Shree Amar Singh School
Trip Start
Aug 17, 2007
1
21
27
Trip End
Apr 2008
Pokhara,
Nepal
Monday, February 11, 2008
Yesterday J.P. Cross and Buddhiman Gurung picked me up from Fire on the Mountain and took me to the colonel's home where we drank tea and talked about the Gurkhas and Nepal. It was a fascinating talk, and it is clear that J.P. Cross' knowledge of not only Nepal but most of Asia is vast.
After this, Buddiman dropped me off at the school where I am to be assisting in English teaching; Shree Amar Singh memorial school. The school was originally established by Gurkha families using the payments made by the British government for their lost menfolk during the War. Attached to it is a school for blind and visually impaired children, set up by Major Richard Willis (Simon's father). I will mostly be assisting Lok Gurung, the English teacher, but also helping with handwriting and conversation classes in the main school.
It is such a well-organised, happy place and the teachers all seem to have exceedingly good English, especially Lok. Indeed, I'm not sure how much help I can be since Lok's knowledge of English grammar is spot-on - far better than mine! However it is good for the students, who are aged from 7-20, to talk to a native English speaker.
At the moment I am having trouble learning the names, which are always given in full and are quite long! I am so impressed by how helpful and kind the kids are to each other, and how well they apply themselves to their study. Later in the day I watched them play a cricket match. The ball is pea-rolled towards the wicket, and has a gadget inside which makes anoise, but as far as I could see the completely blind kids were almost sensing its presence. All were extraordianrly good at it. All Nepalis seem to have a great liking for sport, and these kids simply won't let visual impairment stop them. Some of the students are classed as 'B1' - completely blind, up to 'B3', which is severly visually impaired.
Many study alongside the sighted children in the main school, and the two groups mingle and are firm friends. In exams, the blind students have a 'writer' from the main school to help them, but in lessons often use a braille 'slate' and 'sylus'. Thick paper is clamped into the slate, and the stylus used to punch out the words they are learning in Braille. The teachers are great and the students learn fast. I can't describe how impressed I was by the place, or how happy everyone there is.
Today, after going to the temple with some of the students, I went for a walk with Buddhiman's brother-in-law, Hemon, and we visited Pokhara's very interesting mountain museum. We are now on Lakeside, and as soon as we have finished our emails I plan to teach Hemon how to sail - unfortunately the wind is not great today though!
As ever, warm regards and thanks for reading. Will try and get some photos up before the end of the week, too.
Comments
Even I've logged in!
Bim, what a story- there are not many times in life that I want to leave the comfort of my own home with a back pack on, but reading your blogs are one of them- I just fear that I wouldn't suceed in picking out some of the finer experiences that you embrace. The other part of me get's distracted from your narritive in thoughts of how it could be made more accessible to other folk who would get so much pleasure from your installments as I do... asking friends to read my brother's travel bolg really does not do it justice! Looking for the full length published version that I can read in bed!
thanks
Hello and namaste Thomas,
Just read your blog on Amarsingh School and i was taken back to my schooldays (1981-84) which was the best part of my whole schooling life. When I joined the school, it was a grade 8 - 10 school with more than 800 students. The medium of instruction was Nepali with only one compulsory English subject. The school has a great history with it. It was established in 1956 by the Indian governement for the education of children of gurkha soldiers and the project was led by Late major Birsingh Gurung from Kanhu Danda). It was called Soldiers Board School then and was very famous in the region.I am not sure, if the money was given by british governement but at least i know that there were Indian Emabassy and the governement of india more into this project.
Since that time, the school has made a huge contribution in producing skilled, unskilled menpower including soldiers and officers for gurkha rifles in India and the UK, doctors, engineers, civil servants, politicians, businessmen and diplomats.
When i was in grade 9 ( or 10 but not sure), the school opened its lower secondary branch (grade 6 and 7 ) and later the blind section of the school came into operation but as you said it was not set up by Major Richard Willis. Rather it was run by the education ministry. Its true that, later British Gurkhas welfare Scheme supported it by providing funds and improving the infastructures and facilitites. After completing my SLC exam, i have been there for only a couple of times. My last visit was some 12 years back, when i went there to see DB sir, the blind teacher who once surprised me by recognising me hearing my voice after 10 years. There was huge change in everything and i came to know that Gurkha Welfare Scheme was helping the blind section.
The school has come a long long way from its early years and itlooks completely different from the time i was there as a student.
I would like to say thank you for writing a blog on my ex school, which i can never forget.
Long live Amarsingh School.
Thanks, Govinda!
Thanks for your comment, Govinda! yes, it truly is an excellent school. I am going back to Pokhara this summer and can't wait to see all my friends there again. Thanks for your corrections, too!
All best,
Jai Amar Singh School, Jai Nepal!