By Irvinderpal Singh Babra/Sikh Press
MALTON: A new full-fledged Sikh school will be opened within the premises of Sti Gumi Singh Sabha Canada Gurdwara in Malton, This was announced by Harpreet Singh Vachoha, who is the secretary of the Gurdwara, which is one of the biggest Gurdwaras in North America, At last weekend’s meeting, he brought in Harinder Singh Takhar, of the Peel Board of Education, under Whose jurisdiction the proposed Sikh school has to function. Takhar ‘was recently appointed as the executive financial expert by the Board, which is the biggest education board in Canada Takhar in charge of its over $650 million annual budget.
Last week’s meeting in the Gurdwaras room number 4 was slightly crowded as many Sikh seniors, retired Punjab teachers and headmasters, working teachers in Peel Board, an old and distinguished Sikh doctor, former Gurdwara presidents Avtar Singh Brar and Jagtarn Singh Sekhon, present president Amarjit Singh Mann, committee members, Brampton Realtor Sulakhan Singh Hundal, two members form the ‘Canadian Punjabi Media Association and many others also attended. They saw the slide presentation by Takhar but the school project was well debated and passed by the sangat.
The opening of school is the fulfillment of the past commitment of 10 years. The property was taken by the Sri Gum Singh Sabha Canada, under the president ship of Avtar Singh Brar, from Peel Board of Education at the amount of $725,125 on June 26, 1984. Bra had promised the opening of a nursery school among other conditions. In the last 10 years from 1984 to 1994 the property has developed as one of the best Sikh Landmarks in North America, it is located on Airport Road and is Serving thousands of Sikhs and members of other faiths who visit it daily. The last 10 years period has ‘been of intense history, control by international Sikh Youth Federation (Rode Group) exit of Brar, new committee under Sekhon and construction of new building by Tuli and Co., Further development, and now the new project of school, under Mann and his committee members at a cost of $300,000. The Mann committee promise to spend $100,000 for the school. If this has been a brief picture of history, its association with the Shiromani Sikh Society Gurdwara at Pape cannot be ruled out. Pape ‘was the first Gurdwara in Toronto which became a center of controversy, infighting and mismanagement it is now managed by anew committee which is headed by Sadhu Singh Chahal, who also serves in Malton. It has over $4 million in the account from the Pape Gurdwaras sale of land, near Wonderland, about two years ago. Gurdial Singh Sandhu, who was the president of the Pape Gurdwara at the time of sale, was brutally murdered later on and his suspected killer Salinder Singh Dhillon is in jail. The case is going on, together with the murder of Balbir Singh Brar, who had objected to the land deal in 1993. Inspite of these well-established facts, cases and Sikh public concerns while the Sikh seniors protested about the functioning of the Mann committee, their commitment for the opening of a new school is highly praiseworthy, Takher’s participation and call to all members in the community to offer their suggestions in favor of the school is unique. And the suggestions came in plenty: *Avtar Singh Brar liked the idea but wants better management and inclusion of technical education; *Hundal also wants better management and running of the Sikh school separately from the Gurdwara and appointment of a board; 3 *An old Sikh doctor who had graduated from the London School Of Surgeons in 1951 offers to donate his pension in India;
*A group of Sikh seniors including Harbhajan Singh Grewal, Bachan Singh Toor and many others who were present also want better management and better school. The Sikh seniors had met with the management and expressed their concerns.
“The working teachers urged that the school must be separate from the Gurdwara and function on the Ontario and Canadian standards. ‘The point that the Ontario Khalsa Darbar Gurdwara, under Harbhajan Singh Pandori’s committee also want to set up a Sikh school within their premises, was brought in. Vachoha said that it’s true, “but we have no control over However, we have made an. offer to get additional five acres of land near the Malton Gurdwara and we are working in that direction.”
It is now to be seen how many Sikh schools will be opened in the near future. If the Gurdwaras have to embark on education initiatives, they have to form one single, solid Sikh Board of Education and follow the standards. This is not done so far in Toronto and the state of private Sikh schools in Vancouver or London is very much private in functioning. Right now, it is commendable that the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Canadian Malton has ‘adopted the open and honest accountability of funds and management and confirm they are financially sound to undertake such a venture in education. They have the best location, funds and resources and must apply them to the best use of the Sikh community. The proposed nursery Sikh School can one day become the Sikh university in the 21st century. After all, it was the Sri Guru Singh Sabha movement in the early years of this century that saved Sikhism in Punjab. It has always enjoyed the leadership as the greatest socioreligious reform movement of the Sikhs. It’s a rejuvenating force at a time of need for the perseverance of Sikh symbols, identity and religion. It works against rites, rituals, dogmas and other superstitions and is very conscious of the Khalsa concept, spiritual and cultural heritage. And, it is for these reasons they will have support of all Sikhs provided they propagate the education message and movement properly. Any short comings will fail their vision and mission in Malton and beyond. The next meeting will take place in the last week of November. Ring Sri Guru Singh Sabha Canada, Malton 9056711662.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 11, 1994
