Utpal Academy - Bhutan's first All-girls High School

Academic Block

Welcome to Bhutan’s first all-girls school. Isn’t that wonderful news to all our parents? Certainly, as a parent of a one-year old daughter I am excited about the coming of a school exclusively dedicated to the needs of girls. Our girls need special treatment, which we can for sure entrust the responsibility to Utal Academy, Paro.

Dinning Hall

I really like the name – Utpal – in Buddhist world, Utpal is another name for lotus flower, which is believed to grow from mud and yet blossoms into a beautiful and majestic flower. It stands for purity and many deities are depicted holding flower Utpal, more prominently Jestusn Dolma, the Goddess Tara. Symbolically, it also stands for the transformation of our girls. What an apt name for the school!

Hostel Room

The Principal’s message posted on the academy’s website promises providing our young women an “opportunity to participate fully in a wide range of extracurricular activities to develop skills and qualities that will lead to successful and fulfilling life.” That’s in essence the wishes of every single parent.

The school attempts to close the gap that exists in learning experiences of boys and girls. And more than anything having a school completely dedicated to girls would go a long way in promoting leadership skills in our young women so that they take greater leadership roles in the society as they grow up. Girls would also learn more in such school, as they would no more hesitate at their male counterparts. As a result children would engage in many activities willingly and without hesitation. Our learning experience in coed schools tells us that we have heisted most of our learning period and being conscious of who we are, etc.

Bathroom

Today even at the country’s premier college, so many girls hesitate eating out from the mess and end up a huge amount buying other edibles from the market. And even if some girls attend the meals, they would eat so little. This is what hesitation I am talking about.


But in this way a girl school would be better off. Children, as they grow up, hesitate in the class and there is a little or no classroom engagement. And a separate school would address that issue as well. For that same reason, I think we need schools for only boys in the country. How about that – is anyone thinking about it?

Personally, I have been in an all-boys’ school (which is one of the best in Philadelphia, US) and had one of the best learning experiences, which I cannot even compare with my college experience in Bhutan.

Parents' visiting room

And with such school around, I know where I want to send my daughter when she is ready. I hope parents decide on giving the best gift your daughters deserve!

Blogger’s Note: Well, this is not an advertisement and neither do I know the promoters of the school, but I definitely think this is good start for the girls. All pictures are from the Academy website.