Peel District School Board announced Tuesday that two new schools are coming to the city. A new elementary school will be named after Sikh-Canadian soldier Buckham Singh and a second school will be named after Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai.

Buckham Singh was the first Sikh Canadian to enlist with the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force back in 1915 after which he fought in the First World War. Originally a farm hand, Singh became a part of a battalion of soldiers from Kingston, Ontario.

Singh went on to serve as a private in France and Belgium. He was wounded in battle on two occasions and eventually died of complications from tuberculosis in 1919 in a military hospital in Kitchener, Ontario.

Tonight, Trustees approved naming a new #Brampton elementary S for Buckham Singh, the first #Sikh man to enlist with the Cdn army in the early 1900s. Through his service and dedication, he left behind a legacy not just for the Sikh community, but for all of Canada. @PeelSchools — Balbir Sohi (@SohiBalbir) March 26, 2019

Malala Yousafzai became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2014 at the age of 17. She went on to become an honorary Canadian citizen in 2017.

A prominent activist for the right to education for girls, Yousafzai has been advocating since age 11 in Pakistan. Yousafzai survived an assassination attempt in 2012 when she was just 15.

Buckham Singh Public School will be located at 100 Martin Byrne Drive, and Malala Yousafzai Public School will be located near the intersection of Queen Mary Drive and Remembrance Road. Both schools have yet to announce official opening dates.

Comments

comments