Media Release
Mangalore, Nov 30: Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore, lauded the wholesome formation imparted to its students by Mahatma Gandhi Centenary (MGC) Pre-University College at Bondel, Mangalore.
In his presidential address at the Decennial College Day celebration on November 29 and in a message to the commemorative Souvenir, Sadhana, released on the occasion, the Bishop commended the college for its notable progress over the past ten years and appreciated the hard work and dedication in developing the potential of its students. He stressed the importance of education in evolving persons into ideal, responsible citizens of the nation.
Continuing, the Bishop said in his message: “An educational institution is not just a place to impart knowledge; but a place for formation of young minds. Different activities conducted in your college speak for themselves about the integral formation the institution offers to its students. While congratulating you on the progress, I wish to draw your attention to the importance of educating students on human values. What the students learn and imbibe at this stage of their growth remains with them for the rest of their lives, especially the human and ethical values.”
Presenting the annual report of the college, Sr Grace Lobo, principal, traced the genesis of the college to the high school started in 1970 in the wake of the newly commenced Mary Immaculate Convent in Bondel, then a distant suburb, with students drawn from neighbouring villages, largely marked by poverty, who had to go to the distant inner city for high school education. Now the Bondel school campus hosts 1400 students, with excellent infrastructure for academic, sports and extra-curricular activities.
The PU College was started 2003 to meet the rising needs and aspirations of the students and their parents, starting with 28 boys and 39 girls and six teaching staff, offering three streams of arts, commerce and science. Today, with additional subjects, the college has 350 students and 15 teachers. The Principal said that the college has consistently secured above 95% results since its inception and highlighted that in the commerce stream, it secured 100% results in 2006-7 and 2007-8 and in the arts stream 100% results in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
The Decennial celebratory function had Fr Joseph Martis, Rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary, as Chief Guest. In his message he underlined the fact that beyond education in the college, the home is also a school for students to learn and imbibe discipline and human values.
Fr Patrick Sequira, assistant parish priest, St Lawrence Church, Bondel; Sr Angeline, ex-Principal of the College; Umesh Kumar N, Sub-Inspector, Kavoor; and Rudy Pinto, vice president, St Lawrence Parish, Bondel were guests of honour.
Also present, among others, were Sr Matilda D’Souza, ex-Principal of the College, Sr Agnes, Manager, MGC Institutions and Sr Anita, head of the Primary School. Olivia, English lecturer, efficiently progressed the function.
The function included prize distribution and concluded with cultural programme.