HILL COLLEGE GOES HI-TECH FOR QUALITY EDUCATION
By C.M. Paul
DARJEELING, 14 July, SAR News -- A college in the tribal district of Darjeeling plans to mark its 70th year of establishment with hi-tech projects to bring quality education in the hills. Situated on National Highway 31, mid-way between Kurseong and Darjeeling, at an altitude of 6,500 ft above sea level, Salesian College Sonada plans to start a B. Ed department shortly. With almost one computer for every two students the college hopes to set up a V-Sat connection to remedy the unreliable DoT phone system, and a 20 KV mini hydal project to assure steady and cheap power supply to the 17 acre campus and 74,000 sq ft of college facilities. Every student in the college is made computer literate with the C-DAC-Pune diploma (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) and a free e-mal account.
"We want to bring quality education in the hills and set trend for alternative solutions to the deplorable conditions of power and telecommunication and opportunities for higher education," said Dr. George Thadathil SDB the principal on his way to Rome for an international meeting of the Heads of Salesian Colleges.
"The students are very receptive and get into the system of learning to be disciplined and confident," said Jose Puthenpurackal, the first Salesian Brother to be the Dean of the College sharing his vision for the college in the coming years.
"This is one of the few colleges in India, where seminarians along with their B.Ph (Bachelor of Philosophy) also obtain a BA Hons. Degree. Our aim is to provide the more capable students with a BCA (Bachelor of Computer Applications) along with the regular BA studies, says 32 year old Br. Puthenpurackal holding three Masters degrees in Psychology, Sociology and Management. Br. Puthenpurackel is also the first Salesian Brother Vice-Principal of the College.
Salesian College set up exclusively to train seminarians opened its doors to non-Salesians and day students in 1998. With a population of 130 students and 16 staff, the male female student ratio works out 1.5:1. Students hail from the neighbouring three states and six dioceses.
Among the facilities offered at the college include a fully computerized library with about 30,000 volumes and some 100 journals and periodicals, both national and international. The Bosco Infotech Chennai has installed soft wares like e-Bliss (Library), Smart School (student records) and Com.Gate for intra net operations.
"It is marvellous to meet with a variety of students including the seminarians in this special college," said Miss Priya Topno, current Gilrs’ Captain, second year student from Siliguri staying as paying guest in a Nepali family adjacent to the college.
"I never danced before. But I did it here," says Passang Thendup Sherpa from Sonada ecstatic about the opportunity he received to learn and perform Nepali dance in the annual college concert.
Br. Patrick Lepcha a Nepali Salesian seminarian recalls with pride the day-long work he and his 45 companions put in early March, to build a road for the victims of landslide in the Bansghari village some 10 kms from the college.
"The work camp last June made us self-reliant, responsible and sensitive to the working conditions of the garden labourers," reminisced Brother Punit Kujur from Delhi province. In the ten day camp, the seminarians lived out of the money they earned from plucking tea leaves in the tea garden.
Br Nicholas Marandi currently posted at Don Bosco Ashalayam (home for street children) Howrah felt that the 15 day Himalyan Mountaineering Institute’s Adventure course "compelled us to be tough physically and determined in mind, to forge unity and rely on team work to survive."
Other extra curricular activities included, 10 day Nepali language course for the first year students who lived and learned the Nepali language and culture in the remote Dajhea village. A 12 day Scout Master’s Training Camp in Sikkim and Village youth leadership programme in Kalimpong district were other noteworthy events.
Every Sunday the Seminarians fan out to 16 youth centres in the far flung villages nestled in the hills and valleys to undertake rural youth and social service projects.
The college also takes leadership to develop students through various inter-college activities, seminars, workshops, debates, tournaments and other cultural activities.
Established in 1933 in Shillong with the motto Flamma Ardens et Lucens (A flame that enlightens and enlivens), the College shifted to Sonada in 1938 with whatever was salvaged from the devastating fire in Shillong. Formerly affiliated to Calcutta University, the college today is affiliated to North Bengal University with five departments (English, History, Economics, Philosophy and Education). Mandatory Computer Skills course helps make education more relevant with computer literacy for all.
