TURA: A missionary zeal to equip women with education and skill training 25 years ago at Balamagre near here has helped transformed the lives of hundreds of young girls in the area.
Mother Camino Vocational Secondary School, which celebrated its silver jubilee on Monday, has since its inception educated and trained women on health-related issues and encouraged them to take up socio-economic activities development projects.
To cite just one of the several success stories, many women who have undergone training in the institution have passed out with distinction in weaving and tailoring.
Mother Camino Vocational Secondary School was established in 1992 with the support of the local community and encouragement from Reverend Sister Marline Pinto, the then regional directress of the Missionaries of Christ Jesus, commonly known as St. Xavier’s Sisters, Tura.
One of the pillars of the school foundation has been Rev. Sister Mary Joseph who has been able to weave a success story of her students. She began the school with a handful of dedicated teachers and since then the school has grown in strength.
Today, there are as many as 545 students and 20 teachers in the school. Several batches have been successfully appearing for the Class X Secondary School Leaving Certificate examinations from MBOSE since the year 2007.Felicitating the school and its pioneers, MBOSE controller of examinations, T R Laloo, lauded the efforts and dedication of the founding members of the congregation as well as the members of school committee for their contribution towards nation building in general and empowerment of women in particular.
Acknowledging the challenges faced by the institution in providing quality education to the people of about 41 villages, Laloo called upon the school committee members to seek affiliation from MBOSE, Tura at the earliest.
To mark the occasion, the founding members of the school Sr. Mary Joseph, Regina S Sangma, Sushma Ch Marak and Sabina T Sangma were felicitated by the chief guest for their contribution to the growth and welfare of the school.
The students of the school also put up an impressive and spectacular performance on the occasion including a short play – ‘Bishop’s Candlesticks’ based on a episode in Victor Hugo’s famous book Les Miserables.
The silver jubilee celebration was also attended by the Bishop of Tura, Rt. Rev. Andrew R Marak and Kalpana D Sangma as guests of honour, among others.
