Private school in Assam's Jorhat offers free education to underprivileged children

A private school equipped with modern facilities in Assam's Jorhat district is offering free education to children from poor families.

Jyoti Protap Gyanmarg Bidyalay, located on over six bighas of land in the Kaliaparea near Teok, was established in 2021 by Protap Saikia, a local businessman.

Saikia founded the school to provide free education to underprivileged students, driven by his own experience of being unable to access quality education due to financial constraints.

"I could not get a proper education because of finances. Setting up a school for underprivileged students was my dream--to provide them with free education and ensure that no child endures the same fate as mine," Saikia told ANI.

He invested around Rs 5 crore to realize this vision, recognizing the ongoing challenges faced by families in the village and neighbouring areas in providing quality education for their children.

The school, managed by the Jyoti Protap Education Trust, offers classes up to Class 12 and currently has around 210 students. It features modern educational facilities, including digital classrooms, computer labs, robotic labs, a medical unit, and a Guru Griha (worship home). The school also provides opportunities for students to learn traditional Assamese arts, with a yoga teacher, a Satriya dance teacher, and a Bihu dance teacher on staff.

"I used my savings and land to form a trust and run this school," Protap Saikia added.

Biju Kumar Sarma, the school's coordinator, emphasized their commitment to providing the best education for students. "We try to maintain a unique environment on the school campus, with paintings of renowned personalities, national parks, rivers, etc., on the walls of the school building, and illustrations from textbooks on classroom walls," Sarma said.

Silpi Kakoti, a science teacher at the school, expressed her satisfaction with the initiative. "We do not charge any fees from students. We teach Assamese culture and traditional musical instruments too. The school is equipped with all modern educational facilities, including science labs, a robotic lab, a computer lab, a library, and digital classrooms," Kakoti pointed out.

Nikumoni Bora Hazarika, the mother of a student, expressed her gratitude. "We are very happy. My child got the admission here free of cost," she said.