Teacher's resolve saves fading school

From fixing the low student enrolment rate in school to improving infra, Gojen Phukan turned future of this institution around as its headmaster, Prasanta Mazumdar writes

- Prasanta Mazumdar

HE Sankardev Girls' Middle English School at Lahowal village in the Teok area of Assam's Jorhat district had almost vanished from memory.

Founded in 1952, it was once regarded by locals as a "heritage" institution, but over the years its classrooms emptied, its walls cracked, and its purpose faded.

By 2017, the school had just one student left—against five teachers. The state government had already decided to merge it with a nearby institution, as part of its drive to close or consolidate schools with very low enrolment. Between 2018 and 2024, more than 8,000 elementary schools in Assam were either closed down or merged to ensure a standard teacher-pupil ratio, optimal use of staff, and reduced administrative costs. For Sankardev Girls' School, the order seemed final.

Then came Gojen Phukan, a soft-spoken teacher who refused to give up.