Hindu College scores one hundred percent passes

School gradually returning to its former level of excellence

FIFTEEN students of the Hindu College (former Swami Purnananda Secondary School) at Cove and John on the East Coast of Demerara wrote the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations this year and everyone passed every subject written, with a total of 51 grade ones, 47 grade twos, and 34 grade threes collectively. Top student of the school, Cliffon Chichester, obtained eleven subjects with seven grade ones passes, three grade twos, and two grade threes. Gurdial Prahalad Bhagwan obtained ten subjects with seven grade ones and three grade twos. Gangadai Sukhlall also obtained seven grade ones, with two grade twos and one grade three; and Narendra Heeralall also passed all 9 subjects he wrote, with three grade ones, three grade twos, and three grade threes. Cliffon was the only student who wrote eleven subjects, while six students wrote 10 subjects each, with two obtaining seven grade ones each with distinction; four had written nine subjects and obtained five grade ones; three had written eight subjects and one had opted to write six subjects. All the students who wrote the exams had obtained less than or slightly over 400 marks at the Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (SSEE), with the exception of one student who had received 503 marks and was awarded placement at St. Joseph’s High School. Top student Cliffon Chichester had been performing badly at President’s College, where her father had been principal, so he had her transferred to the Hindu College and, under the excellent and disciplined tutellage provided at the latter institution, she soon began to progress in her studies. Narendra Heeralall had been awarded the Buxton Community High School, with the other students not even having done as well at the SSEE, yet they all passed every subject they wrote in the CSEC, with grades ranging from ones to threes, with many obtaining distinctions; and a mere seven grade fours in total. Every student obtained grade 1 passes (most with distinction) in English B, which is taught by Principal Ms Rajkumarie Singh. The Hindu College was once the top secondary school in Guyana but was closed in 1976 when the former administration had nationalised private educational institutions. However, residents of Victoria, Nabaclis and Golden Grove villages had protested its closure to the then administration, and requested that Guruji His Holiness Swami Vidyanandaji Maharaj continue to run it. The then government concurred with the villagers’ request and re-opened the institution, although Guruji continued as Principal and science master for a short while on a voluntary basis, because he insisted on no remuneration – either for himself or the bramcharis of the Ashram who also taught at the school. The building and all its furnishings and accessories, such as the science lab, were also loaned to the administration free of cost.

However, Guruji was subsequently forced to leave when his spiritual journey took him to the USA and the school went into a decline, until the appointment of Ms Rajkumarie Singh as Principal in 2004. Since then the school has been gradually returning to its former days of excellence. Ms Singh, who has 35 years of service in the education sector to her credit, said her primary and secondary education was obtained at the Swami Purnananda Primary and Secondary schools, after which she obtained her tert
iary education at the University of Guyana and her teaching degree at the former Government Teacher’s School, now the Cyril Potter’s College of Education. Most of her professional life has also been spent at the educational institutions attached to the Cove and John Ashram. Ms Singh attributes the excellent output of the Hindu College primarily to the strong moral and spiritual values inculcated from inception into each child. Every child has to seek direction from prayers each day according to the mores of its own religion, and discipline is a hallmark of the institution, which has no record of violence.

According to Ms Singh, romance among students is strictly forbidden, although interaction with school assignments and activities is encouraged. She says that students are encouraged to have pure thoughts, which impels pure actions. Another major factor in the school’s successes is the dedication and commitment of the teachers, who ensure that the curriculum is covered without resorting to extra leassons; but even if these are needed to help any child they are provided with no charges.

Ms Singh says that after founder of the Ashram, His Holiness Swami Purnanandaji Maharaj had left Guyana, the spiritual force guiding the direction of the school has been, and continues to be His Holiness Swami Vidyanandaji Maharaj, whom she says is solely responsible for laying the guidelines for the direction in which the school pursues correlating academic excellence, as well as spiritual and moral values. Guyana’s President, His Excellency Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, once taught at the Hindu College, as did father of Chronicle’s Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Arjune Ramotar, who currently resides in Canada with the rest of his family. The school, which charges very nominal fees, with some poor students being provided scholarships by well-to-do patrons, is overseen by a management team with Bhaiji Ramnauth Ramsarran as chairman.

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