RESENTMENT OVER RENAMING OF THE SCHOOL

RESENTMENT OVER RENAMING OF THE SCHOOL

22-JULY-ENG 14

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA---------------------------The government's initiative to rename state-run schools in Bihar has become a topic of discussion in the state's educational and political circles. A recent decision to rename 551 schools across the state to "Saraswati Vidya Niketan" has sparked a fresh debate. The impact of this move has now reached Hari Narayan High School in Shahpur, Bhojpur district, where local residents and public representatives are deeply upset by the renaming.

Gupteshwar Sah, former Vice-Chairman of the Shahpur Nagar Panchayat, reacted sharply to the decision, terming it an act of "saffronization" of education and a politically motivated move. Highlighting the school's historical significance and the sentiments attached to it, he recalled the past. According to Sah, this is no ordinary school; a long struggle and the community's unwavering dedication lie behind its existence. Babu Hari Narayan had donated his valuable land for the construction of the school. At that time, the entire rural community had united—collecting a handful of rice from every household—to strengthen this foundation of education.

Local residents maintain that the school is not merely a structure of brick and stone but a symbol of their ancestors' sacrifices and social participation. Gupteshwar Sah has termed the government's decision an injustice against the donors, their descendants, and the entire community that built this institution for the children's bright future using limited resources and hard labor.

He further states that the manner in which the schools' old names are being changed represents not only an attempt to erase local history but also a sign of disrespect toward the donors' contributions. Describing it as a form of wrongdoing, he remarked that it is deeply distressing to see the erasure of an identity established by those who had donated their land and even their grain to provide the village children with an opportunity to study.

For now, discontent regarding this matter continues to grow in Shahpur. The question arises: can this exercise—undertaken in the name of development and modernization—afford to overlook the historical foundations upon which these centers of learning began their journey? This issue now demands a broader discourse; on one hand, the government is defending its policy, while on the other, villagers are threatening to take to the streets to safeguard their heritage. The primary objective of education is to instill values ​​and impart knowledge to children, yet preserving cultural and historical identity throughout this process is equally crucial.