HISTORY 1.      Name of the school:           Tsimalakha Lower Secondary School 2.     School established:             1990 3.     Area of  school campus:     8.34 acres 4.    Town:                                  Tsimalakha 5.     Gewog:                                Bjabchho 6.    Dzongkhag:                        Chukha Built in the Bhutanese architectural style, Tsimalakha Lower Secondary School stands with pride on the gentle ridge overlooking the hospital, market, residential colonies, and the Chukha Higher Secondary school below. The school has a total area of about 8.34 acres, and is situated in the heart of Bjachho gewog, under Chukha Dzongkhag. With the establishment of the Chukha Hydel Project as a monumental symbol of friendship between India and Bhutan, a new Indo-Bhutan Central school (IBCS) was born in Tsimalakha on 20th July 1977 with classes from PP to VIII. Later, on 30th April 1989, the Indian Government handed over the Indo-Bhutan Central School to the Department of Education, Royal Government of Bhutan. The school then started functioning with a changed name as Chukha High School with a total strength of about 400 students. Mr Mingbo Dukpa, who worked for one year as the Vice Principal in the same school became the first Bhutanese Principal of the school on 1st May 1989. As time passed by, the school could no longer contain the admission pressure as student enrolment increased. This gave birth to a new school in March 1990 with classes from PP to VI. This new school then came to be known as Tsimalakha Primary School. When the school was first established, its first head teacher, Mr. Binay Gurung  (1990-1991), gave a sound footing to the school despite its inadequate infrastructure. Mr. Kezang Chhogyel was appointed as the second head teacher of the school in 1991. During his seven years tenure as head teacher, the school saw tremendous increase in enrolment. By 1996, the school reached its strength of 861 students and 23 teachers. However, due to the dilapidated conditions of the classrooms at the old site, the school has taken over two blocks of buildings from Chukha Hydro Power Corporation, CHPC (Toebjikha) to be used as classrooms and academic blocks. There too, the school faced problems related to toilets, assembly ground, play field, and a risk of accidents for the children of lower grades. In 1997 Mr. Sangla took charge of the school as the third head teacher. The school saw the highest number of enrolment in the year 2000 of over1058 students. Due to large number students, the school had to recruit temporary teachers in the years 1998, 1999 and 2000. The school was upgraded to a Junior high school in the year 1999. The first batch of Class VIII students set for the BBE-LSSCE examination in December 2000. In 2001 due to the large number of students, Tsimalakha LSS got segregated and two new community primary schools were established at Tsimasham and Tashigatshel Police Training Centre by the names Tsimasham Primary School with classes from PP to VI and Mebesa Community Primary School with classes ranging from PP to V. The Department of Education and the Dzongkhag Administration started the construction of two new blocks of building in the old campus to accommodate more students. In 2002 when the new construction was completed, the school was again shifted back to its present location. The former Dorji Lopon, Venerable Ngawang Tenzin, consecrated the new academic building. With unceasing support from the Dzongkhag Administration and the Ministry of Education, a new administration building and a building for library and laboratory was built along with a mini play field by the constant effort from the Principal’s side. But the school is still facing dearth of classrooms, staffroom, play field, multipurpose hall and a proper fence around its campus.The present Principal Mr. Norbu Gyeltshen, a true academician, who joined the school on 3rd March 2008 with his constant hardwork and tremendous effort brought about many changes both in terms of academic enhancement and infrastructure development. Within a span of three years lot of changes were seen in the school campus. A new classroom building along with a toilet for the children of lower grades was constructed. A basketball court cum assembly ground was constructed. A concrete footpath from the classroom till library and science laboratory for the benefit of students especially during the summer monsoon period was built, and the fencing around the school campus without which development of the school was impossible. Every year the school participates in all the academic and non academic competitions and events, organized within and outside the Dzongkhag. Tsimalakha Lower Secondary School has earned much respect and dignity in the eyes of the public. The school also maintains good bridges between communities to encourage community participation, and always seek parental support and guidance where ever and whenever necessary to strengthen a sense of belonging. The school also organizes workshops and meetings to help parents and community know about the progress of the school, the achievements of our children, and the difficulties faced by the school. Parenting workshops on health issues like drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, childcare and diseases are held and discusses solutions and methods to overcome such problems. Thus, Tsimalakha Lower Secondary School has earned much respect and dignity in the eyes of the public. We certainly cannot predict the future of the school, but surely the school is growing qualitatively and quantitatively. There are still infrastructure constraints faced by the school. Nevertheless, the school aspires to be one of the finest abode for teaching and learning. In 2010 academic session, the school has a total strength of 701 students and 32 teachers with 8 support staff including a non-formal education instructor. This school is a heaven in the clouds, where a temple, which is the storehouse of knowledge, awaits the arrival of anybody aspiring to become learned ones.