India Cultural Centre of Canada’s Gurdwara Nanak Niwas has been running a Punjabi school for the past three years. At the conclusion of each school year, students with assistance from their teachers, share with their parents, grandparents and the Gurdwara management their learning experiences. They are presented with Certificates of Participation by the Gurdwara. In a sense, everyone looks forward to this year-end celebration. Like previous years, this year again, the students were excited to share their stories and other experiences at a function held at the Gurdwara on Sunday, July 26.
The student recital of poems, stories, Gurbani, alphabet, numbers, names of the ten Gurus of Sikhism and various other items were well received by the attendees. The teachers – Harpreet Kaur Swaich, Prabhjot Kaur and Jasbir Kaur Atwal – commended the students and thanked the Gurdwara management for making it possible for the children to learn Punjabi in a very relaxed environment. Prominent local writer Avinash Kaur Gill also commended the students, teachers and the Gurdwara management for their commitment to Punjabi language. She urged parents to encourage their children to be proud of the language of their ancestors. As co-ordinator of the Punjabi Program at the Gurdwara I am very pleased to see so much interest in Punjabi language amongst our children and their parents. On behalf of the Gurdwara management, Mrs. Kashmir Kaur Johal presented Certificates of Participation and cash awards to the students. At the conclusion, everyone was treated to light refreshments including vegetarian pizzas, juice and tea etc.
The children will now get a break for the month of August. Punjabi classes will resume on Sunday, September 13 at the Gurdwara. Sometime before that, parents will be invited to the Gurdwara for registration etc. On behalf of the Gurdwara management I would like to thank the students, parents, grandparents and teachers for a very successful school year for Punjabi.
Balwant Sanghera is co-ordinator of the Punjabi School Program at Gurdwara Nanak Niwas in Richmond.
