Sindhupalchowk: What is generally expected of government-funded community schools in the rural areas in terms of SLC results? A meager success rate or a constant care to evade the shame of coming up nil?

Neither of this applies to Melamchighyang Secondary School in the mountainous Helambu.

This exemplary school of the district has scored landmark success, securing a sixth consecutive 100 percent pass result in the SLC exams.

Usually covered with snow year round, the school has been keeping up this impeccable track record ever since it first appeared in the SLC exams six years ago. What astounds even more is that none of the examinees from the school has ever come down to second division.

This time, four came out with distinction and the remaining 12 passed in first division.

Principal Purna Gautam attributes the uncommon success to the efficient management of the school and hard-working teachers. “These two factors alone could have reaped this success,” he said. “It´s us who need to create an apt atmosphere where the students work hard of their own accord and get the desired results.”

The school, more grippingly, has challenged a widespread notion that good English education is something very dreary and that one cannot get outside the city. Here is a strong set-up, with additional nursery and KG classes-- to offer the students effective lessons in English. And it is free of cost.

District Education Officer Gehanath Gautam is generous in his admiration for the success of Melamchighyang. “This is a place where teachers only teach and the students only learn,” said the government official who himself surprised others by getting his son, who was studying at an English medium school in the capital, admitted to this school.

The classrooms at the school are lively. Teachers enter the classes with specific lesson plans. The remote location has attracted students from several places across the country--as far away as Jhapa, Ilam, Biratnagar and even the capital.

The school has a special feature of teaching Hyalmo culture, life-style and language, alongside an effective learning environment.

Despite the outstanding success that one could hardly imagine at a government school, Melamchighyang School has not had any strong government back-up. It is running on limited resources and is skimpy on teachers. Seven teachers are recruited with internal resources.

“We are fairly well motivated by our continuous success,” said Gautam.

source: republica,16 June 2012