::: Star Insight :::

Guru Griho

From Patuakhali
Patuakhali Government
Girls' High School: 90 Great Years

Md. Sohrab Hossain

For the purpose of putting some emphasis on education for girls, this school was established in 1919. At first, the school was set up in a small house and was named Kalitara Girls' School. Annada Charan De Sarkar, the then Magistrate of the Patuakhali sub-division donated the land started a fund for the institution. He named the school after his sister Kalitara, who had become a widow early in life. Now the school happens to be one of the oldest in the district.

The school has been achieving very good results every year right from the beginning when Babu Asit Ranjan Bhattacharja was the Founder Headmaster of the school. It got its government approval in 1945. After that, the name was changed to Kalitara English Girls' High School. Nibadita Sen Gupta was appointed as the Headmistress and there were only seven teachers on staff. The same Headmistress continued her services for ten years.

The school was nationalized on November 15th, 1969. This time its name changed to Government Girls' High School. Most of the former student of the school went on to get good jobs earning a good name for the school.

Among them are Nargis Ara Haq, former law maker from 1996 to 2001 for Bangladesh, Fazilatunnesa, also a law maker, Feroza Begum Talukder, a physician settled in Texas, USA, Kalpana Debi, Headmistress of Shishu Alayan in India, Dr. Kahonoor Begum, Prof. of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Anjuman Ara Begum and Kamrunnahar Begum, both Senior Officers of Agrani Bank, in Dhaka, Rawsan Ara, service holder in Norway and many other noted personalities of the country.

The school has consistently been scoring the highest in the district in the public examination every year. In 1993, Nasrin Sultana Laki and Khaleda Begum, both students of the school stood 4th and 7th among the girls in humanities under the Jessore Board of Education. In 1986, Sadia Sajmin Siddiqa, another student of the school stood 2nd in that group. In 1984 Shamsun Nahar Shuli got the 3rd place, Dilruba Parvin, got 3rd place in 1982, Rubina Khan got 1st place, Shahin Mahbuba Haq got 3rd place and Shahana Begum got 5th in 1981.

This year, 23 students were awarded the junior scholarship from the school. 11 of them were in the talent pool.

Right now there are 1,450 students studying in the school in two separate shifts. The shortage of teachers is the school's main problem. There are many vacancies for teachers. There are also vacancies for other jobs at the school that are not being filled. Pushpa Rani Saha, an Assistant Headmistress has been the Acting Headmistress for four months. “We have sent several letters to the authorities concerning the teacher shortage but in vain”, said Pushpa Rani Saha.

Pushpa Rani Saha, also said, “This girls' high school has a long tradition of success and we continue to uphold that. In the SSC examination last year 85 percent of students passed. 15 of them achieved a GPA 5.”

The teachers and students of the school also boast of their strong Girl Guides (for classes six to ten) and Halde Pakhir Jhak (for classes three to five) teams. Rokeya Begum, Assistant Teacher and Girl Guider said that there were more then 200 Girl Guides.

The acting headmistress Pushpa Rani Saha received a national award in 2001 as the best Scout Commissioner. The school came runner-up in 1994 in the National Handball Tournament and won in 1993 in the debate competition organized by Bangladesh Shishu Academy. Nadira Akhter Benjin, a student of the school came second in the best hand writing competition in 1997.

Students of this school love it dearly. Ishrat Jahan Tamanna, a student of class nine, who won the Junior Scholarship this year says, “I love my school. It has a beautiful campus. And it's located in the central part of town too."