Shillong: Many children within the city of Shillong still cannot afford formal education. They drop out of school due to economic constraints and start working. Some children don’t attend school at all because their parents just cannot afford the fees, books and uniforms.
To accommodate such students, the Sisters of Charity who run Holy Child School and a Mercy Home ( a home for the aged) at Demthring, Nongthymmai have started a school for the drop-outs and the underprivileged children. They call this section the St Capitanio School after their patron saint.
Sr Delphin the principal of the school and also of Holy Child School informed that the school starts at 1 pm and gets over by 4 pm.
The school started in 1996 and caters mainly to the children of Madanrting and Demthring areas.
They don’t pay any school fees and their books and salaries for the six teachers are paid out of the pocket money collected by the students of Holy Child School.
A small percentage of the earnings of Holy Child School also augment the needs of this evening school.
The school has now reached up to Class VIII. After that the students have to seek admission in Holy Child School or elsewhere. Subjects taught include English, Maths, Science, Social Science, General Knowledge and Moral Science. The children also learn skills in arts and crafts. They also have co-curricular activities such as dancing, singing etc.
There are altogether 151 students in this evening school. One student who went to Holy Child School after passing Class VIII from St Capitiano passed her Class XII and is doing her BSc final year in St Edmund’s College.
The students are also provided nutritious midday meals. Up to 2015 there was no uniform for the students. That year, Shubham Textiles provided free uniforms for them.
For important days like Independence Day, Teacher’s Day, Children’s Day etc., the students of St Capitanio join the students of Holy Child School in joint celebrations.
Celebration at
St Francis D’Assisi
The St Francis D’Assisi secondary School Kynton Massar, Mawlai celebrated Parents Day on October 19 in an event held on the school premises.
MP Vincent Pala graced the function as chief guest along with local MLA Embhahlang Syiemlieh, local MDC PT Sawkmie and Herman Wanniang the Provincial Superior of St Paul’s Province, NE India as guests of honour.
Pala in his address highlighted the various activities of the school and was all praise for the contribution of the Christian missionaries in the development of the state. Sawkmie emphasised on the need of more educational institutions in the state.
