Great News from the Head Teacher of St. Joseph's Gitdubling

The present Class X pupils

Results for the 31 pupils who sat their Board Examinations in Feb./March of this year.
(see previous post): 8 students got an A grade, 11 a 1st. Division and 12 a 2nd Division.

I am not able to go in January next year to work with the Class 10 pupils to help to prepare them for their Board Examinations, due to unexpected family commitments.
I do hope to arrive there by March 2012, but it would be very much appreciated, by the school staff and by the pupils, if a volunteer could travel to Gitdubling at the beginning of next year to help the present grade 10 pupils prepare for their Board examinations.

A Picture Parade of the Pupils and Teachers of St. Joseph's Gitdubling

HIMALAYAN CHILDREN EDUCATION TRUST / CONTINUED

In January 2009, the Trust decided to increase its fund raising to provide money for the teachers' wages in the 3 classes in the infant department of St. Joseph's School in Gitubling.

The pupils from St Mary's go to St. Joseph's School if they are able to continue in Education after Grade 4.

St. Joseph's School, has Hostel fascilities and takes in children who have no parental support and street children, it also caters for the children in and around the market village of Gitdubling

Over the past 3 years St. Joseph's has been extending its fascilities to educate pupils from grate 7 to Grade 10, at which stage the pupils can sit the State Leaving Examinations; this has entailed alot of extra expense.New class rooms have had to be built and more specialised teachers employed.

At present the school authorities are striving to raise money for a science room and a school libary. These 2 additions are essential for the school to be recognised as a Senior Secondary School by the State Government.

The inauguration of the new Primary School building for St. Joseph's, which took place during my last visit there in December 2009.

The HCET is helping to provide books for the school libary.

The people of this Region to not have any access to a libary, at present.

St Joseph's Band

St Joseph's school in Gitdubling has expanded to accommodate pupils from grade 7 to Grade 10 at which stage they can sit the State Leaving Examinations. Prior to this year 2010, the pupils have had to transfer to another secondary school in either the town of Pedong or Kalimpong. Many could not continue in education after Grade 7 as they could not afford to financially.

The new primary school has been built to free up class rooms for the increasing numbers of secondary school pupils.

The New primary School was inaugurated during my visit last December It was a very happy and joyous occasion.

NEW Primary Sch. & PC's at St Joseph's Sch. GitDubling partly funded by St. David's primary School Pilton Edinburgh 2009

New primary School Building St. Joseph's GitDubling 2009

St Joseph's School Concert---- Gitdubling

Lining up for the Entrance Parade

The boys from class UKG; even they get make up on.

A mixed age group; helping each other to apply the finishing touches.

Posting some pictures of the children of St. Joseph's getting ready for their annual school concert.
A lot of preparation goes into the presentation of this.

They, the pupils, give performancies using the English, Nepali and Hindi media; and use music,dance and drama.

Schools from all around this area come for the performance and parents and guardians are also invited. Because many of the visitors have to walk for several hours to get to St. Joseph's, they are offered a light snack and the adults tea and the children juice.

The residents of the village of Gitdubling all get together, build the stage, help get the pupils made up and into their costumes,which are all made on site, and help with the snacks,teas etc.

The concert is a wonderful opportunity for the pupils.staff and villagers to get together and show what can be achieved with lots of hard work and co-operation.

ST. Joseph's School Gitdubling

Hard at work Homework time

Meal Time in the Hostel Rice, Dal and Curried potatoes

St. Joseph's School Gitdubling West Bengal, was established in 1948 for the education, of the poor village children of this region.This school educates children up to approximately the age of 15.

St. Joseph's school has 380 students at present. Pupils come from various villages in the Kalimpong Hill Region. Street children from Darjeeling are also sent to St. Joseph's , if they wish to leave the streets and get an education.

The school , has a hostel attached to it. This is very crowded, however, the residents living in it, are on the whole, very happy and contented with their lot. They receive three meals a day, education and a bed to sleep in.Many of them would not receive these basic amenities in their own homes.

Whilst I was working in West Bengal I spent several weekends with the hostel children, and really enjoyed their company. They love to play, dance and sing when they have free time.
However, they also have to spend some time in study and all have jobs to do around the hostel, food purchasing , collecting from the garden, and the preparing of it in the in the kitchen. They also help to keep the surrounding area clean and tidy and have to do their own washing.

Their lives are very different from most children's lives in the Western world.
But the children of St. Joseph's think themselves very luck to be there.