Durbar High School Became the First Choice of Students

Durbar High School Became the First Choice of Students:

Durbar High School in Ranipokhari, which is of great importance in the educational history of Nepal, has now become the first choice of students among the community schools. The influx of new students has increased after the school building, which was completely damaged by the 2072 BS earthquake, was reconstructed in an attractive manner.

The Gorkha earthquake five years ago turned it into ruins. Now, the faces of both Pratap Malla-era Ranipokhari and Jung Bahadur-era Durbar High School have changed. Now those treasures look dazzling.

The Government of Nepal is in the process of rebuilding the important natural and cultural heritage of the Kathmandu Valley; Bhanu Secondary School and Sanskrit Secondary School are now functioning within the boundaries of the historic school which was rebuilt in the old style.

The new building also has a laboratory facility and English medium education is provided. At present, the number of students in classes 6, 7, and 8 of Bhanu High School has reached the prescribed number. The infrastructure of the school has been prepared to accommodate 36 students per class.

With the construction of the building, the number of students has reached 587, including 287 in Bhanu High School and 300 in Sanskrit High School. Schools have become the latest technology-friendly. The school management committee is promoting the school along with training the teachers. Due to the global risk of Covid-19, students are now taking online classes from home with the help of the Internet. Earlier, there were a total of 300 students in the two schools.

Although it was built using modern construction materials after it was completely damaged due to the earthquake, its appearance looks the same as before. The school building, built on nine ropanis of land, has four floors with 60 classrooms.

The building was designed by the China Aviation Planning and Designing Institute. Construction Manager Rajendra KC says that the work has been completed to hand over the building to the Government of Nepal within 19 months of the start of construction. The foundation stone of the reconstructed school building was laid on Shrawan 18, 2075 BS. The building was constructed with the full support of the Chinese government by the Chinese company Shanghai Construction.

Initially, clay, bricks, mortar, and lime were used in the construction while the cement was used in the maintenance. Reconstruction work began only three years after the quake, due to a long-running dispute between the CPN (Maoist) and the Department of Archeology over the issue of the map.

A science laboratory, yoga practice room, ayurvedic laboratory, computer laboratory, fireplace, two libraries, and a large meeting room have also been constructed inside the building. The Chinese government has provided all the physical infrastructure including tables and chairs used in the classrooms of Durbar High School, which was constructed at a total cost of Rs. 855.9 million.

Even though Durbar High School was reopened after President Bidyadevi Bhandari inaugurated the school building along with the reconstruction of Ranipokhari on October 20, the school is still closed due to the corona epidemic.

Bhanu Mavic Principal Akhilesh Prasad Azad says that the students will come as expected in the coming days as there is a modern and well-equipped physical infrastructure as well as a laboratory. He informed that preparations have been completed for conducting child development classes from the next academic session.

Durbar High School, the historical heritage of Nepal's educational sector, was built due to the earthquake, and a temporary tent was constructed on the campus of Valmiki Vidyapeeth at Pradarshani Marg. Work is currently underway to move goods from the terrace to the new building.

The then Rana government opened the Durbar High School in 1910 BS to educate its children inside the palace. The then Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana, after returning from a visit to the United Kingdom, established the first formal school in Nepal, Durbar High School, on 27th Ashoj 1910 BS. It is mentioned in history that teachers were brought from Britain to teach English in the high school which was established so that only the children of the King could study.

After Ranoddeep Singh became the Prime Minister in 1933 BS, the children of Rana's employees were also allowed to study there. After Ranoddeep's assassination in 1942 BS, Bir Shamsher moved the school near the entrance of the White Palace in Jamal. After Devshamsher became the Prime Minister in 1957 BS, the general public was allowed to study at Durbar High School.