Tambdi Surla, Dharbandora – 25 May 2026: In a heartening boost to rural education in the Sancorda-Dharbandora belt, PACT Foundation today inaugurated its Happy School Project at the Barabhumi High School in Tambdi Surla. The initiative, funded entirely by PACT, has delivered two fully upgraded Smart Classrooms with AI‑ready smart boards, alongside refurbished benches and a complete makeover of the classroom environment.
Tucked away in the forested foothills of the Western Ghats near the Shri Mahadeva Temple of Tambdi Surla, the Barabhumi High School serves children from a cluster of remote hamlets in Dharbandora taluka, many of whom are first‑generation learners in their families. For these students, a well‑equipped classroom is often the single biggest determinant of whether they will go on to higher education. The intervention contributes directly to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), and supports the broader ambitions of SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by narrowing the urban–rural learning divide in Goa.
“For a school like ours, sitting at the very edge of Goa, this kind of support means a lot. Our Society has worked hard on giving our children a proper environment, but our teachers cannot do it alone. Today, with these Smart Classrooms, our children have the same window to the world as any city school.”
— Shri Gangaram Gaonkar, President, Barabhumi Education Society
Delivering the opening address, Shri Gangaram Gaonkar, President of the Barabhumi Education Society, thanked PACT Foundation for travelling all the way from Mapusa to support a remote corner of Dharbandora. He asked the students to use the facilities fully, to keep up with the changing world, and to do well in life.
“Many of you are the first in your families to study at this level, and that is not a disadvantage, but it is your strength. The internet has changed what is possible for a child born in Tambdi Surla today. The world is closer to you than it ever was to my generation.”
“These AI‑ready smart boards are not just screens on a wall. They are a doorway to the jobs of the future. But technology must be used responsibly. Use it to explore what interests you – science, sport, music, agriculture, arts, and then come back and lift this village with you.”
— Dr. Ashwin Fernandes, Founder & President, PACT Foundation
Speaking as Chief Guest, Dr Ashwin Fernandes, Founder and President of PACT Foundation, said the Happy School Project was a small but deeply personal effort to ensure that the next generation of rural Goan children is not left behind. Drawing on his own journey, from a village in North Goa to international roles in publishing and higher education, he spoke directly to the students in the hall.
With this intervention at Barabhumi High School, the Happy School Project adds another Goan school to PACT Foundation’s growing footprint of rural education initiatives, which also includes the Goa Super 100 scholarship programme and youth development activities across the state.
