First Santhali-medium high school approved in South Dinajpur
BALURGHAT: For the first time, South Dinajpur district has received approval for a Santhali-medium high school. The Bandhmulluk Kismat High School, located under the Jalghar Gram Panchayat in Balurghat Block, has received official sanction to conduct classes up to Class IX and X in the Santhali medium.
Until now, students from the Santhali community had to leave the district after completing Class VIII to continue their education in their mother tongue. This new development will allow them to study up to the secondary level within their own district and appear for the Madhyamik (Class X board) exams in the Santhali language. Classes are expected to begin from the upcoming academic session.
Santosh Hansda, Chairman of the District Primary School Education Council, shared: “Our district currently has four Santhali-medium junior schools. We had written to the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education, requesting permission to upgrade them to the secondary level. Of the four, one school — Bandhmulluk Kismat High School — has received the approval to introduce Classes IX and X. This marks the district’s first Santhali-medium school at the secondary level.”
District Inspector of Schools (Secondary), Debashis Samaddar, confirmed the development, stating: “The department has issued the order to begin secondary-level classes at Bandhmulluk Kismat High School.” There are currently around 200 students enrolled across the four Santhali-medium junior schools located in the Balurghat and Gangarampur subdivisions. Previously, the lack of secondary-level Santhali education in the district posed significant challenges for students and families.
Kalpana Murmu, the acting headmistress of the Bandhmulluk Kismat High School, expressed optimism: “The demand for education in the Ol-Chiki script has been long standing among the tribal community of the district. That aspiration has now been fulfilled. We will work hard to increase student enrollment in the coming years.”
