Unfolding The Struggle: Meet Inspiring Headteacher Kalimul Haque
Dr. Kalimul Haque’s main motive in life is to educate underprivileged children. He said in order to be successful in our endeavours we must be honest and hardworking, no matter how much alluring the shorter routes might seem.
Dr Kalimul Haque is the Headmaster of Nepali Para Hindi High School, Durgapur, West Bengal. He has been awarded the National Teacher Award in 2020, making his family, school and the state proud of him. Dr Haque was born and bought up in Bihar. He completed his matriculation from his village and then he shifted to Patna to pursue his higher education.
After completion of his higher studies, he started his teaching career in the year 1999 in Hitakarini High School, Kharagpur, Dist. Paschim Medinipur on 12th February as a teacher. Later he was promoted to the post of Asistant Headmaster at Hitakarini High school on 9th October 2004. In April 2010 he was promoted as the Headmaster of Nepali Para Hindi High school at Durgapur. This is when his life gained momentum.
He said that he was with his family when he received the message notifying his selection for the award through Whatsapp. But he assumed it to be a hoax news, so he ignored it. Later, when he got the confirmation from the department, he was dumb founded as he heard it and moved to tears. He received the award from President Shri Ram Nath Kovind. That was his hero moment as his efforts not only changed his life but also of others’. He got numerous calls felicitating him for this victory.l
Do watch our conversation with Dr Kalimul Haque
Challenges are the part of journey
Dr Kalimul Haque completed his higher education and PhD from the Patna University. He was preparing for Civil Services. At the same time, he used to teach students and that is when he drifted to teaching. He chose teaching as he believes it is a noble work, a great way to serve people. In 2010, he was posted in Nepali Para Hindi High School in Durgapur as the headmaster. He said that Durgapur was absolutely a new place for him. Initially, he was surrounded with negativity. The school, then, lacked basic infrastructure, there was no management. The condition was not satisfactory. He was perplexed, different thoughts crossed his mind. But he didn’t lose motivation.
To begin from the beginning
Instead, he believed in himself as glory lies in changing something from substandard to something appreciable. With self-confidence he proceeded. He conducted meetings to discuss the changes to be brought. He interacted with the teachers, colleagues, students, parents, alumni, administration and also industries. In this way more people came forward in the journey of betterment. As a team they worked towards the improvement and development and in the year 2019, the same school was awarded the Best School in West Bengal.
Even during the pandemic ,the teachers held meetings to commence the online classes and now the students are having regular online classes in full force and study materials are being shared . They had given online examination successfully. The school has rules and regulations which everybody is bound to follow. They are striving to become a perfect school.
Vision is must to excel
Dr. Haque’s journey of success began in a place which he was not accustomed to. Joining the school as a headmaster was already a pressure and, he had a long way to proceed. His self-confidence was the only companion to start the journey with. According to him, one must have right vision which guided him to fulfil the challenging mission. The support of his colleagues, students, local people, alumni, parents and government schemes like SSM, RMSA shaped his journey of renovating the school. He believed that developing a government school is not just government’s responsibility but is an individual responsibility.
He has not just confined his work within his school but with help of RTE (Right to Education) and people like Apurba Mukherjee and SMD Sankha Santra, he inaugurated 15 new schools in Durgapur. Now he is the Convener of Martriculation and Higher Secondary schools. His contributions are noticed everywhere in Durgapur.
Innovation and changes begot by Dr. Haque
Dr. Haque says students are the weapon of a teacher, it depends on the teacher how they are going to use these weapons in their teaching learning process. He modified the teaching and learning method by introducing smart classrooms, new science laboratories, and computer laboratories. He introduced the TLM (Teaching Learning Materials) on WhatsApp. The interesting thing is these materials were prepared by the students and used by the teachers to teach the students. Students’ involvement in such a way refined their skills, motivated them and fostered creativity in them.
Today the school has 30 computers, 5 smart classrooms to facilitate audio and video teaching. The laboratories and art galleries are very rich. Another innovations are hydroponic farming and rooftop gardens. His sustainable and environment friendly measures like soil-less vegetable farming on school’s rooftop, rainwater harvesting are worth the praise. Every corner of the campus is beautified, conveying important messages. Now the school has a total strength of over 3600 students, 53 classrooms, 29 teachers, and separate washrooms for both girls and boys. The school also has an excellent result. He said he owes his achievements to his entire group who helped him in making his ideas and dreams come true.
His noble approach towards life
He belongs to a humble background and is extremely down to earth. His devotion to his work is reflected when he said about his punctuality and regularity at work. He preaches less and practices whatever he expects others to do and wants to be a role model for students so that many of them would get motivated and do the same.
Dr. Kalimul values each profession, his helping hands reach others without any discrimination as he is said to have done menial works. Throughout the district his contributions are appreciated by the people These day, his school has set an example to be followed. Dr. Kalimul Haque’s main motive in life is to educate the under privileged children. He said in order to be successful in our endeavours we must be honest and hardworking, no matter how much alluring the shorter routes might seem.
Presently Dr. Haque is one of the most inspiring figure, he neither worked for fame nor money. He just aimed at developing the education system. As we know, good deeds will shine sooner or later, so did his. His journey to success was not an easy one but because of his self confidence and self belief, he is what he is today.
We congratulate people like Dr Kalimul Haque who is working for the society and its future leaders. SarkariSchool.in salutes the creators of India’s tomorrow, Dr Kalimul Haque, his efforts and dedication. Sarkari sbse Asarkari!!
(With Srishti Bera)
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Dr. Hariswami Das - April 3, 2021
In 2019 Sovanagar High School was crowned with the most prestigious Jamini Roy puraskar. We are really indebted to Paschim Banga Samagra Siksha Mission for felicitating us. Sovanagar High School bagged this award for not without reasons. Firstly, the school has been able to make its infrastructure visually appealing.
The teachers of this institute are always striving to inculcate ethical, moral and social values in students. The students are here given ample scope to express and expose their inner selves freely.
WE designed and implemented several environmental projects with the pupils, self help groups and local community to produce organic fertilizers, vermicompost, organic ferming, mushroom, fishery and etc.
The girl students here are given a healthy and friendly sanitation system with napkin vending machines and incinerators so that their drop outs may be reduced and regular attendance may be increased.
Ebrahim was an ice cream seller, when he got admission in our School found that the learning was boring to Ebrahim. But Ebrahim and atleast 40 other students of each category started enjoying their studies when we introduced some remedials kits with the help of PROTHAM FOUNDATION. They used tools, play activities, individual worksheets to build micro competences of children of grade V across language and maths.
Sovanagar High School has pioneered in turning worries to wealth. For example plastic has became a great threat and the students here are being made aware of the bad impact of plastic. They have turned the apparent pollution to solution by making plastic bricks, green wall, hanging garden, green house, pots etc and all these have been possible for its enthusiastic students.
Roof garden, one of our innovative works, has been made the atmosphere all around green. The students here can be acquainted with a number of vegetation and this helps to study nature closely and intensely It also imparts an idea that every inch of space should be used in plantation. Besides cultivating different seasonal flowers, medicinal plants, various types of vegetables are also being cultivated here to provide students fresh vegetables in MDM.
Rain water harvesting has been initiated by Sovanagar High School to propagate the notion that water is life. A replica of the globe for drinking water system has been erected to make the students aware of the essence of water in the Universe.
To develop student’s art and culture Art Gallery and Museum, “atit o aitijhya” is here. The students are prepared here throughout the year by our teachers for various cultural programmes throughout the year.
To develop their love for the mother language and make them aware of “Bhasa Andolon” Matri bhasa smarak stambha and Bhasa sahid stambha have been erected here.
To express their latent talent on craft and art a display room named AMADER BARI is here.
Gymnasium, Yoga Room, Indoor games including table tennis and taekwondo training for girls are available here.
Smart class room to make the learning more joyful and effective. Well furnished and equipped laboratories and library.
Smoke free mid day meal at big dinning hall. Arogya bhawan for sick students. Safety and security and hygiene.
Innovative waste management system.
No waste is waste until we waste it! So, we used in our School everything which is a waste material.
Truly BALA concept applied in the whole campus.
Over the year various cultural and social programmes for development of leadership quality. Sishu sangsad, kanyasree bahini, Eco Club, Legal literacy club, anti plastic squad and NCC.
Sovanagar High School aims at Education for all and Education for sustainable development in true sense.