HS from St. Robert's School Darjeeling 
St. Robert's School Darjeeling Dawa Sherpa with 89% and Urgen Sherpa 87% in Higher Secondary exams tops GTA region in Higher Secondary Examinations 2016. Dawa Sherpa has topped in HS Science stream with 89% and Urgen Sherpa has topped the Arts stream with 87% in Higher Secondary exams.In addition to Dawa Sherpa other St. Roberts students Subhash Tamang has scored 87.4%. Shailendra Pradhan has scored 85.2% and Sangay Tamang has scored 82%.

Prachi Chhetri scored 95.4% in 12 Commerce CBSE from Jharkhand
Gorkhali Daughter Miss Prachi Chhetri, Daughter of Sri Santosh Chhetri from Ranchi, Jharkhand, Scored 95.4% in 12 Commerce from CBSE Board.

Sushmita Rai Scored 90.02% in 12 Commerce CBSE from Ranchi
Sushmita Rai (Kuki), D/O Sri Subodh Rai Scored 90.02% in 12 Commerce from CBSE Board.

With Input from TheDC, Gorkha Youth, Ranchi

Rueben Memorial School: A Non-Profit Minority Educational Institution Celebrated Its Silver Jubilee.

8:29 AM
On 1st April 2016, Rueben Memorial School (RMS), the first english Nursery school of Chongtong Tea Estate celebrated its 25th Foundation Day. The school was established in the loving memory of Late Rueben Singh Rai, who was an Assistant Manager of Chongtong tea estate till the early 1970's. During his lifetime he had a great dream of starting a school in his locality. Unfortunately, due to his unexpected accidental death in 1972, his dream remained unfulfilled. After 19 years, his long cherished dream was brought to life through the unconditional efforts of his wife Late Sarah Rai and his family members, particularly his son Mr. Rabindra Peter Lulam (Rai). They started a non-profit educational institution in his memory and RMS was born on 1st April 1991, to provide quality education and moral values to the local children of the tea estate.

This nursery school started its journey with 2 classrooms, 26 students and 3 teachers. Today, RMS has grown big with more than 20 classrooms, with classes from Nursery to Class 12 (Arts), having more than six hundred students, twenty teaching faculties and five non-teaching staffs. In 2013, RMS was issued the Provisional Recognition No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the West Bengal Board of Higher Education. Presently, the school is seeking for a permanent recognition status as a minority school under the Church of North India Educational Board, Dioceses of Eastern Himalayas.

Since the very beginning the school has successfully produced cent percent results in the Board Examinations and the trend has continued till date. Three students have also been the Toppers in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area in the years between 2010 to 2013, with the highest percentage being 88 per cent secured by Miss Reha Thapa and 79 per cent by both Mr. Dippal Rai and Mr. Amon Sherpa in the Madhyamik Examinations.

Today, many ex-students of the institution are pursuing higher education in different colleges and universities across the nation, some have become teachers and managers, some are working in offices and banks, few are working in the hotel industry both in India and in the Gulf countries, while some have joined the military services and few are in BPO sectors.

The Silver Jubilee Celebration of RMS began with the 'Thanksgiving Prayer Service'. In the prayer service Rev. Ranjit Saharaja Rai, an eighty eight year old, retired pastor of Church of North India (CNI), Rimbick was felicitated. Rev. Rai was formerly a soldier from 1948-53, after resigning from the army he started to teach in the Darjeeling Scottish Mission School. Since the early 1960's till date, Rev. Rai has tirelessly dedicated himself in preaching the gospel and good news to the local communities in the grassroot level. He had also offered the foundationstone laying prayer of RMS twenty five years ago.

The keynote address of the service was delivered by Rev. Roshan Thapa, CNI, Darjeeling Pastorate. He was also felicitated for his untiring committements towards the growth and prosperity of RMS. Mementos were also distributed to all the school teaching and non-teaching staffs, guests and well wishers of the school.

The RMS Family on its 25th Foundation Day extends their heartfelt gratitude to all their well wishers, the local community and administration for their unconditional love and support towards the school-building project.

Darjeeling St. Joseph's School, Murder Case Full Report

9:08 AM

Writes: Vivek Chhetri

A Class IX student of St Joseph's School (North Point) last night allegedly stabbed to death his classmate in a camp organised by the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, reportedly after he was disturbed while sleeping.

The 15-year-old, who is a foreign national and a hostel boarder, has been sent to a juvenile home and can be tried under Indian laws applicable to minors. He will be produced before the juvenile board on February 24.

School rector Father Shajumon said: "The boy (who attacked) said he was sleeping in the tent and he was being disturbed after which he used the knife. He said he remembered nothing after that."

His classmate, who had bleeding wounds in his legs and abdomen, was rushed to a private hospital in Siliguri but died on the way last night.

Police officers and the school were unclear about the detailed circumstances that led to the murder in Singla, 35km from Darjeeling town, where the school in arrangement with the HMI had organised a trekking camp from February 1. The camp was supposed to get over on February 13.

The boy who died, also a 15-year-old, was from Darjeeling and was a day scholar. His mother is at present in Siliguri for medical treatment, family sources said, while his father stays in Canada.

In the Singla camp, there were 115 students of North Point, a school that charges boarders about Rs 2 lakh a year and where several Bhutanese and Nepali royal family children study.

The two Class IX boys were in a group of 40 that was supervised by one schoolteacher and six HMI instructors.

The 115 students were divided into three groups with roughly 40 members each. "The first group had left Darjeeling on February 1, while the second and third groups departed on the next two days. They were to return to the HMI on February 13 for a graduation ceremony," said Colonel Gulshan Chaddhar, the principal of HMI.

Chaddhar said he had learnt that the murder happened after a bonfire. "A bonfire was organised at a playground in Singla where the tents were put up. The bell for the dinner was rung. While many boys went to eat, an incident took place in one of the four tents (for the second group)," he said.

Father Shajumon said there had been no apparent animosity among members of the group. Chaddhar also said that he had not heard of "fights in public".

Sharmila Chettri, the aunt of the dead boy, said the school should have sent more teachers and also arranged for more instructors to mind the boys.

Chaddhar, on being told about the aunt's compliant, said: "The incident is extremely unfortunate and our hearts go out to the family. However, we had sent enough instructors. There were six instructors from HMI and one from the school. Generally, one teacher controls around 40 students in a school. For the entire North Point students (115), we had deputed 18 instructors."

Chettri filed an FIR at Bijanbari-Pulbazar police station, naming the classmate of her nephew. "Around 7.55pm yesterday, we were informed by a teacher of North Point who was accompanying the students during the adventure course that a fight had taken place between two boys inside a tent and my nephew was seriously injured and that he was being brought to Darjeeling," she said.

Chettri said her nephew "had been stabbed in four places with a sharp weapon and was taken to a hospital in Darjeeling. He was immediately referred to Siliguri as there was internal bleeding. The doctor in the Siliguri hospital, however, said my nephew had died on the way."

The aunt said the school should have been more vigilant and should have sent more teachers with the group. "Only one teacher was accompanying the students. Moreover, the school should not make such courses compulsory."

Father Shajumon said "since the training is conducted by the HMI, there is an agreement under which the school sends one teacher and the mountaineering institute provides six instructors for a group of 40 students."

Asked if the adventure course was compulsory, the rector said: "Most of the Class IX students do the course which has been going on for many years. Of the 126 students in Class IX this year, 115 have gone for the adventure course."

The school is shut for winter vacation and will reopen on February 22.

Via: Telegraph

Hill students suffer as Madhyamik examinations rescheduled

9:36 AM
Vidhyarthi Morcha Demands Heaters and Stoves in Madhyamik Centers

The Gorkha Janmukti Vidhyarthi Morcha has reminded the District Administration and the Bengal government that it is still very cold in Darjeeling, and since Bengal government pushed forward the date of Madhyamik examinations without considering the discomfort that hill students have to face, they should provide for room heaters and stoves (angeti) in those schools that are in the higher altitude.

The WBSSC had assured hill students that proper warming equipments aill be provided to all the schools that require heating, however nothing has been done till date and the examinations begin from February 1st.
Vidhyarthi Morcha Demands Heaters and Stoves in Madhyamik Centers
We hope that our politicians will kindly highlight this act of discrimination against our hill students.



Via TheDC

 
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