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On the crossroads….MARYKNOLL
HIGHER PRIMARY SCHOOL, HOSALA - BARKUR
It
was a pleasant surprise to me, to have a message from the Parish Priest
/ Headmistress of School, where we learned to read and write, and
indebted substantially, for moulding us what we are today, - to be a member of its ‘school betterment committee’!! Maryknoll Higher Primary School, Hosala - Barkur, brainchild of Rev.Fr.Marian Castelino, then parish priest, started on 31-05-1940, in a small way, had a history of almost 60 successful years to its credit in academic fields!. There must be, few thousand students, made their beginning to learn 3 R’s and shaped their destiny of life, irrespective of caste, creed and religion, now spread over the globe !!. Over the years, this Institution, popularly known as ‘Egargichen Eschol’ - ideally located, in the heart of the town, made enormous progress, with dedicated teachers but in the recent past, we feel, it failed to rise up to the expectations of changing circumstances / conditions of Barkurian Society and its requirements - or we may be feeling it this way, while watching from distance, - whereas the ground realities may be different!! Few
reasons for the present state of affairs:
i. Diminishing
students strengths - There was a time when almost 300+ catholic families
of our parish had on an average 4-5 school going children, of which a
big chunk to primary schools.
Now-a-days, ‘small family set-up’ with one child or two and parents intentions and plans to give them – best possible education with better facilities, (thanks to improved economic conditions, which they might be deprived of,) in a reputed School, may be first among many, to mention.
It
should be noted that we are not advocating ‘English medium education
only’ no, on the contrary vernacular languages and the knowledge of
mother tongue / local culture is essential and educationists too,
recommending primary education to be in mother tongue, but coming to
practical life, will anyone among us ready to send our children to
Konkani language School, if there is one…. so need of the hour is to
get adjusted with the ever changing world around us…!! As a ‘good
career’ for each one of us, comes first… and education is the ladder
to achieve that …!!! During casual talk, good number of Barkurians, gave this excuse for finding their permanent residence in other towns and cities. Few
remedial measures suggested for consideration : Since you already proposed ‘School Welfare Committee’, out of these choose few local educationists as a - core group, to visualise the starting of an English medium School, in Barkur, before someone else taking initiative, at this direction, simultaneously running the prevailing system of Kannada medium – this will also help neighbouring villages / towns as it enjoys location merits. Under the given circumstances, it is not easy to go-ahead, but there is no harm in giving a try…as this have so many direct, like quality education to the coming generation and indirect advantages to the parish as a whole – like employment to almost ten deserving youngsters as teachers, to avoid brain drainage to that level etc. It is well said, the future citizens as well as the future of this nation is built inside, the four walls of the classrooms, and most of us had our formal elementary education of childhood in this Mary knoll School, have a moral obligation to pay back at least a fraction of what we received!!. Of course the Govt. provide public funds in various ways, like the salaries to the teaching staff. Other infra-structural facilities to be provided by the Church, generous public and old students like all of us. Secondly, the Parish Priest, Church and its leaders should take lead here, as it is rightly said investment in educational field will repay, not in ten, hundred, thousand times but innumerable times!! If
the above proposal not acceptable, let the ‘core group’, come out
with suggestions to keep the status quo or to improve the prevailing
set-up - through this
BARKUR WEB-SITE, and under all circumstances, the old students, ex-CYM
members and others, will be happy to co-operate, whatever way possible. Let
me conclude this small write-up with an incident of 1940, I heard from
my father – ‘the Catholics of Barkur and the then parish priest
Fr.Castelino, was planning earnestly to start this much needed School,
and all of us aware near the Church, Govt. School already existing and
some vested interested groups were hesitating to sell spacious land to
the Church…Ultimately one gentleman come forward with an idea, - he
purchased this huge piece of land in his name, where the present School
is standing… and wasting no time he re-transferred the same in the
name of the Church – the great man none other than the famous copper
merchant of yester years, late Shri. Louis D’Lima’. Now, we need such people, to strengthen the hands of Vicar, also the correspondent of this School, - selfless social workers… not counting personal benefits…. and true educationists having concern for poor, with far sight and dynamism!!! On
behalf of CYM Barkur Ex-Members Committee, P.Archibald Furtado, Muscat, 12th May 2002.
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Barkur, located in Udupi Taluk, Karnataka, India. 576 210 |
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Copyright Kishoo, Barkur 2002. |
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