Local stakeholders revive Rabdang Chotang primary school

GANGTOK, : Rabdang Chotang Primary School, located in the heart of Rabdang subdivision under Gangtok district, was recently notified for closure due to low student enrolment. At the end of the last academic session, the school had only seven students, prompting authorities to consider shutting it down, a press release informs.

However, the local citizens and the School Management Committee (SMC) under the leadership of Lal Bahadur Tamang organised a meeting of the villagers on the issue. It was decided to keep the school operational and also to transform it into a model institution following a private school framework.

Following this decision, the committee took swift and impactful steps to revitalize the school and increase the enrolment. The number of students enrolled rose from 7 to 18 for the current academic session.

As part of the campus beautification, local panchayat member Ram Tamang painted the school with attractive educational art to make it more appealing to children.All teachers were sensitized and instructed to follow systematic teaching methods based on structured lesson plans.

The SMC decided to organize a monthly quiz competition to encourage student participation and learning beyond the classroom, the release mentions.

On Tuesday, the SMC met again to distribute school ties, diaries, and identity cards to the students—generously sponsored by local guardian Dr. L.P. Sharma.

Looking ahead, the committee aims to increase enrolment to between 50 and 100 students in the next academic year. To support this goal, they are inviting admissions from across Sikkim as well as from neighboring States. Plans are also underway to establish a student hostel at a reasonable fee to accommodate students from outside the region, the release mentions.

The revival of Rabdang Chotang Primary School stands as a testament to the power of community involvement and grassroots leadership in sustaining rural education.