Pride and memories: Avoca High School celebrates 60 years of educational legacy

Sixty years after its founding, Avoca High School (now secondary) celebrated its diamond jubilee in Durban, bringing together former teachers and pupils to honor a legacy built on education, discipline and service. The reunion at Liberty Hall on North Coast Road gathered people who had shaped generations of young people, reflecting on the school's role in their lives.

One of the school's founding teachers, Deochand Ganesh, 87, recalled limited options for education at the time, with pupils from nearby primary schools needing to travel further for high school. The Department of Indian Affairs acquired land in Avoca to build the school, and Ganesh moved there in 1966 when the high school section opened.

The school was described as modern and well-equipped, with facilities that included a library. Teachers had a disciplined approach, but also understood their students' circumstances. An English teacher, Harry Haricharan, shared how his wife influenced his career choice, and he taught at Avoca for over two decades. Haricharan never regretted becoming a teacher, despite opportunities in the corporate world.

Former pupil Avitha Poonmassy, who helped organize the anniversary event, attended the school in the 1980s and fondly remembered her teachers as mentors and gurus. When asked about the significance of the reunion, she said, "Seeing everyone again has been overwhelming. I am proud to have been part of the school." Avoca Secondary is seen as a tower of wisdom, continuing to provide an alternative and bridge inequality for disadvantaged communities.