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Guru Griho

From Sunamganj

Jamalganj High School Turns 60

Despite many challenges, Jamalganj High School continues to fight the good fight

Iqbal Siddiquee

Jamalganj High School has recently turned 60. Located in the remote Jamalganj upazilla headquarters under the Sunamgnaj district, the school has long been playing a laudable role in providing education to thousands of students, most of whom come from relatively underprivileged groups. Owing to its remoteness, the low-lying areas of Jamalganj have lagged behind in terms of economic and social development, but Jamalganj High School has been steadfastly playing its part in driving the region forward.

The school attracts students from Jamalganj itself, as well as from the adjoining thanas like Dharampasha, Derai, Tahirpur, Madhyanagar and parts of Sunamganj proper.

The school was founded on 1 January of 1950, through the initiative of a group of well-to-do philanthropists. The affiliation for SSC came in 1956. In 1968, the school started its Science and Commerce departments. The last addition to the school was the Computer Science department, which started in 1996. It was the first school in the Sunamganj district to be able to offer an education in computer science.

Today, the school has 950 students.15 teachers are currently responsible for the education of these students, although the minimum quota for teachers at the school stands at 18. Abul Quashem has been serving as the Headmaster at the school for the last 14 years, having joined the school as an assistant teacher in 1980. “It is difficult for us to find good teachers as the qualified candidates are often not willing to work in this remote institution”, said Abul Quashem. “The hostel, which stands just behind the academic building is in bad shape. But with no other alternative, boys from poor and middle class families who come to the school for distant areas have to live there anyway. We can not accommodate many of the interested students in the hostel mainly due to shortage of rooms”, the headmaster said.

The biggest issue facing the school at present involves the land which stands just in front of the school. The government had allotted the 29 decimal land temporarily in 1885 to one of the founder of the school. The land was later transferred to the school, and the one year lease is being renewed each year. But, the school authority has come to know of some organized groups who are trying to secure the lands for themselves with a view of using it commercially. In response, the school authority has applied to the government for permanent lease of the land.