State oldest high school observes 75th anniversary
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(L) Education minister Yitachu addressing the gathering at the platinum jubilee celebration of RGHSS, Kohima, on November 8. (R) Jubilee choir presenting a special number titled ‘Then sings my soul’.[/caption]
KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 8: Established in the year 1941 with its motto ‘Educate one and all,’ Rüzhükhrie Government Higher Secondary School (RGHSS), Kohima, the first high school in the State, celebrated its 75th years of its existence on November 8. The school has earned the reputation of moulding and nurturing young minds by producing numerous present day scholars, public leaders, bureaucrats, doctors, engineers etc.
Gracing the programme as the chief guest, minister of School Education and SCERT, Yitachu said it took 109 years to establish a government high school in the State. He appreciated the self sustaining endeavour of the school by making best use of the available resources for the best possible outcome since its inception.
Stating that education can bring about transformation in any given society, he however lamented that the State still lacks in quality education despite availability of trained teachers and state of the art infrastructures through the mission mode in the form of SSA, RMSA and various other agencies.
In order to achieve quality education, Yitachu said education should be imparted in a cheap way, saying if it is too expensive it will be beyond the reach of many people in a given society.
‘If we want a wholesome progress, education has to be cheap, free and world class quality,’ Yitachu said.
Also stressing on the importance of cleanliness, Yitachu said a clean environment keeps our mind, thoughts, attitude and relationship clean. He said such environment can come about only when quality education is imparted to all the citizens.
Yitachu has urged the school authority and teachers concerned to strive maintaining the status, prestige, aims and objectives laid down by the founding members of the institution. The teachers were also urged to take the responsibility and take pride over the success of its students and continue to render their services with continued zeal and enthusiasm.
On the occasion, the minister also urged the school to make a resolute commitment to make RGHSS, the first school, to give free of cost quality education to the people of the State so as to bring change in the society.
Parliamentary Secretary of Youth Resources & Sports, State Lotteries and MTK and guest of honour, Khriehu Liezietsu, acknowledged the invaluable contributions of the school toward imparting quality education and widening the horizon of thousands of students year after year.
Terming the school as an epicentre of education and learning, Liezietsu said RGHSS has thrived over the years and held pride in producing some of the most competent leaders and officers among the Nagas today.
As the school completes an important milestone, Liezietsu was optimistic that the school will progress with more commitment and dedication towards building a progressive State and a nation.
The birth of the school has an illustrious history, when the American Baptist Mission, in response to the prayer of the Nagas for the need of a high school in Kohima, sent Rev. GW Supplee, an educationist from America to start a Mission High School in Kohima. Supplee was reported to have purchased big area of land at the present school site but unfortunately could not start the school due to economic depression in America at that period of time.
Subsequently, Supplee and Pausey, the then British Deputy Commissioner of Kohima, jointly proposed to start a government high school in Kohima by amalgamating the existing Government Middle English School and the Mission Middle English School into one, which was accepted by the government. Thus, Kohima Government High School started in the month of May 1941, with Supplee as honorary headmaster, and Lhuviniu Lungalung as Assistant Headmaster.
Short speeches were also delivered by the Deputy Commissioner, Kohima, Rovilato Mor, who is also the chairman of School Managing Board; and Executive Director of Angami Baptist Church Council, Rev Dr Atsi Dolie.
Jubilee choir enthralled the gathering with their special number ‘Then sings my soul,’ while Keviyiengunuo Shürhozelie sang ‘Amazing grace’.
