In The Shoe of Rinzin Namgyal Sir

Rinzin Namgyal Sir (Principal from 2013 to 2020) is one of the most dynamic school leaders in the history of Zhemgang Central School. He hails from a small village of Langthel, Trongsa. He started his career as a Physics Teacher. Prior to joining Zhemgang CS as a full-hand principal, he served as a vice-chair of Jigme Sherubling CS in the east. 

 

A man of few words "born leader" has made all the difference at Zhemgang CS. 

He has great leadership qualities and skills from which one can learn and grow to be an influential personality at school and beyond. It is important for every teacher to be a good leader and a role model to teach and lead students learning. He is truly a visionary leader. He knows where he is right and where he wants his school and colleagues to be in future. When he joined Zhemgang CS, no one knew this school would run well and would become one of the most sought schools among high school students and parents. But he made it possible with his vision and personality as the school started to work well under his leadership. 

He has an eminent quality and charisma to inspire and motivate his subordinates and students without losing focus and target. He always motivates his staff and students to get the job done effectively. Rinzin Sir, to my best knowledge, always remains a humble man to his work and with his colleagues. Staying humble made him a great school principal at Zhemgang and he always put himself grounded with values and integrity. He believes that a school should be run on principles and shared-vision. He is known for a man of few words, great personality traits and silent doers. His leadership styles and skills helped him to run the school smoothly and successfully. It was clear from how Zhemgang CS had grown after his arrival. 

Rinzin Sir possesses management skills. He understands very well about the situations – subordinates and students through his own work ethics. The working environment and confidence has changed remarkably after he became the principal of Zhemgang CS. With the help of his leadership skills, trust and image of the school had grown drastically in the community and nation-wide; people working in the campus could proudly raise their heads high in confidence. In a short span of time, he has done a great amount of tasks and brought many positive behavioral changes in students and staff. During his tenure, he has taken many good decisions and brought a huge change for the school. I've seen a great deal of critical decisions being taken perhaps in a good way. 

Let me briefly share the timeline of Zhemgang HSS. 

The school, initially was started in 1958 as a community school (LKG and UKP system), has then grown into a junior high school after shifting at present place with Mr. Jacob as a principal. After the establishment, the school became one of the highly acclaimed schools in the country for producing not only good students but also producing good academic results. Initially, the school was established as a missionary school by Indian educationist. 

The building design and shining marble around the corridors is the clear sign of how good the school was, for so long. Along with Zhemgang HSS, there were many other big campuses, which had the similar design and style –Punakha HSS, Damphu HSS, Yangchungphu HSS, Jigme Sherubling HSS and Sherubtse College among others. Old, unique and strong institutions like all these schools cannot be easily replaced by any latest design and style. These institutions were simply great and strong. These schools must go in the history of Bhutan as a premier school. All these school buildings were laid down by the same idea. Perhaps, by Father William Mackey, when the establishing of the schools around the country were the top priority of His Majesty the Second and third Kings of Bhutan. 

What amazed me about this school building structure is the "shining marbles", perhaps it shine like a "diamond" and smooth like snails, one can lose gravity easily, sorry for the drunkard, this marble is not for your leg. Moreover, the building are earthquake resistant, which is clear from its strong walls that are still in-take and in place. I wish we have all the fine hands of those designers, carpenters, masonry, painters; labourers, supervisors and contractors today –less corrupt and strong-minded!

I was lucky among many to serve in Zhemgang CS for 8-year under a wise and farsighted leader Rinzin Namgyal Sir. The school has deeply rooted charismatic looks and charm and a good working environment established by Rinzin sir. 

In the span of a few years after his arrival to Kheng, he made Zhemgang CS independent, strong and wise. It is hard to find leaders who work wholeheartedly like him in such tough situations. He hardly travels for workshops, seminars and training unless deemed necessary. He share his chance with his colleagues. He rather strongly believes in focusing more on camp work, which school can do. Schools need leaders of such "kind and quality". 

His shared-vision for school has made all the difference. 

He is currently serving as a Principal of Babesa HSS, Thimphu.