Lt-Gen. CKS Sabu inaugurates the new building of the Army Public School. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, Oct. 1: The army commander, south western command, Lieutenant-General C.K.S. Sabu today inaugurated the new building of the Army Public School at Deepatoli today.

The school was earlier running in the army barracks meant for prisoners of war at Bariatu.

The school paid Rs 7 crore for the construction of the new building which has sufficient number of classrooms for its 2,500 students, 11 laboratories, three computer centres, two audio-visual room, two libraries, and an art and music room. The school now also has big playgrounds and a basketball court.

Addressing the students and the staff of the school, said: “The concept of army schools started after the 1962 China war. There was a sudden increase in the troops and it was felt necessary to start a system to provide education to the children of our men. The concept was however finalised and given shape in 1980 by General B.C. Joshi”.

The army officer said the aim of Army Schools all over the country is to provide the best of education to its students at minimum costs. “The overall personality and development of a child’s character is emphasised in the school and students are nurtured by qualified and trained hands,” Lt. Gen. Sabu said.

The students organised a cultural show on the occasion. The audience enjoyed the tribal dance and the fusion dance presented by the students.

The history of the Army School in the city dates back to 1979 when it started functioning as a nursery school at the Dograi Lines in Morabadi. The school was later shifted to the Haldighati Lines also in Morabadi where it was known as Cockerel Primary School. The school was then shifted to Bariatu where it functioned till 2008 and has now been shifted to Dipatoli.