There is no bigger reward for a class VI student than getting selected to study in The Royal Academy. It is a dream for the graduates of primary schools to get an opportunity to qualify for the visionary school in Pangbisa of Paro initiated by His Majesty The King. This is a story of a thirteen-year-old student from Bukkey Primary School in Samtse. He will be the first one from Bukkey village and the school to ever set foot on the campus of The Royal Academy.
Born and schooled in Bukkey village, Ugyen Gurung has not much knowledge about the outside world except for what he learnt from the books. And his love for learning never stops, not even during holidays.
“I like to study and my favourite subject is Dzongkha. I also like to draw and I am also interested in developing games during IT classes. At Bukkey Primary School, I stood first in my class with an overall percentage of 93.5%. It was all due to my teachers,” he said.
It was not a smooth road to success for Ugyen. Being the eldest, he has to help with the daily chores at home. According to his mother, Ugyen does all the work wholeheartedly, be it studies or any household work.
“He helps me in almost everything. Be it feeding or looking after the livestock. He is always helpful. And in studies too, as a mother, I rarely have to remind him to do his homework and studies. He has been like this from a very young age,” said his mother Monica Gurung.
He has also proven his worth at the school too. As a hardworking student, he was shouldering the responsibilities of a school captain for Bukay Primary School.
“Ugyen Gurung is an exemplary figure in school. We give his example to all students as he is not only brilliant in studies but takes part in all other co-curricular activities. He is well behaved and a soft-spoken person coming from a humble background,” said Jigme Jamtsho, the Officiating Principal of Bukkey Primary School in Samtse.
With this achievement, Ugyen has now become the first person to get selected for The Royal Academy from Bukkey Primary School, one of the most remote schools in Samtse, that was only established a decade ago.
“It is for the very first time that a student has got selected for The Royal Academy from our school. Not only from our school, but Ugyen is also the first person to get selected from the Bukkey community here,” the Officiating Principal added.
While the Samtse Dzongkhag has been consistently sending out a few students to The Royal Academy every year, this year, two students have successfully managed to book their place at the premier school. Along with Ugyen, a student from Tabadramtoe Lower Secondary School in Dorokha will also leave for The Academy next month.
Meanwhile, for Ugyen, of many things to be happy about, he is happier that he will no longer require to walk for hours to reach his school.
“At times, we used to get late for our schools due to the long distance. But I am happy now that the school at Pangbisa provides boarding facilities. I also heard there are many good facilities up there,” said Ugyen.
But Ugyen is a little worried as well. He has rarely gone out of his village.
“I haven’t travelled out of my village as I didn’t get many opportunities like this. Moreover, I don’t know much about other places, as others do. But I am now happy that I will now get to explore new places once I reach Pangbisa. I remain ever grateful to all my teachers here and His Majesty The King for the opportunity,” he added.
Despite knowing only a little about his new school, he feels that he is up for the challenge. And with the best of facilities and a school that will not only focus on academic achievements but also help in character development, Ugyen Gurung is only expected to further become an active, responsible and productive citizen.
Passang Dorji, Samtse
Edited by Sonam
