St. Xavier’s School, North East Assam
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Leader:
Fr. Telesphore Lakra |
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Location: St. Xavier’s School, Pengaree, North East Assam
Started: January 2003 in mud building; 2007 in new building
Teachers: 16
Pupils: 617 [Kindergarten - Standard 10]
Partner: Jesuit Order
Update: August 2011
Building Progress –
The structure of the building is almost ready. Though building has taken shape but the furnishing, white wash, painting etc are left. Now the work is not continuing because the fund arranged by Educo is fully used. This is the rainy season too and so the workers are busy in cultivation and so building work is stopped. Together with building a fully fledged football ground and two volley-ball courts are being used by the students. There is a plan for a basketball court too, just in front of the school building and also proposed is a mini-stadium for the basketball court.
School Proper
This year the strength of the school is 623. Classes are from lower kinder garden to class 9, so there are 11 class rooms running at present. At present there are 15 teaching staff and three non-teaching staff. Thus there are 18 active members working in the school. And at the same time whole Jesuit community and at large the Society of Jesus is busy for the education of the poor children and Educo is providing oil in form of Finance for the education of 623 students.
Academic sessions
School was started from Jan 18, 2011 and continued till June 30th as its first semester. Mean time there were full seven period teaching classes and one extra study period, revisions time is given everyday in the school. To give the all round developments for the students, every week there are one periods for games and one for work experience cum manual work. Not only that every day they have some physical training and exercises. School has entered to its second semester from first of August And will continue till mid December.
Computer Education:
The students of St. Xavier’s Pengaree is very fortunate to have twenty computers from Educo. They are having both theory and practical classes. Students from standard four to nine are equipping themselves with modern computer knowledge. Every day after the class students have practical classes, Mr Iain Mcdonald, donated some extra for internet connection. Now school is having email and skype connetion. Only thing there is no broadband facility so skype connection is little weak but not very bad.
Exams and Tests
At the end of every month children have to write the class tests. And also some home work is given to them. At the end of the semesters there is the half yearly exam. The questions come from outside, from the Diocesan educational board. School also have five unit tests in a year. After the exam there is a full month summer/ rainy season vacation for whole month. School re-opens on August first 2011.
Some poor students in the school campus.
Some 18 poor children are living in the in the school campus. The provision is made for their studies and stay. They mange their food by themselves. These children are from distant villages.
Competitions –
There was an State–level talent Search exams. Thousand of students participated from all over Assam state, where nine of ours qualified in the exam who are rewarded certificates and some cash. First time school has recorded its name in the state level outside.
Thus, the school has grown and progressed positively.
Telesphore
As with the St. Stanislaus School in nearby Konapathar, educo partners with the Jesuit order to run this English-medium secondary school for the children of the impoverished local tea-pickers.
In this very remote part of North East Assam, educo funded the building of a large brand new school with a capacity for 1,500 to educate local children up to Standard 10. educo recognised the need to build this school after witnessing the success of the original Jesuit school which was run out of a mud building.
The children who attend this school come from families of originally migrant workers from other states in India or from Nepal or Bhutan. As such, they have minimal rights in Assam because they are neither Assamese nor a recognised minority. This means they are excluded from state-run schools, and local private schools are too expensive for the parents of these children who typically only earn 1,500RS per month.
The Jesuit order has a long proven track record of providing high quality education in India, and in all three (non-denominational) schools we jointly run in Assam, they fully share our commitment to teaching through English, equipping the students with computer skills, and ensuring female students stay to complete their education.
Goals:-
- To grow the school to its capacity of 1,500
- To ensure some students go on to graduate from college, to provide much needed role models for the children
- To fully develop the sports facilities – the school is on a 4-acre plot & has many underused playing fields
