PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
Peel board schools first in Canada to be named for Buckham Singh and Malala Yousafzai

At the Regular Meeting of the Board on March 25, 2019, the Peel District School Board announced it will name two new Brampton elementary schools for Sikh-Canadian soldier Buckham Singh, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. They will be the first schools in Canada to be named for these individuals.

"We're honoured to name one of our elementary schools for Buckham Singh, the first Sikh man to enlist with the Canadian army in the early 1900s," says Balbir Sohi, trustee for Brampton Wards 9 and 10. "Through his service and dedication to our country, he left behind a proud legacy not just for the Sikh community, but for all of Canada."

Prior to enlisting in 1915 in the First World War, Singh was a farm hand. He became part of a battalion from Kingston, Ontario, and served overseas as a Private in France and Belgium. He was wounded twice in two different battles and died in 1919 in a military hospital in Kitchener.

"We're pleased to name an elementary school in Brampton after Malala Yousafzai, a passionate advocate for education who serves as an exemplary role model for future leaders," says Will Davies, trustee for Brampton Wards 2 and 6. "Her relentless commitment to learning and education is an inspiration to us all, and will be embedded into the school's vision and focus."

Yousafzai is the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate, receiving the distinction in 2014. She also received an honorary Canadian citizenship in 2017. Inspired by her father's humanitarian work and advocacy for education, Yousafzai began speaking about education rights at age 11 when her father took her to speak at a local press club in Pakistan. After surviving an assassination attempt in 2012 when she was 15 years old, Yousafzai became a prominent activist for the right to education, especially the education of girls. She has spoken before the United Nations and with world leaders to advocate on behalf of women's and children's rights.

Buckham Singh Public School will be located at 100 Martin Byrne Dr. in Brampton, located in the Vales of Humber area. Its students will temporarily attend James Grieve Public School, effective September 2019, until the Buckham Singh school building is ready for student occupancy.

Malala Yousafzai Public School will be located near the intersection of Queen Mary Drive and Remembrance Road in Brampton. Beginning September 2019, students in this school boundary will temporarily attend school at 1248 Mayfield Rd. W. until the Malala Yousafzai school building is completed.

Families can find out if they live within the boundaries of these new schools by visiting www.peelschools.org/schools/findyourschool. School websites will be launched shortly, and families moving into the area can learn how to register there.