The first meeting of the Board of Education was held at the Nashik Social Service Centre Hall on Wednesday, October 02 from 11.00 a.m. to 12.45 p.m., followed by lunch. Most of the Principals and Managers of the English Schools participated though a few excused themselves as they had prior engagements. Fr Francis Swamy SJ, an educationist par excellence was the Resource Person.
After a brief prayer service and a few words of welcome by Bishop Barthol Barretto, Fr Francis enthused all the Principals and Managers to make it a point to have the Diocesan Board of Education (D.B.E.) as envisioned by Bishop Barthol. He also stressed on the fact that the D.B.E. ought to be proactive in all its endeavours and that the members should come together and be of one mind and heart. It is only when we belong to a family will change take place. If not, we will make no progress. Fr Francis also said that as Catholic Schools, we must make our presence felt in our society. Others should not take us for granted; we were the first ones to start schools; we ought to move with the signs of the times, improve our educational systems, send our teachers for on-going formation programmes regularly, etc. so that our Catholic Schools can become “salt of the earth and light of the world”.
Fr Dominic Rosario, Coordinator of D.B.E., communicated a few business points followed by Bishop Barthol who made some important announcements in the light of what is happening in our society. Sr Assis Fernandes FHIC has been unanimously accepted as Secretary, D.B.E.