Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New Delhi (Fides Service) - The Indian government has awarded a national prize for education to the Don Bosco Higher Secondary School in Kohima, capital city of the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland. The school was chosen as the winner for its excellent programme of information technology. Headmaster Father John Bosco Perianayagam received the award and a prize of 150,00 Rupees in New Delhi from India’s President Abdul Kalam.
This latest award is one of many received by Catholic schools in India in recognition of the highly appreciated service of education offered by the Catholic Church in this country. This service is offered to all citizens and has helped the cultural development of Indians for many years.
Don Bosco Higher Secondary School in Kohima was opened in 1973 by the Salesian fathers, 56 years after their arrival in Nagaland, a mainly rural state where the people are mainly poor tribals and where situations of ethnic conflict are not uncommon.
This school was the first in Nagaland to introduce computer studies which became part of the curriculum in 1986. Today it has more than 1,400 pupils, mostly from rural areas and a modern hi-tech laboratory with 35 computers and a staff of five IT teachers. Catholic schools throughout India are appreciated and famous for the high quality of education and in many schools the pupils are mainly non-Christians.
With regard to education the Catholic community offers an indispensable contribution for the intellectual progress of individuals and communities. The government is making a great effort to eliminate illiteracy and raise the school rate attendance all over the country, and it encourages the free contribution of private schools including Catholics schools.
According to UNICEF half of 130 million in the world who have never been to school even for a day live in India. The national illiteracy rate, among a population of more than one billion, is 35%, and it rises to 55% among the poorest of the poor.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 16/9/2004 lines 32 words 324)
