The St.Mary’s school is started with the aim to arrest and serve as an antidote against the disastrous consequence of the official educational policy which imposes a virtual ban on English education for the rural poor in this State. This has rendered the 70% rural population into the modern untouchable “low castes”. It recalls the inhuman practice of pouring molten led into the ears of “low castes” who dared to listen to the lessons of “Vedas” – religious teachings, by the “high caste” priests. We are trying to brake this new form of caste barrier and make a dent into this tragic situation.
We Know ours is a difficult undertaking although it is only a small beginning of great things to come.
In this IT and computer age English education opens the door to boundless opportunities in the world which has evolved into a single city. In particular for people of South Asian countries which have progress – prone tie – ups with the Western and English speaking nations, ignorance of English shuts the door to opportunities of above description. Perpetuation of poverty through perpetuation of illiteracy, including English illiteracy, is the official policy.
Under these circumstances we have opened the St. Mary’s school and Rising Star children’s home in the hope of providing English education to at least a few of the rural poor children as a first step. Our study and calculations prove that note even one in a thousand population among these rural poor can afford the heavy donations and fees for their children in the English medium schools in the city which are established to cater to the rich exclusively
In St. Mary’s we have Nursery, L.K.G and U.K.G, 1st to 5th standard. The school is being upgraded every year. Our aim is to have at least 50% of students from the families of rural poor and wage earning families, when we reach 10th standard – Matriculation or high school graduation.
The school which had to be shifted to three rented building year after year is now housed in its own buildings although with congested accommodation. Besides we have to built additional classrooms every year.
We have 300 students in the school of whom 60 are in the children’s home. All of this has come from economically poor background. We have found sponsors for 23 children. We are looking for generous sponsors and institutions to sponsor more of these deserving children.