His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen graced the celebration of Lungtenzampa School’s Golden Jubilee yesterday. Their Majesties were accompanied by Their Royal Highnesses Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel and Gyalsey Ugyen Wangchuck. His Majesty The King was in Lungtenzampa School from 1988 to 1992, and Her Majesty attended the school from 2001 to 2005.
Their Royal Highnesses Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck, Princess Dechen Yangzom Wangchuck, and Princess Eeuphelma Choden Wangchuck, who are also Lungtenzampa school alumni, attended the celebrations, together with former teachers and students who were part of the school in the last 50 years.
Lungtenzampa School was established as Thimphu Nursery School in 1972 with Mrs Carolyn Tshering as its first principal. It was later upgraded to a Junior High, and then Middle Secondary school, to include higher classes up to class 10.
“I moved from Yangchenphug where I was teaching and we set up the school. We had 45 children. The next year, all the parents were so excited about the school, they approached His Majesty and requested the school to be upgraded to a primary school, which they did. And that’s when it became Lungtenzampa School. And then it just expanded and expanded,” said Carolyn Tshering, Former Principal of Lungtenzampa MSS.
The school presented cultural performances and held a science exhibition and Fete to celebrate the day.
“The teachers, students and the Lungtenzampa School are very grateful and blessed to have His Majesty The King, Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen, His Royal Highness the Gyalsey and the Royal Family for gracing the celebration today,” said Dawa Tshering, the Principal of Lungtenzampa MSS.
Almost 200 alumni joined the celebration.
“I joined the school in 1985 and graduated in 1991. The fondest memory of being in the school was library time, reading books and looking forward to tea time during which we used to get marie biscuits and a cup of tea in the afternoon. I think we were the only school that had tea time,” said health minister Dechen Wangmo, an alumnus of the school.
“I studied here from 2016 to 2018 for four years. The fond memories I have had in this school include my friends and going around the school enjoying the view. Sometimes the school provided facilities like field trips and all,” said Thukten Jamyang, another alumnus.
To mark the special occasion, His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen granted the Golden Jubilee Tennis Court to the school, which was inaugurated today.
Tashi Yangden
