Theera Jyothi Teachers' Training Institute.

On 22nd March the parents of the I year students were invited for a briefing by 2 p.m. Since the car booked for that trip came late, i started in my motor cycle and reached almost half an hour late. Out of some 48 students, nearly 32 parents came and it was a fruitful meeting with the paretns expressing their happiness with regard to our institute.

After that the second year students arranged a photo session and i took part in it.

Yesterday by 6.30 p.m went before the archdiocesan finance council to present our Plan and Budget along with Fr. Stanislaus. It was he who made the budget and plan and it was he who presented it.

At one stage when i was suggesting about mobilizing the already announced 15% for the ministry

of education and then channeling it for the infrastructure developments, Msgr. Eugene, the VG objected to it saying that i was only talking like this and need to work for a policy in appropriate bodies. I countered that telling that it was already in all the possible forums and nothing has come out, whereas even without consulting any body the 'authorities' could conveniently spent over a crore for maintaining the bishop house and so on. Duing the talk i stroke at the teapoy which was not taken well. Later i apologized for that. There after i left with Fr. Stanislaus asking them to make for any clarifications, if they have any.

Today, that is 25 the a class for the students on Counselling was arranged with a staff from Loyola College of Social Sciences. Fr. Stanislaus, the Asst. Director visited them. On his way to the institute he visited Pallithura HSS regarding tomorrow's heads of the schools meeting at Vellayambalam.

Budget Presentation before the Finance Council...

The annual Plan and Budget for the forthcoming fiscal year was presented before the Finance Council. While clarifying some of their doubts, i raised the issue of injustice in let the present system of the parish to manage the entire burden of expenses when others enjoy the benefit of the school both in admissions and appointements.

This could be overcome when the other parishes were asked to contribute their share out of the 15% they were expected to spend for Education from their parish fund allocation. Also suggested a percentage from the teachers' salary for the maintenance and construction of infra-structure in the schools.

For this the V. G who was chairing the session objected saying that such things be brought before forums to get approved as a policy which i claimed to have done already. This was followed by my not continuing the presentation and i challenged the huge amount spent for the maintenance of the bishop's house without any policy or consultation even. For those matters which they think 'right' they can do anything with the support of the finance council and the bishop who are answerabe to one another and not to any one else in the diocese!

Thus i could raise some vital questions before the council, which otherwise no one would dare to do.

A new attempt for a new beginning...

Board of Education, Archdiocese of Trivandrum

A diocese with its almost

seventy plus years of history

is still said to be ' backward!'

Why so, if not for its

lack of education?

It is high time that

we launch afresh

for a non-stop campaign

and committed task force

to implement effective and

efficient methods to take

our people to the heights of learning

and thereby to conquer any peak

with any other people.