Instilling the values of honesty and discipline, along with studies, as well as the pursuit of extra-curricular activities, is the mantra of South Point School.

History

The school was set up at Barsapara, Guwahati on October 1, 1960, by Minati Chanda, with her husband Dilip Kumar Chanda, on rented premises with only six students. Over the years, the school has developed into a high school, as well as a higher secondary starting from the pre-primary level. It is one of the oldest private schools in Guwahati.

School timings

For non-boarders, from 7:50 am to 2:10 pm (Monday to Friday) and 7:50 am to 12:10 pm (Saturday).

Strengths

The co-educational day-cum-boarding school, affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), provides liberal education on modern lines with stress on innovation, to suit changing times and requirements.

The school has playgrounds, libraries, laboratories, a music centre, a canteen and well-equipped physics, chemistry and biology laboratories.

There are libraries for the junior, middle and senior classes with approximately 6,000 books along with a good number of newspapers and periodicals. The library boasts latest audio-visual equipment to conduct workshops or seminars that are organised from time to time.

The school has a well-equipped computer laboratory having 50 computers.

Facilities for various sports such as cricket and table tennis are also present, including a scouts and guides division.

Several multi-storeyed buildings house classrooms as well as dormitories and other facilities for residential students from prep 1 onwards. There are separate arrangements for boys and girls, ably managed by efficient and dedicated staff under the chief warden.

Areas to improve

The school’s infrastructure is yet to be completed. The look of the school’s campus needs to be improved, as well as the children’s park situated behind the school. Also, the school’s sanitation and cleanliness should be taken care of. Plantation drives should be conducted in the school for a greener and cleaner look.

The teacher and student ratio needs to be decreased.

Achievements

There has been a hundred per cent success rate in the matriculation exams this year.

Kollol Purkyastha and Kuldip Krori represented the school in the Vivekananda Kendra Quiz on the heritage of India at Kanyakumari and secured the first position.

The school bagged both the first and second prizes in the all-Assam essay meeting competition organised by the history department of the Arya Vidyapeeth College.

It won the district kho-kho championship (under-14), as well as the Inter-School Cricket Tournament (under-13) in 2005.

Biswajeet Biswas got the first prize in the inter-Guwahati painting competition organised by the district administration at Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in 2005. At the all-Assam patriotic song contest (Assamese) organised by Bharat Vikash Parishad, in Dibrugarh, the school’s students secured the first prize for two consecutive years in 2004 and 2005. The school’s dance troupe won the Guwahati zone inter-CBSE choreography competition in 2005.

A student from the girls’ section of the NCC was awarded the best marching contingent trophy at the Republic Day Parade in 2003.

The boys’ NCC troop of the school was adjudged the best junior division unit of 2004.

Parents’ view

Bijon Das, advocate, says, “I had admitted my daughter Joyeeta and son Himadri Shankar Das in the pre-primary classes. Joyeeta has passed with good results after completing her senior secondary, while Himadri is studying in Class XI. I am very satisfied with their performance, both in studies and other activities. The school is equipped with all the necessary facilities. It admits quite a large number of students, and in this regard I would suggest the school authorities to add more sections for classes and employ more teachers.”

Students’ view

Moumita Chakraborty and Rakesh Nath, from Class XI say, “We have been studying in this school from the nursery level, and we consider our school to be the best and will continue our studies till Class XII. Our teachers are perfect guides for us. They are nice, co-operative and helpful and we get their full support in learning, as well as in other activities apart from studies. ”

Management’s view

Krishanjan Chanda, principal: “The motto of South Point School is the ‘pursuit of excellence’ and the entire South Point School family, comprising of students, teachers, non-teaching staff and members of the management, is dedicated to this noble pursuit. We dedicate our achievements to the hard work of our committed teachers, and to the vision of those at the helm.”

“All of us here in South Point School are not uniformly bright and brilliant, but each of us possesses manifold talents that are nurtured with the right environment of sharing and caring constantly being provided, devoid of rigidity and authoritarianism. We are in a very special place. South Point School exists to transform lives. We, the South Pointers, have always excelled in different spheres, which include not only academics, but also extra-curricular activities, in and around the state and country.

Fees

Rs 480 per month (excluding transport).

Pranab Kumar Nath