Chhatrapur: Onslow Institution, a school set up by a British officer at the district headquarters of Ganjam in 1855, is all set to get a fresh look if the proposed plans are executed on time.
The school awaits a state of the art laboratory at a cost of `1 crore, operation of Kendriya Vidyalaya on its campus and introduction of Class XI. At present, the school has student strength of 466 from Class VI to Class X.
With school’s establishment dating back to mid-19th century, its alumnus list includes Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, Delhi police commissioner Amulya Patnaik and a number of IAS, IPS and top government officials.
Though several measures have already been taken for the school’s development, some issues are still pending, said some ex-students of this institute.
While the only Student Police Cadet Project of the district is in operation in this school, efforts are on to set up a library with all advanced facilities, it was learnt.
A patch of land at the rear side of the conference hall has been earmarked to set up a laboratory at a cost of `1 crore and a proposal in this regard has been sent to NITI Ayog for approval, school authorities said.
Earlier, it was a boys’ school but enrolment of girls have begun from this academic session. A building on the eastern side has been selected for functioning of Kendriya Vidyalaya on the campus.
According to reports, Onslow Sahib, a British administrator, had set up a primary school in 1855 to promote education in the area. Initially, the students were taught in Oriya and Telugu medium. Later, it was upgraded to a high school in 1915 and came under Ganjam district education board in 1921. The school got government recognition in 1967-68.
The school is one of the oldest in the country and locals as well as the managing committee are trying their best to turn it into a model one, said in-charge headmaster Radhakrushna Nayak.
He also sought support of the administration to trace the lost landed properties of the school.
PNN
