DERGAON, Oct 18 - At a time when the story of the sorry state of government schools specially the primary schools is common, the story of a government lower primary (LP) school at Bokakhat in Golaghat district has attracted the attention of people in the district in particular and the State in general. Established in 1889 and situated in the heart of Bokakhat town, the Namdoiyang Nimno Buniyadi Vidyalaya (NNBV) has a record number of 273 students, topping the enrolment figures in Golaghat district. With the efficient and hard working leadership of the head master Lakhya Bori, the school has further added to its 131-year-old success story. The school celebrated its centenary in 1990.
Though the trend of admission in private schools is increasing, yet this LP school has been least affected though two private schools are situated nearby � a Jatiya Vidyalaya in the north and a Sankardeva Shishu Niketan in the south. These nearby private schools have hardly created any dent in the school�s enrolment. The school authority has to avoid the guardians at the time of admission due to heavy pressure from the latter at the start of a new academic session due to shortage of teachers. However, with two teachers joining recently, the number of teachers has gone up to eight.
The school has a set a record of sorts with as many as 250 students getting scholarships. Not only the students, the teachers of the schools have also been selected for different awards upto the President�s brilliant teacher award. A retired headmistress of NNBV, Late Soanmai Saikia received the prestigious President�s Award in 1992 while a retired HM Putali Saikia got the State teacher award in 2005. Similarly, the present HM Lakhya Bori who started service in 1983 at the Gelabeel LP School at Barpather, joined this school in 1999 on transfer and took charge as HM in 2013, was awarded the brilliant teacher award by the Golaghat district administration in 2017.
On being contacted, Lakhya Bori said that as a result of the dedication of the teaching staff and the cooperation of the guardians, the school has made a successful journey so far.
�Shortage of teachers and lack of repairs of the old building and a safe drinking water facility are some problems that the school is facing now�, he said.
�Though a digital classroom with 30 computers along with the necessary equipment was assured by the NRL under its CSR scheme, one-and-a-half year ago but that has not been fulfilled as yet�, Bori said.
Regarding the cooperation of the guardians of heterogeneous community comprising Misings, tea tribes, OBCs and general people, a senior assistant teacher of the school Kiran Gogoi who is serving in the school since 1993 said that the support of the guardians was the basis of the success of the school.
Asfia Begum, a TET-qualified teacher who joined the school last month expressed satisfaction that she is starting her career at a good school. �I will also make efforts to uplift the school to my level best�, she said.
The other teachers who are rendering dedicated services in the school are Mamoni Boruah, Ranjulika Pegu, Mumpi Biswas, Monoj Thakur and Arpona Saikia.
Trishna Rai, whose daughter is studying in the school in the IInd standard said, �due to the reputation and dedication of the teachers, I got my child admitted to this school, which is three km away from my residence.�
Another guardian, Junmoni Saikia who lives one km away said that there was no need to go to any private school as this school had a very good academic environment.
