Suryodaya English School
| Suryodaya higher secondary school | |
|---|---|
 तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय | |
| Address | |
| Damak-11,Jhapa Nepal | |
| Information | |
| Established | 1986 |
| Principal | sister. Imelda sherpa |
| Grades | K.G to 12 |
| Number of students | 1400 approx |
Suryodaya English School, often referred to as SEMS, is a Missionary school in Nepal. It was founded by a Jesuit Father L. Harvey in 1986 A.D. As a result, it is called by locals as Father Boarding. It is an institution in Jhapa, Eastern Nepal known for extra-curricular activities and excellent education.
History
The historic villa, where the school took birth does not exist today with a new residential building built in the mid 2000s. The relic was a symbol of desolation lingering in the sweeping transition in an ever changing environment before being home to a respectable working-class family. However the old villa until its existence did provide the distant memories of Fr. Harvey, the pioneer of Suryodaya, who first started the kindergarten in this rented house with the enrollment of not over fifty pupils in 1986.
In 1985, the then Ecclesiastical Superior, Rev. Father Casper J. Miller bought the land for the site from a local landowner Bijoy Kumar Lama and registered it in the name of Nepal Jesuit Society. Rev. Father Laurier Harvey was given its charge and was sent with directives to start a school and parish here. Father Harvey (1986-1989) was the first Principal of Suryodaya English School with Rev. Father John Kisku, Sister Sima and Mrs. Josodha Subba being the first members of the teaching staff. By 1987 a building had been constructed for class one at the current spot, followed by the construction of a vocational school specializing on training the locals on T.V. and radio repairs, further spoken English, Embroidery and Home Science were also part of the program. Fr. Harvey is still remembered among the locals and is still a favorite subject of their talk, as they often speak about his twenty five paisa monthly fee that he charged his students. Unfortunately, in an unfamiliar environment he had to combat adjustment problems and often faced communal criticism.
In 1988 the Convent building was completed and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny started staying there, and by 1989 the authority was transferred from the Jesuit Fathers to the Sisters. Rev. Sister Margaret Rai, an elderly sister served as the first principal of the newly erected school, despite her old age and ailments she continued until 1993.