EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION
The School
The Hannah Memorial Academy is registered with the West Bengal Government following formal inspection and assessment. There are 7 Trustees, all local people.
Running the School
The Buildings
There are now 7 properly constructed classrooms set in a large playground, a separate toilet block with girls & boys toilets/washbasins, a detached building for teachers, meetings, library and computers (in due course) plus a rustic ‘homestay’ with its own western toilet and shower – for volunteer English teachers or visitors.
Classes
There are 6 classes – Kindergarten 1 & 2, plus years 1-4. Completion of the new buildings has allowed numbers to more than double. Pupils are grouped by ability, not age, which works well. Ages range from 4 to 11.
School hours are 9 am to 3 pm weekdays (12 midday for the youngest), plus Saturday mornings for other activities, games and singing. However their enthusiasm is such that many of the children arrive at school by 8 am or even earlier!
Pupils
Owing to the political and economic instability of the region, the school roll varies considerably from one year to the next. There are currently 62 girls and boys in full time primary education, most for the very first time.
The school is in an area designated as being below the official Indian poverty level; what work there is commands a meagre daily rate of approximately Rs 100 a day – about £0.89. Many parents are illiterate, and few speak English.
Uniforms
Although, in theory, India has free primary school education, the reality is that the only other government run primary school in the area is locked and deserted so only the children of parents who can afford school fees can go to other schools in the region.
Hannah’s school accepts only children of the poorest parents. Like virtually all other schools in India, there is now a uniform. However, unlike other schools, and because of the local poverty, we provide the uniform material and also pay the costs of the local tailor who makes up the uniforms. All that the children are now required to provide are shoes and a hankie! The school is non-religious and children are from all faiths – or none. Children all walk to school, even the very youngest – for some it is well over an hour each way.
The Curriculum
The Standard Indian Curriculum
This is followed at every level; the school has the correct workbooks and text books as used by all the best schools in Darjeeling. This is enhanced by a range of appropriate English story books of all levels (donated by individuals and UK Primary Schools) with most sent free of charge by a UK export company.
Education goes beyond the standard curriculum to include living skills, personal hygiene, environmental issues like litter, social skills etc. The library of story books enables time to be set aside for reading for pleasure and the children have assembly and singing and sports and playtimes with skipping, football – and of course, cricket! Just like schools everywhere else.
English Language
All teaching is in English – considered the ‘gold standard’ for education in India – pupils can only speak English during school hours, and that includes playtime. The result of this total immersion is the extremely high quality of spoken and written English the pupils achieve.
Core Subjects
These are English, Nepali (their home language) and Hindi (children learn reading and writing in all three as required by the National Curriculum) plus Maths and Science, with History and Geography added in year 2. There are tests each Friday, and at term-end and year-end. Children who pass the year end exams move to the next level, any who do not are allowed to repeat the year.
Teaching
Teachers
All are English speakers. Each form has a form teacher although teachers with special skills and experience teach across the classes, so pupils and teachers have a varied day. Two classroom assistants help the teachers and assist the youngest children.
Not all the teachers have formal qualifications but they have all taught before, are well educated themselves, and have the benefit of the correct work books to guide them.
In the winter break (December to February) all the staff benefit from a 4 week Government teacher training course (delivered at the school by a Teacher Trainer). This is being funded by the Trust at a cost of Rs 10,000 (£130 approx).
Secondary Schools
These are Government funded and pupils who pass Year 4 exams can apply – but the fees charged for books and uniform are expensive – and compulsory. Most parents of children at Hannah’s school are unable to afford the £40 needed each year. However, each year, approximately 10 pupils – both girls and boys – from Hannah’s School move into secondary schools. All of them are sponsored for the duration of their secondary education.
Support us now
Hannah’s school has united people of every age, from two continents, who want to help create a memorial for Hannah and benefit a whole community in one of the poorest areas of India – please join us in supporting Hannah’s school.