CESU Celebrates Teachers Day, honours retired teachers, meritorious Students and Institutions

By Dr. Eugene DSouza
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 03 Sep 2016: The Catholic Education Society of Udupi (CESU) celebrated Teachers’ Day on Saturday, 3 September 2016 from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm in St. Mary’s English Medium High School premises, Kannarpady, Udupi during which the achievers among the teachers, meritorious students  and those educational institutions securing 100 percent results in SSLC and PUC Examinations were felicitated and retired as well as retiring teachers and non-teaching staff of the educational institutions governed by CESU were honoured.

 

The Teachers’ Day function was presided over by Bishop of Udupi, Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo. Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister of Fisheries  and Sports and Youth as well as In-charge Minister of Udupi District was the chief guest. Ramakrishna B. Nayak, Deputy Director of Pre University Education, Udupi District was the guest of honour. Besides these, other dignitaries on the dais included Rev. Fr. Fred Mascarenhas, Parish Priest of Mother of Sorrows Church, Udupi and Correspondent of St. Mary’s Educational Institutions and Rev. Dr. Lawrence D’Souza, Secretary of CESU.

 

As Pramod Madhwaraj had to leave early to attend another function, he was honoured by the Bishop of Udupi  on being appointed as the Minister in the Karnataka State Caninet. He was introduced to the audience by Rev. Fr. Anil D’Souza, Dean of Kundapur Deanery.

 

Pramod Madhwaraj, felicitated Rev. Dr. Prakash Anil D’Souza, Campus Director of Milagres Educational Institutions and Dr. Vincent Alva, Professor of English Literature in Milagres College, Kallianpur on being awarded Ph.D. degrees by the University of Mangalore in their respective fields of research. He also felicitated Rev. Fr. Mahesh D’Souza, Principal of Don Bosco English Medium High School, Shirva for being conferred the Udupi District Best Teacher Award  last year. All three of them were introduced by Dr. Gerald Pinto, Principal of the Milagres College, Kallianpur.

 

In his message, Pramod Madhwaraj said that  Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Districts  have been in the forefront in the results of SSLC and PUC compared to other districts in Karnataka. One of the chief reasons for this excellence in education has been the contribution of Christian Educational Institutions. He further said that  in all fields of Human Development Index, once again the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Districts score high points and all the panchayats in these two districts have been above average. This has been chiefly because of the progress of education and spread of literacy for which he complimented all the teachers.

 

 

The Teachers’ Day Celebration was formally inaugurated by Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo by lighting the lamp. Meanwhile, all the heads of the educational institutions held lighted candles as Rev. Dr. Lawrence D’Souza administered the oath to the teachers to be the ‘Ambassadors of Peace’ in their respective  educational institutions.

 

Next, teachers from the primary section to college level and non-teaching staff who had retired and would be retiring this year were honoured by Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo.

 

Top scorers among the students in public examinations held during the last March/April right from SSLC to Post Graduate level were felicitated.

 

Heads of some of the educational institutions received honour  for securing  100 percent result in SSLC and PUC.

 

Along with the mementos and other marks of honour and felicitation, each and every person and dignitaries were offered sapplings of flowers.

 

The teachers of St. Mary’s English Medium High School presented a song in English language highlighting the importance of the teachers.

 

Ramakrishna B. Nayak, speaking on this occasion congratulated the achievers and wished well to all those teachers who were honoured on their retirement. He highlighted the importance of the Teachers’ Day by narrating the finer qualities of Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, the second President of India whose birth anniversary has been celebrated as the Teachers’ Day. He further said that Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan could shoulder the responsibilities, first as the Ambassador to Russia and later as Vice President and President of India chiefly due to his experience that he had gained as a teacher. He extended the greetings of Teachers’’ Day to all the teachers of the  Udupi District.

 

On behalf of the retired teachers, Mrs. Leena Tauro and Rev. Fr. Ferdinand  Gonsalves  expressed their feelings.

 

In his presidential message, Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo said that the retired teachers should be quite satisfied as they had fulfilled their mission of brightening the future of many students who would grow to be good citizens and fine human beings. Quoting a number of  great personalities and philosophers, Bishop Gerald stressed upon the real meaning of education in the lives of individuals. He even quoted the message of Pope Francis at the World Youth Convention in Poland this year where the Pope mentioned that the three important words such as ‘thank you’, ‘sorry’, and ‘please’ should be imbibed in the hearts and minds of modern students.

 

Rev. Fr. Fred Mascarenhas welcomed the guests and the teachers, Rev. Dr. Lawrence D’Souza proposed the vote of thanks and Mrs. Mariet Sequeira of Milagres English Medium High School and Suresh Hegde, lecturer in Milagres PU College, Kallianpur compered the programme.

 

Following the end of the stage programme, students of St. Mary’s English Medium High School, St. Mary’s Kannada Medium Higher Primary School, Udupi and St. Lawrence PU College, Moodubelle presented cultural programmes. The ‘Guruvandana Dance’ was presented by the students of St. Mary’s English Medium High School; ‘Let us light the Kannada Lamp dance’ was performed by the students of St. Lawrence PU College, Moodubelle; another dance was presented by the students of St. Mary’s Kannada Medium Higher Primary Section; a dance depicting the national integration in culture and a skit named “Mary teacher and Munni”, depicting the teacher-students relationship was presented by  the students of St. Mary’s English Medium High School, Kannarpady, Udupi.

 

The Headmistress Mrs. Martel Lewis and the staff members of St. Mary’s English Medium High School had made very good arrangements for the celebration of the Teachers’ Day under the auspices of CESU.