Friendship College Boys Story - As told by the Founder
🎙 Story of Friendship College Boys
As told by the Founder
In 1957…
I first had the idea of opening a college in the north of the island…
because, at that time, there were very few schools in this region.
I had a very good relationship with Mr Claude Obeegadoo,
the principal of Trinity College… where I had studied.
So I went to him… and shared my idea.
He encouraged me…
and generously shared his knowledge about running a school.
A couple of years later… in December 1959…
I heard that McDallen College had released three teachers.
I contacted them…
and proposed that we join hands… to open a school in the North.
They agreed.
And that… was the beginning of our journey.
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We started looking for a building to rent…
and eventually found an old one…
just opposite the Astoria Cinema Hall in Goodlands.
The owner agreed to rent it to us…
for a deposit of twenty thousand rupees—
which was a very large amount at that time…
and a monthly rent of four hundred rupees.
We began renovating the building…
and managed to set up eight classrooms.
At the same time…
we were working hard to obtain our licence…
and to find students.
And by December 1960…
everything was ready.
——————
In January 1961…
we finally opened our school—Friendship College—
with around 200 students…
from Form 1 to Form 5.
——————
But the journey… was not easy.
By the end of that very first year…
two of our partners left…
because the school was operating at a loss.
Our fees were modest—
ten rupees for Form 1…
twelve for Form 2…
fourteen for Form 3…
sixteen for Form 4…
and twenty for Form 5.
Yet… we still could not make a profit.
Many of our students simply could not afford to pay.
——————
But I made a decision…
one that I never regretted.
I chose never to penalise any student…
for not being able to pay.
Because for me…
their education mattered above everything else.
Often… students would come to my office…
asking for help to pay for their School Certificate exams.
And I would always help them.
Because they were bright…
they were capable…
and they deserved a chance.
——————
Of course… this meant that the school continued to face losses.
But I did not give up.
Instead… I made a sacrifice.
I sold my plot of land at La Salette…
for thirty-five thousand rupees…
and invested everything… into the school.
——————
In 1968…
my colleague Mr Venkatasamy and I…
decided to divide the school into two departments.
He would take charge of the girls…
and I… would take charge of the boys.
And that is how…
Friendship College Boys…
and Friendship College Girls…were born.
——————
Then came a turning point.
In 1976…
the Government introduced free education for all…
and began providing grants to private secondary schools.
This was a great help to us.
It allowed us… to move forward.
——————
With time… I was able to save…
and purchase two acres of land in Goodlands.
I then took a loan from the Development Bank of Mauritius…
and began constructing our own school building.
——————
Finally… in 1986…
we moved into our new home.
A place… we could truly call our own.
——————
Step by step…
we continued to grow.
We expanded our facilities…
and improved our infrastructure.
And in 2016…
we added our gymnasium and hall…
a proud milestone in our journey.
——————
Looking back…
our journey has not been easy.
There were many challenges…
many sacrifices…
But we never gave up.
We persevered.
——————
And today…
65 years later…
We are proud to say…
that we are still here…
Still standing strong…
and still serving the people of this country.
“And as long as there are students who need a chance…
Friendship College will always be here… to give it to them.”