Some more events...

At St. Mary's HSS, Vettucaud they inaugurated 'Readers' Club' to encourage reading, especially news papers like the Hindu. The ceremony stood out exceptionally as it was organized in such a disciplined manner. Hats off to the Principal, Headmistress, the entire staff and the students besides the local manager, the PTA members etc. It must only be a beginning to the changes we all expect to bring in that school which suffered such a bad propaganda in the years gone. Am sure that the present team will succeed. Best wishes!

At St. Vincent's HS, Kaniyapuram they had the General Body meeting of the parents to elect a new PTA. The meeting was attended by the School Supportive Group (SGS) besides the outgoing PTA and former staff of the school, as it has a new HM with nearly 10 new teachers. New blood will certainly have some good impact in the entire curriculum and the results.

Some ruminations...

Some of the teachers, including the heads, still could not get settled with the transfers made recently and they seem to resist and dispirit the staff and at some instances the PTA even! This transfer was intended to bring some order and accountability among the staff and all the more so discipline and transparency. The interested ones may not like this as they always look for favours rather than what they really deserve.

Majority of the staff is inclined to please and get favours than demand for their rightful claims and if needed fight for that. This will certainly leave them self-respecting in the course of time. They should know that they are here because of their own merits rather than anyone's concessions and they should be more loyal to the students, their parents and the society at large than to the management, the diocese or even some in the manager's office.

Am looking forward for the day when our teachers and non-teaching staff will stand up clamour for their rights while doing their duty properly towards the children entrusted to their care and teaching. In this great process, i don't care the hardships i undergo, though many a times it is little too much to bear. I may be here around for long and you people can have a respite by the end of this year at least. But please don't pledge your self-esteem and beg for some favours which ultimately put you in an embarrassing situation and also to the detriment of the students and schools at large.

Let us take this profession as God-given and render everything best to extract all the best in us to contribute to the formation and growth of a vibrant and value based generation for the future of our community and our great nation. Jai Hind!

Droping numbers in aided schools...

Government schools and Aided schools experienced a drop in admissions for long. However, the government schools with their financial support, especially from the Central Govt. projects and the local self-government assistance, could overcome most of the hurdles. In this juncture one cannot but appreciate the teachers there who with the support of the PTA and Alumni associations do wonder works in attracting children to their schools through various attractive steps. Unfortunately this is not the case with the aided schools, at least in the case of R. C. Schools, though it is their own community children who are the beneficiaries and they got into this noble profession precisely because most of them were the members of the community.

Nowadays, parents don't want to risk the future of their children sending them to such schools as the children of those teachers are usually sent to 'better' schools elsewhere! If the very teachers who teach in a particular school don't believe in the quality of that school, how can one expect others to send their children to such schools?

Besides other reasons, medium of language is an important factor in such decisions, i think. English has captivated the Malayalees more than any other language groups! May be tht in the highly competetive global job market English could go a long way. That doesn't necessarily mean that one should neglect one's own langauge and stand alienated in one's own land. They are ashamed to own their own language and ready to do anything to obtain a job! In the ultimate count they may not have an individuality of their own even! I wonder where it all will end up!

Would like to suggest something to those who still love the language and try to save it in this onslaught of English and covertly Hindi also. This is could be applicable to all the Indian states and their regional languages. The mother tongue of each state should be the only language in the Primary school level. By this time they could be given a strong foundation in the language and culture so specific to their identity. May be in the Upper Primary stage there could be an opportunity to get to know of as many languages as possible, including Hindi and the children be enabled to choose in between according to their aspirations and aptitude in life.

Also all correspondences within the State be in one's own language and other interstate communications be in English or Hindi as one prefers. This is because no imposition whatsoever is not good.

Another Academic Year!

The early monsoon set a bountiful scene for a this academic year! Children in their best came drenched in rain, in spite of the colourful umbrellas. Teachers and parents did their best to welcome the new ones to the school.

At St. Joseph's HSS, Anchuthengu, it was a happier day as children were provided a better place to learn in the place of a thatched building by dedicating the ground floor of a would be three storeyed building of fifteen classrooms. The new comers were welcomed in one of the classrooms of the new building. They were given free writing materials, sweets etc.

On my way to Anchuthengu visited Pallithura HSS where the heads of the school were new. On my way back visited St. Michael's HS and St. Vincent's HS where the construction of the compound wall was going on at long last. In the later school also the HM was new.

May our children enjoy a joyful year of learning and our teachers and parents provide whatever is needed to achieve that. May the heavens shower blessings as uninterrupted as the monsoon rains.

+2 Results 2011

Pallithura HSS : 84.28%
St. Mary's HSS, Vizhinjam : 74.00%
St. Joseph's HSS, Anchuthengu : 69.02%
St. Thomas' HSS, Poonthura : 66.45%
St. Mary's HSS, Vettucaud : 62.05% [64.00%]

Congratulations for the Students who have contributed to this much success with their hard work and constant care of the committed teachers. They still can do better in their future. Best wishes for all their future endeavours.

Those students who could not do well this time need not be disappointed. Let this be a challenge to prove their talents and hard work. Don't ever give up. Success is for those who persevere till the end - till you attain your goal. When you do your best, God will do the rest.

Bring glory to yourself, your parents, teachers and to your school too. The nation needs you to build it up and make it proud of youngsters like you. Come on; prove yourself.

Exploring preventive methods to arrest imminent divisionfalls...

The days of visit are 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th May. The response was overwhelming in a sense, though there were almost constant defensive from the teachers' side! If only the teacher community were little more realistic, we could work wonders with our smart children and their ambitious parents. The PTA, the concerned Parishes and their systems are quite happy to overcome any obstacle in the journey to good education.

Desparate attempt to arrest the impending divisionfall threat...

It is so tough to get children to maintain divisions in the aided schools in the context of low birth rate, parents fancy to send children to English medium and that too streams like CBSE and the like and the high competition in the field of education like any other service providers in the market and so on...

In the above context some 13 of our 28 schools face divisionfall threat! After knowing this we desparately visited all such schools inviting the entire staff along with the PTA people, Local Managers concerned, the parish education convenor, the forane animator and so on to explore possible ways and means to prevent that and ensure quality education to attract the students and make them retain our schools.

On Thursday, 5th May 2011 visited 1) St. Anne's LPS, Pettah, 2) St. Mary's LPS and 3) HSS, Vettucaud, 4) St. Peter's LPS, Shangumugom and 5) St. Thomas' HSS, Poonthura. On the next day visited 6) St. Mary's LPS, Vizhinjam, 7) St. Ignatius' UPS, Puthenthope and 8) St. Andrew's UPS, Chittattumukku. On Saturday, 7th May, visited 9) St. Antony's LPS, Poozhikkunnu, 10) R. C. LPS, Kalliyil, 11) St. Mary's LPS, Paruthiyoor and 12) Holy Cross LPS, Paruthippara. 13) St. Ignatius LPS, Mampally and 14) Pallithura HSS are to be visited on Monday, 9th May.

Heads of the Schools' meeting...

On 30th May all the heads of the schools in our management were invited for day of evaluation and future plan in view of the forthcoming academic year. Almost all of them came. And the ones who could not make it, arranged substitutes through their senior assistants.

After a prolonged motivation talk by the corporate manager, the archbishop came and addressed them. He thanked them for all their good services and expected their continued and committed service for forming a better generation through their great call of teaching.

After lunch, Kumari Alice Alex, a +2 student from St. Joseph's HSS, Anjengo faced her principal along the rest of the heads of the schools and told boldly and frankly what she and her companions expect from them and also appreciated their enlightening service.

It was followed by Fr. Rodrigue Kutty, a local manager of St. Peter's LPS, Shangumugom and Valiathura forane co-ordinator addressed the heads and told what he and priests like him expect of the heads of schools. He spoke of who can become a good teacher and all the more a good head of a school.

Finally came Mr. Sahayam, the PTA president from St. Mary's HSS, Vizhinjam, spoke very clearly of his expectation and also made a friendly evaluation of their leadership qualities and other academic excellences.

This day should certainly be empowering and challenging them to make a good academic year for all concerned for the year to come.