THE Valmiki Vidyalaya High, Guyana’s premier Hindu school, last Wednesday hosted its first Annual Symposium and Mini Exhibition under the theme: “Promoting Learning in a Cultural Environment”.

The school offers quality education from nursery to secondary, in a cultured and religious environment.

The Hindu school located in Queenstown, Georgetown was established in 2010 by Hardesh Tiwari, as a non-profit institution with the aim of providing academic excellence at the same time instilling in students the Hindu culture and religion. Today, the institution offers a wide variety of subjects ranging from science and business to Hindi, yoga and cultural classes.

According to Principal Kasree Ramphal, the school strives to enhance the capabilities of its students through academic subjects such as science, business and technology. Students are also exposed to religious teachings, cultural classes, dancing, yoga and Hindi – all in a spacious and conducive environment.
Coordinator Pandit Yogeshwar Mathoo explained that the symposium held on Wednesday was an open forum, not exclusively for Hindus, by which means, the institution aims at making the general public aware of what the school offers at the secondary level.
The school, which initially housed just the nursery and primary levels, now has three departments. The secondary department was introduced in 2010 and has grown by leaps and bounds.

Interestingly, the school started with just one child but now has about 100 children, with others showing an interest in coming on stream.
An eminently delighted Pandit Mathoo said, with a sense of satisfaction: “We pride ourselves on the discipline and respect that is instilled in every student that walks the corridors of our institution.”

He explained that in a changing society and one that is driven by technology, institutions such as The Valmiki Vidyalaya High School are needed, to ensure that youths of the future generation stay focused and culturally-oriented.
Several other schools were invited to make a tour of the secondary department and witness the students as they engaged in practical work in their respective disciplines or streams.

Subjects taught at the school include science, science and technology, home economics, business education, culture and religion.
In the science department, a wide range of subjects including agriculture, human and social biology and biology are taught.
Meanwhile, viewers were treated to practical demonstrations by students, in areas such as science and home economics.

In the home economics department, students were engaged in demonstrations of cooking and serving visitors ‘hot bigani’ and ‘pakoora’ and other delicacies.
Teachers, for their part, were busy arranging booths showcasing mathematics, business and science and technology. Above all, what was immediately evident was the warmth and goodwill between the teachers and students.

To students who are desirous of joining the Valmiki Vidyalaya High School to pursue a balanced secondary education, Principal Ramphal and staff extend a warm welcome.
Giving credit to the school, Ramphal recalled that the school started with a single student, whose name is Javier Narine. Today he is pursuing aeronautical engineering at the Ogle Airport.

The principal also outlined that the institution has in its employ a number of skilled teachers in almost every subject area and who are ready to go the extra mile to ensure the aims and objectives of the school are met.