Principal's letter to parents

The class-wise parents' meeting was one of the important events, which helped us to exchange the ideas, suggestions for the improvement of the educational standards. Of course, finally what matters is how we follow up our interaction and convert it into practical and productive reality/energy.

The end of yet another academic year is almost here. While it is time for some of your wards to make future plan, for others it will be to prepare for their final exams, beginning in the first week of February. Guide them not by pressurizing them, but by giving proper encouragement.

Recently there was a hot debate in the town about the fee raise in the private schools. When some schools mentioned an increase of 40%, certain groups, probably with an intention of politicizing or gain mileage out of the situation made hue and cry about the fee raise. They did not even bother to ponder that the announcement itself was the result of the government's implementation of 6th pay. When all employees get the benefit of the 6th pay, should our teachers and other employees be deprived of it?

Further, it is a known fact that the parents prefer private schools over government schools more and more for the education of their children. Is it because that it is in these schools they get the education they desire? While we can confidently say that the private schools have been trying to provide quality education at the least cost possible, we must also be conscious of the fact that the amenities given to the government employees and other employees in private sector cannot be denied to the employees of our schools. Moreover, when everyone is looking for better payment, our teachers should not be deprived of it. When we talk of quality education, it is imperative that we have to talk of quality teachers and the best teachers. Until and unless we maintain a certain standard with respect to our payment of salaries it might be difficult to retain good teachers with us. Furthermore, we must be aware of the fact that in today's age private education is becoming more and more expensive mainly because we are pushed to such a situation created by the rapid and steep increase in the government salaries.

On the other hand with the cost index rising day by day we are also met with a serious challenge of providing the necessary infrastructural facilities to make the education relevant and meaningful, in order to equip our students with modern movements and trends and prepare them aptly for a bright future. Although in the past we have been trying to provide education at cheaper costs, compared to some of the schools in the neighbourhood like Bokaro and Asansol, taking into consideration the economical burden on the parents, we have had to compromise with payment of salaries. However, we cannot allow the gap between government pay scales and our salaries to increase, as we are also bound by the guidelines of the Council to which we are affiliated.

If we have to provide quality education, we have to take care of the integral development of the students, by availing appropriate facilities in the academic as well as in co-curricular areas. It is equally important that in keeping with the times, we need to equip ourselves with various infrastructural facilities, so that the students get the best exposure academically and have sufficient opportunities for growth in leadership qualities, personality, character and in career. This goal can be achieved only if we go beyond the books and rote learning and supplement the classroom teaching with audio-visual, computer aided teaching etc. on the one hand and various intra-school and inter-school activities on the other. Even amidst the rising costs, if we have to keep abreast the demands of the day, we cannot compromise with the necessary investments. Of course, it is possible only if all of us stretch a bit more and the parents too are ready to share this burden. Hence, the gradual increase of annual fees too is inevitable.

Whereas, the steep increase in fees is inevitable in order to meet salary and other expenditures, we propose to do it in two slabs over the next two years. As proposed by the 6th pay commission, the government employees can get a reimbursement in the form of child educational allowance. It is only proper that they have to be generous enough to pay to enable our teachers to get just wages. After taking into consideration the financial requirement of the school and after careful calculations we are left no option but to increase the tuition fees by about Rs 280/- and consequently the fees for the coming academic year will be Rs 850- per month for classes KG - 10. The increase for classes 11 & 12 will be about Rs.300/- and the monthly tuition fees will be Rs.1050.

Finally, we have to equip our students with tools to explore, question, reflect and discover for themselves. They have to be hungry for true knowledge. One of the biggest hurdles in the way is the tuitions. The addiction to it is making the brains numb. All of us, teachers and parents, have a bit of soul searching to do. As one parent said recently with anguish or if you like to call it disappointment, "Even after studying in your school in English medium for ten years my son needs to take tuition in English." It is a loud message for those who are sensitive to warning bells. We just cannot continue to be addicted to drugs nor can we be drug peddlers. There seems to be too much emphasis on marks rather than on knowledge, spoon feeding rather than on self learning. Therefore, desisting the temptation to make the students through tuitions ever dependant must become imperative. Further, together with the introduction of the 6th pay we will have to ensure that the performance would be increased manifold.

Let us move in this direction with a new resolve and may the Almighty God guide us in our mission.

Kindly Note: From the new academic year, our fees collection and salaries will be done through AXIS BANK.

May God bless you all abundantly!

Fr. George Fernandes, SJ
Principal

Dated: 19th January, 2009