Background

Brief History of School

 This school was started privately in the late 1970s by the community of Khandothang then known as Mechetar and the adjoining nearby villages. It is 5km away from Samtse town towards Tashicholing and is about 10 minutes’ walk from the nearest road head. Mr. BaldeoUroan, a resident of Mechetar is believed to have contributed the land while the rest contributed labors and materials for the school construction. A nine roomed one storied building was constructed to house classrooms, store, staffroom and the head teacher’s office.

The community recruited teachers and paid them partly in cash and the rest in kind, especially grains. The subjects taught were Nepali, Mathematics and a bit of basics English. The medium of instruction was Nepali. The Government took over the infrastructure in early 1980s (probably in 1982) and set up a formal school in which the medium of instruction was English, as it used to be around the country.

The school had classes up till grade six from where the graduates were sent to Samtse Centre School for their secondary education. But then many of the school had to be closed down indefinitely due to the anti-national (Ngolop) activities in southern dzongkhags. Most of the students could not continue studies after that. But with peace restored and situation normalized the government looked at plight and needs of the people and re-opened the schools previously closed. Mechetar CPS (previously Buduney PS) was also re opened on 10-03-2002 with three teachers, including the head master with 176 students. (94 boys and 82 girls)

Some students in class I were transferred to this school from Chengmari PS and SamtseMSS by looking at their walking distance. The re-opening of the school was inaugurated by the Dzondag of Samtse,(DashoSherubGyeltshen)but then most of the infrastructure had to be renovated. There were no doors, windows, furniture, some rooms were roofless and there was no electricity. The school had to remain without a single toilet and water connection for few months. The three teachers had to adjust 5 sections daily merging two sections with the other three. But by May the renovation works were completed and even two apprentice teachers joined which made the working atmosphere much comfortable.

After the reopening of the school, Mr. Singye took over as the new principal followed by Mr. TshumbaDrukpa who superannuated from the teaching cadrein 2016 after serving more than 34 years of active service. Currently Mr. Nima Dorji is the principal and he joined the school in July 2016. In the course of its existence, the school had seen so many changes both in academic performance and infrastructure development. In 2012 the name of the school was changed to Khandothang PS. As of 2023 we have 235 students with 13 teachers, and 6 support staff including 1 Adm. Assistant, 1 care taker,1 SSI, two cooks and a sweeper. The school has also seen a drastic improvement in the school academic performance and received a letter of appreciation and a cash amount of Nu 5000.00 in 2017 from EMD, MOE, Thimphu.