Holy Cross Girls’ High School

Holy Cross Girls' High School founded in Dhaka in 1950 by the Society of the Congregation of Sisters of the Holy Cross of Roman Catholic Church, began its academic activities as a kindergarten with only two kids. The school was set up in Tejgaon area near the holy rosary church. In January 1952, the school was upgraded to a primary school. The church authority further upgraded it as a high school in 1953 to impart secondary level education. As Sister Augustin Marie was made the first head mistress of the School in 1955, it had fulfilled all the requirements to be a full-fledged high School. Later, the Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Dhaka recognised the school and the first batch of SSC candidates appeared before the examinations in 1966. At that time, only morning shift schooling for the students from class one to ten and two sections, science and humanities were there. The commerce section and the day shift for the students from class six to class ten were introduced in 1999 and 1994 respectively. At present there are about 1500 students in both the shifts. Beside, the school conducts a separate academic programme named Afternoon Literacy Programme for the poor and slum children of the capital. Seven female teachers teach about 350 students of different classes from one to ten.

Beside academic buildings, 32 thousand square feet school area has a rich library of 5000 books, four well-equipped laboratories, two computer labs, an auditorium and two playgrounds. The School has good records of successful results in the public examinations. The students here also take part in girls guide, girls scout and yellow bird programmes. They also participate in various other extra-curricular activities like quiz recitation, debate and arts-crafts competition to proof their talent. The school organises the Science Fair and the Social Science Fair in every alternate year. The students take part regularity in various competitions organised by Radio and TV channels. The school authority observes the education week and other national days. It also publishes the annual magazine, organises seminars and annual study tour. Students are regularly assigned to impart education to garments workers by attending them in the factories under the mass literacy drive of the school. It was awarded the prize of best school at national level twice, in 1997 and 2003. Although Christian missionaries run the school, its door is also opened for Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist students. In 2010, the school had 57 teachers and the passing rate of students was 100, and secured 9th position among the good ten schools under Dhaka Education Board in terms of the SSC results. [Rani Cathrine Gomej]