Situations vacant in a jewel factory
The school for girls that was established by a Maharani got a grand gift on its 125th year. At least the headmistress and other teachers of the school consider so.
Arpita Pal of Sunity Academy, Cooch Behar, grabbed the first position in the Higher Secondary examination among the girls in the entire state. She is also a claimant of joint-third position by securing 986 marks. The proud headmistress of Sunity Academy, Mrs Bhupali Roy said that Arpita gave her school a grand gift in its 125-th year.
Arpita’s scorecard is as follows : Bengali 141, English 159, Chemistry 182, Mathematics 194, Physics 184, Biology 186. In Madhyamik examination she got 755 marks and became eighteenth in the state and second in Cooch Behar district. Her father Mr Arun Pal is a senior telecom engineer in Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and her grandfather Dr Manindra Nath Pal is a medical practitioner. Her mother Mrs Minati Pal is merely a housewife.
Arpita took the help of eight private tutors to achieve the success. She said she studied for about nine hours daily. She loves to watch news programmes and serials especially based on detective stories in TV. She also loves reading Bengali storybooks.
Not only Arpita but also some other girls of this school performed well in the Higher Secondary examination. Out of 118 candidates appeared in the Higher Secondary examination, 95 were placed in first division and 33 got star marks. Madhumita Dhar (928) secured 200 marks in Mathematics and Tithi Pal became the first girl in Arts stream by securing 829 marks. The headmistress reminded that a student of Sunity Academy, Tanushri Nath, had secured 935 marks and became the third ranker in the state in 2000.
Sunity Academy is named after its founder Maharani Sunity Devi. It was founded in 1881. In its earlier days it was known as Sunity College. After merger of Cooch Behar State with Indian Union the school became a government-run girls’ school of Cooch Behar district. In its earlier days the Maharani herself awarded successful students at functions organised at Cooch Behar Palace.
Cooch Behar is no more a princely state but this institution that was established in an aim to spread education among the women of this region, is still serving as a jewel factory. State government grants replaced the Royal patronage it enjoyed in its earlier days. And now it is suffering too, as other government aided institutions though it is still known as one of the best girls’ school of this region.
The next day after publication of the Higher Secondary examination, the Deputy Director of School Education, Mr Manoranjan Roy visited this school. He also felicitated Arpita Pal for her outstanding success at a brief ceremony organised at the school. On the same day when the reporters asked him to comment he said that the infrastructure of the school is not so bad. He admitted that there are a few vacancies but that will be filled up quickly. At the same time he said that they observed that candidates from Kolkata and adjacent areas are not willing to come to Cooch Behar after qualifying in PSC or SSC examinations.
Now, let’s turn our eyes to the actual situation of Sunity Academy. Ten posts of teachers are lying vacant for a long time. Another one is going to be vacant shortly. It is hard to run a school with so much vacant posts. And of course, the students are the worst sufferers. The school has no permanent cleaning staff. The lone post is also lying vacant for a long time. Presently all the sanitation jobs are handed over to a casual sweeper. One can imagine the effect - dirty and unclean toilets. Who will be responsible if any infectious disease spreads among the girls?
The classrooms are too small to accommodate the girls in any section. The rooms in the main building were constructed in the regime of Maharajas. Now about sixty students have to sit in a room that was built for about thirty students. There are two clerks only to shoulder the entire office job. If one takes leave the teachers have to do the job. The rooms for practical classes, laboratory, and library – all were of Raj-days. Specious rooms with more equipment are needed to meet the requirement of the present day students. When asked about these problems, the headmistress Mrs Bhupali Roy said that she already drew the attention of the education department. The earlier the vacancies filled up the teaching and learning scenario will improve, she opined. [] PHOTO : Arpita Pal with headmistress Mrs Bhupali Roy.
