Patuakhali Government Jubilee High School


Patuakhali Government Jubilee High School, established in 1887, is one of the oldest schools in Bangladesh. It is located in Patuakhali District.

History

Origins

During the building of the school the founder of Barisal Government Brojmohon College, the late Brojmohon Dutt, father of late Awshini Kumer Dutt, Nobin Chandra, Shen father of Congress leader Shotindronath Shen, Umesh Chandra Dash, father of leader Hiralal Dashgupta, local lawyers, barristers and many other people played a very important role. In 1876 Akhwy Kumar De gave a place where they built a hut and first started a school named 'Patuakhali Entrance School' under the supervision of Magistrate Rosh Ranjan Pal as the headmaster of the school near the present district post office.
The present school hostel and playground had previously been used for cultivation. In 1887 former SDO Mr. Foez Uddin Hossain took a lease on the property for the school and built an eight-room, single storied building with the help of the government and money from local villagers. In 1887 on the day of Moharani Victoria’s Golden Jubilee Festival they moved their school to the building from their old hut. On that day they named the school as ‘Patuakhali High English School’ as the part of their school memorandum.

Move to present location

In 1912 the Indian government took over fifteen bigha of land near the school and handed it over to the Ministry of Education to make it a government school. When the education ministry gave an order to the acting committee to leave the school under government supervision the school committee disagreed, thinking that if they did do it then this school would lose the goodwill that it had. They took a lease under one taka tax and built the present school building. In the period of India, this school earned fame as the idol school in a very short period of time. As a result, in 1917 they got a donation from Calcutta University. At that time Pondikul Shiromoni Borda Kandoshen was the principal of the school. In 1931 the most brilliant student of the school Nobochandra Banarji took charge as principal, a position he kept for about 24 years. In his time Bongo Shardul A. K. Fazlul huq and former education minister Sir M. Azizul Huq came for a visit. In 1945 they started giving scholarship in every year of 5 taka per month to the student who gained the top score in the examination of high primary in every Union to study in the school.

Nationalization

In 1952 this school enlisted in Uplift Scheme. In 1962 it got enlisted in Maltire Tarol Scheme. On 15 November 1968, the school was nationalized and renamed as ‘Patuakhali Govt Jubilee High school’ at the government level.

Present day

In January 2013, the school observed its 125th anniversary. Former alumni hold higher positions of Bangladesh, including Minister Shahjahan Mia, Justice Mohammed Nizamul Huq and Additional Deputy Attorney General MK Rahman.