Here’s What We Know About Two New Schools Coming to Brampton

Two new elementary schools are coming to Brampton, and their names have just recently been unveiled.

Two new elementary schools are coming to Brampton, and their names have just recently been unveiled.

At a Peel District School Board (PDSB) meeting on Monday, March 25, it was announced that the two upcoming schools will be named after Sikh-Canadian soldier Buckham Singh and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, respectively.

Buckham Singh Public School will be located at 100 Martin Byrne Drive in the Vales of Humber area, while Malala Yousafzai Public School will be located near the intersection of Queen Mary Drive and Remembrance Road.

Starting this September, students will temporarily attend different schools in the area until the new schools are ready to open.

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Buckham Singh Public School students will temporarily attend James Grieve Public School, and Malala Yousafzai Public School students will temporarily attend school at 1248 Mayfield Road West.

So, who are the schools’ namesakes?

Buckham Singh was a farm hand who enlisted in the first World War in 1915, while Malala Yousafzai is the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate, receiving the distinction in 2014. 

“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.”

Singh became part of a battalion from Kingston, Ontario and later 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.

Yousafzai, who was inspired by her father’s humanitarian work and advocacy for education, 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, she 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, and received honorary Canadian citizenship in 2017.

“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.”

These will be the first schools in Canada to be named after Singh and Yousafzai.

To get more information and find out if your family lives within the boundaries of these new schools, visit the PDSB’s website.