Small School, Big Hearts: A Day of Athletic Brilliance in Rural Bengal
Kamal Kumar Biswas.TOD.Balurghat
The annual sports competition of Baram Gokulpur Junior High School, under the Gangarampur North Circle of Gangarampur Block in South Dinajpur district, was held on Thursday, drawing enthusiastic participation from students, teachers, parents and local residents.
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| Ceremonial lamp lighting by the District RTO Board member & Zilla Parishad Karmadhyaksha. |
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| A warm welcome to the District RTO Board member by student |
Nearly 100 students took part in the day-long event, which began with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, followed by the hoisting of the national flag and the school flag. The competition was formally inaugurated through the welcome of guests, a march past, oath-taking ceremony and the singing of the national anthem.
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| The Karmadhyaksha of the Zilla Parishad is being welcomed | . |
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The program was graced by Mafijuddin Miah, Member of the RTO Board and District General Secretary of the Trinamool Congress, and Rejina Bibi, the current Karmadhyaksha of the South Dinajpur Zilla Parishad, in charge of Fisheries and Animal Resources Development. A large number of local residents and guardians were also present.
Despite not having its own playground, the school organized the sports meet on a neighboring open field. At a time when many junior high schools across the state are struggling due to shortages of teachers and declining enrollment, Baram Gokulpur Junior High School stood out as a notable exception. Through the collective effort and constructive leadership of its teachers and managing committee, the school continues to make steady progress in spite of multiple challenges.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Mafijuddin Miah acknowledged the school’s infrastructural shortcomings and assured that he would make efforts to resolve them. He specifically highlighted the lack of a dedicated playground, which deprives students of regular opportunities for sports and physical activities. He expressed his commitment to taking initiatives in the coming days to help develop a playground for the school, as well as to work toward the construction of a boundary wall.
Speaking on the occasion, Rejina Bibi stated that she had already informed the Zilla Parishad regarding the urgent need for a boundary wall for the school, adding that the matter would be implemented at the earliest. She expressed strong optimism about the school’s future, noting that student enrollment in this remote rural institution has been steadily increasing and has now crossed 200 students—a hopeful sign in the current educational landscape.
She further said that she would place a formal appeal before the District Magistrate and the School Education Department to upgrade the junior high school to the secondary (Madhyamik) level, in keeping with the growing number of students and the aspirations of the local community.
The event concluded on a hopeful note, reflecting the school’s determination to nurture both academic and extracurricular excellence, even with limited resources, and underscoring the promise of progress in rural education.
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