Teacher “gone fishing” may mean absenteeism in many schools across Assam’s rural landscape, but at the Simbargaon Higher Secondary School, it’s a reality. About 15 km north of Kokrajhar, the headquarters of the Bodoland Territorial Region, the school, founded in 1939, is a landmark in Simbargaon village.
In high demand among parents, the school resembles a botanical park covering more than seven acres with classrooms built like cottages. Classes are in the Bodo language for the Bodo tribal students, and in Assamese for the Adivasi and Muslim students. A strong reason for parents clamouring for admission is the focus on nutrition powered by the vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, and the fish the school farms.
“What reassures us is that our children get good food during their midday meal,” Kamal Basumatary, the father of a student said. The emphasis on quality food has yielded results. The students have built up a reputation in sports, emerging as runners-up at the last U-14 Kokrajhar district-level summer school tournament.
