Keeping in view the need of a government school for children of PAU employees, the present Government Senior Secondary Model School came into existence in the year 1972 in three quarters 9/3, 9/36, 9/37 on the PAU campus It was named Government Model Middle School and the medium of instruction selected was English. The school started with 50 students and 6 teachers and was attached to Government High School, Cemetery Road, Ludhiana.

Mrs Kand from Cemetery Road School was deputed to be the in charge of this school. The strength of students increased within a short span of time and it was felt that there must be some spacious place for its building. Tremendous efforts of PTA brought fruitful results and a piece of land was allotted near the hospital of PAU. The then Vice-Chancellor, Mr Mohinder Singh Randhawa, laid its fountain stone on August 23, 1974. Classes from 6 to 8 shifted to this new building as it had six rooms and one office only. Hence the primary continued in the same quarters.

Well qualified and a trained teacher, Mr Mohinder Singh Gill, was made its Headmaster. He worked with his full strength for the physical development and betterment of the school. The school was raised from middle school to high school and Mrs Amarjit Kaur Khejra was appointed headmistress of the school. With her tireless services, the school earned name and fame.

The school got ‘Uttam School Award’ in a competition of ‘Uttam School Pratiyogita’ held by the Punjab School Education Board at the State level in 1981. Mr Hazoor Saran Bedi was awarded national award for the best teacher whereas Nirmal, Ms Satnam Kaur Chabbra and Mr Chander Hanspuri, Ms Gurcharan Kochar, Mr Paramjit Singh Panesar have been state awardees.

At present the school has a big library with 3936 books, 12 periodicals, 4 newspapers, reference books and dictionaries. It has 42 classrooms, 3 staff rooms, 3 well-equipped laboratories, two computer rooms (one for theory and one for practical) with 5 computers, spacious playgrounds, sufficient toilets and water drinking facilities. The journey which was started in 1972 with 50 students and 6 teachers has today crossed a milestone and presently 1497 students are getting education under the able guidance of 65 qualified, trained and dedicated teachers.

In the field of education, the school has always showed excellent results in the board examination. Four to five students come in the merit list and more than this number get scholarships every year. Some students get 100% marks in the subject of English in the matriculation examination which itself is a record.

In order to achieve the objective of all-round development of children and enable them to explore their calibre in various fields, Inter-house activities such as debates, declamation contests, painting quiz, creative writing, slogan writing are organised in the school. The students also take part in different competitions organised by government and non-government organisations such as Punjab School Education Board, the Punjab Language Department, the Wild Life Department the Punjab, the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, the Punjab Pollution Control Board, the Bharat Jan Gyan Vigyan Jatha, and the Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle.

On education

Practical aspect of education should definitely get more importance. We try to use teaching aids in subjects like science. The teachers do make simple models to make lessons more interesting. The models and charts should be used in every subject as listening and seeing helps better in retention of things taught. The problem with the present education system is that it does not equip the students to face situations and problems in life. The heavy syllabi does not leave much time for teachers to focus on all-round development of students. Though the school provides a lot of opportunities for development, we have vocational streams like automobile, fruit preservation, knitting and horticulture. These help the students to find jobs after plus 2 itself.

On discipline

‘Remove the rod and study the child’, is what the teachers believe in this school. Since the problems of students are tackled in a psychological manner, discipline problems arise rarely, in spite of the school being a co-educational one. A code of conduct committee comprises senior and experienced teachers who help students face their problems and offers them solutions. A gate pass is issued to every class and only two students can go out of the classroom. Good discipline is maintained with the help of all teachers and they all act as role-models. Members of eight Houses assist the teachers to maintain the discipline in the school. Help is taken of PTA to settle some serious disciplinary problems.

On religion

A secular approach to religion is adopted in the school. So every important day of every religion is celebrated in the school. Students are given talks about the great deeds done by that person so that the students can imbibe those values. Good values are taught by teachers by being role models themselves. We can see the change in the attitude of the children as everyday during prayers good thoughts and moral values are given through a story. The parents also let us know of improvement in their ward’s behaviour. We strongly tell them “do unto others as you want them to do unto you.” AA

‘The Akashpari’

A sixty one born, the daughter of our country

Kalpana travelled space twice and made the history.

From the very beginning she thought to go in space

and succeeded in her dream in ninety seven with full grace.

She got the chance, availed and succeeded again

but lost everything while coming on earth sixty three km remained.

To Akashpari Kalpana, India will forget never

who has gone to the space alas, forever, forever. forever.

Harpreet Kaur, IX