Friendship goals in this rural school in Cuttack, Odisha
A government high school in Tigiria, Odisha, is being run by three childhood friends who work there as a principal and teachers. The school is the lifeline of several nearby villages whose children this institute has been educating for the past six decades.
Prachi Rathi 20 Jun 2023 7:59 AM GMT
Arjun Subudhi High School in Tigiria block of Cuttack. Photos by arrangement.
Cuttack, Odisha
True friends can move mountains and the Arjun Subudhi High School in Tigiria block of Cuttack, Odisha is a classic example of it.
A government school run by three childhood friends is the lifeline of several nearby villages whose children this institute has been educating for the past six decades. Sushant Kumar Sahu, Kailash Behera, and the principal of the school (who wishes to remain anonymous) have been friends since childhood and belong to Tigiria. Now in their mid-40s, they continue to work together to run the school and make it a centre of excellence.
These three college friends decided to work together at the school as they realised the significance of their united purpose.
Established in 1962, the Arjun Subudhi High School is not only a symbol of learning and knowledge but also what friends can do to bring about a positive change in society.
“The school was started by the government some six decades ago. We decided to work in the school and work towards imparting education to the village children to break the stereotype that people have towards villagers as being only laborers or poor farmers,” said Sahu, who teaches science at the Arjun Subudhi High School. The school has 350 students from class 6 to 10.
The three college friends decided to work together at the school as they realised the significance of their united purpose. Whereas the principal oversees the entire operations of the school, Sahu, who is a Science teacher, diligently supports the student's learning journey. Kailash is a member of the multi-tasking staff to ensure the smooth functioning of the school.
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The School Cabinet
Apart from teaching academics to students, the three friends make it a point to inculcate leadership skills in the students who hail from nearby villages. The high school boasts of ‘Our School Cabinet’, which prepares students to take on responsibilities and emerge as leaders. Just as the government has a cabinet, the school has students who are members of the school cabinet. The school cabinet is a unique feature of our school which aims to build leaders for a better tomorrow, said Sahu. “Students learn essential lessons about leadership and governance by designating specific ‘ministries’ to them as cabinet members,” he added.
The school cabinet is a unique feature of our school which aims to build leaders.
The school ‘government’ meets daily, with meetings conducted by a student acting as the Chief Minister and other cabinet ministers. They simulate a real-life government by discussing various agendas, challenges, and solutions for the functioning of the school. This hands-on approach enables children to comprehend the inner workings of democracy as well as the significance of their future duties as responsible citizens.
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Due to the efforts of the three friends, there has been a paradigm shift in the way education is imparted at this government school. Previously, the evenings and weekends of teachers were dominated by administrative work. But now they use that time to design lessons jointly and discuss creative ideas. They organize learning circles and facilitate and lead discussions, creating a rich learning environment.
"One significant factor that has contributed to the success of the school is the integration of audio-visual learning methods by the teachers and the government. By leveraging technology and incorporating multimedia elements, we have witnessed a remarkable boost in students' engagement and enthusiasm for learning,” said Chakradhar Behra, Block Education Officer, Nuapatna village, Tigiria Block, Cuttack.
There has been a paradigm shift in the way education is imparted at this government school
The official went on to inform that the high school has been chosen for the best category award in Tigiria block by the Education Department of Government of Odisha.
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Winning accolades
In 2019-2020, two students named Anshuman Sahu and Shradhanjali achieved remarkable success, ranking first in the Cuttack district in the matriculation exams.
The past two years had been the most rewarding, as students were shining both on academic and sports fronts.
Anshuman Jena, the history teacher with nine years of teaching experience, said the past two years had been the most rewarding, as students were shining both on academic and sports fronts. Students of the high school also have access to the e-library, the teacher added.
Recently, ten students were selected to represent the school at the district-level kabaddi and volleyball matches. Through the joint efforts of the School Management Committee and alumni, plans are underway to build a hockey field for the students. Students want to represent the national team in the Football World Cup in the upcoming years as they were elated and motivated to be part of the Cheerleaders in the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023.
Gopal enrolled in this high school with the dream of becoming a mathematics teacher and a civil servant.
“Confidence is the asset that my school has given me,” said Gopal, a determined ninth-grade student of the school. He told Gaon Connection that he enrolled in this high school with the dream of becoming a mathematics teacher and a civil servant. “The school has helped me improve my English language skills through educational videos and Mentorship. I feel confident and I now actively participate in class presentations,” he added.
