The KG classroom. A Telegraph picture

Oodlabari (Jalpaiguri), June 22: The Salatians of Don Bosco have opened an English-medium co-educational school here to cater to the hinterland of Siliguri and Binnaguri.

The order runs boys-only schools in Calcutta, Liluah and Siliguri.

The seven-acre campus in Oodlabari is located on Kranti Road, 4 km from the NH 31 crossing. Classes began in April this year. “We have started with 200 children in two sections each in KG and Class I and will add classes each year as these batches progress,” said Father V.L. Francis, the principal.

The initiative began four years ago when a study revealed that the region between Siliguri and Binnaguri — a distance of about 100 km — lacked good English medium schools. “Oodlabari was chosen because it is halfway between the two places (around 30 km from Siliguri) and is situated in serene surroundings with a beautiful view of the foothills,” the principal said.

Father Francis said the land was procured in two phases in 2004. A school building with 35,000 sq ft of floor space over three floors was completed this year. “The library and science laboratories will be located on the second floor, while the classrooms, staff room, office and reception area will be on the first two floors,” said Father Jagjivan, the vice-principal.

Students are coming from as far as Metteli (20 km), Chalsa (17 km) and Malbazar (10 km). “Parents have arranged for car pools as we are yet to decide whether to run school buses or not,” said the principal.

Most of the students, however, are from nearby areas.

The person who travels the most though is Ananya Chatterjee, a teacher, who comes from a tea garden located 47 km away, on the Bhutan border. Chatterjee is one of seven teachers at the school.

“A school run by an organisation of such stature is definitely welcome,” said Arjun Biswakarma, the father of Anjali who studies in Class IA. “We hope that the standard of teaching will be as good.”

Fees compared to other Don Bosco schools are nominal. “Poor students get further concession,” Father Francis said.

A football and hockey field is already in place at the campus and later a hostel, quarters and an assembly hall would be established.