Teachers' Experiences
Mrs Mariappa's Experience
The school that brightens one’s future
The schools that helps one to reach one’s goal
The school that makes the kids sing, dance and enjoy
Dear Friends, ours school is entering into its decennial year. At the outset, I thank Dinah and her team for providing means to run this institution in this small village. Their contribution to his sacred mission of educating the poor children has been immense. I also thank the priests and nuns under whose management the school is walking in the path of excellence. My sincere thanks also to all the teachers and students who make this institution what it is.
I have been working here since 5 years. It is our privilege that the children of our locality are able to acquire an English medium education that too for a fee so low. The school management does not look for anything in return. The only reward it looks for is the integral growth of the poor children, the downtrodden, the orphans and ones who are deprived of the education. Thus, this school has turned out to be an oasis in the desert to the villages around.
The school teaches us to be creative. It inculcates in us leadership qualities and human values. The school also provides all the necessary facilities to make the learning more interesting and more efficient.
During the COVID 19 the schools in the vicinity were under lock down. This became a hindrance to the education of the students. This situation was tackled well by the teachers who organized classes in their respective villages under Vidayagam Scheme. The interests of the students towards the learning that took place motivated the teachers also show a lot of interest in providing a good educational foundation to their children. This shows that our school is in the path of progress.
On the whole, this institution is working for integral growth of the students. Along with the students, the teachers are also given opportunities to equip themselves with skills. I wish and pray that this school becomes the temple of knowledge to all those who come seeking for it. May every dream of this school be one day realized.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to express my feelings about this school.
Mrs Mariappa (Teacher)
Loyola Kapepaladi School
Ms Parimala's experiences
My name is Parimala. I come from Jagir Pannur. I am working in Loyola Kapepaladi School and I have been a teacher in this school since four years.
Loyola Kapepaladi School is a blessing to my village and I do believe that because of this school there are several changes in our locality. People are very much interested in educating their children in our school.
Most of the people here are daliths (low caste) who were deprived of many rights. Some time they were treated as slaves by the landlords. But the education has brought about many changes and many daliths are motivated and educated and today many of them serve in the Government offices. These changes I do find in my village. Loyola Kapepaladi School is making mark in the life of the people here.
I sincerely admire Dinah who has taken keen interest in providing education to the children of daliths and marginalized community. She will be ever remembered by the students. Special thanks to all those who are financially assisting our students. Your kindness will be cherished by the children.
I am grateful for the opportunity given to share my experiences.
Thank you
Ms Parimala ( teacher)
Loyola Kapepaladi School
Sister Anna Mary's Story
My name is Anna Mary. I am working in Loyola Kapepaladi School since 3 years. My experience of working here in this place and in this school has been beautiful.
Having accepted to work in this remote village I was touched and affected by the poor background of the area. Parents are not educated; the hunger for education has come in drive only in the recent years. People of the village depend on agriculture. They are pure hearted, respectful and generous. The students here are very clever, talented and have lofty dreams about their future. A number of students are sponsored from Dinah, the big hearted angel, who is taking of care of the school.
The school has very good infrastructure and qualified staff. And also I am pleased with very good school management, for selfless service rendered by the religious priest and nuns.
I am glad that I am part of reaching the unreached. I am sure these students will make the difference in the society.
Sr Anna Mary ( Teacher)
Loyola Kapepaladi School
Mr Vereesh's Story
My name is C. Veeresh. I hail from Bellary district which is Raichur’s neighboring district. The educational and health status of both district are almost same. When I first came to Loyola Kapepaldi School, I was uncertain of how I would fit into the world of education as teacher. In fact this was my first teaching practice. Within a matter of days, I changed my view and recognized my teaching abilities.
Our school children are from poor background, and face difficulties to access modern educational standards. But such deficiencies are taken care by our school management by generous contribution of the benefactors.
After 1991 liberation reforms in India, education has become a commercial entity and has become a paid service for rich. I was really amazed by efforts of our School management. It is making consistent efforts to uplift the down trodden by means of quality education.
I believe, these students who are very daring, talented and courageous will certainly reach the great heights.
Thank you
Mr Veeresh ( Teacher)
Loyola Kapepaladi School
Ms Yashoda's Experiences
I Yashoda the staff of the Kapepaladi School, would like to Share my experiences.
Kapepaladi School has been a blessing for the people of Pannur and the surrounding villages. It has given a lot of support to the students and the people who have passed through the portals of this school.
I have rendered seven long years of service here in this school. The students are getting best of education, an education filled with value system. Apart from this there have been cultural and sports activities conducted regularly in the school. School has all the basic facilities for the all round development of the students.
There are good numbers of qualified teachers, who are committed, who give selfless service to the students. Most of the staff is from the locality.
We are privileged to have priests and nuns who are very kind and dedicated themselves in serving the poor and marginalized community in this place.
I do acknowledge the great contribution of Dinah and all the sponsor parents who are helping our students to realize their dream. May the humble service of the generous souls be greatly blessed.
Finally I wish that all the students who are educated here in this school have a bright and beautiful life in the near future.
Ms Yashoda (Teacher)
Loyola Kapepaladi School
Basavaraj's Story
Basavaraj is himself a Dalit and he has suffered great discrimination in his life, both in his village and at school. This is his story:
“It is a good story but a sad story. I was a child labourer in the fields, a bonded labourer. One of the teachers from the Government school came and chased all the students to school. At that time I was also taken to school just to avoid nasty things happening at home. I was four I think, but after two years I came back and didn’t go to the school again because I was sent to graze the cows. When I came to 6th Standard (11 years old) there was a lot of discrimination in the school. The first row of students was higher caste. We had to sit at the back, not allowed to mingle in the study activities, we were just left out. There was a teacher called Lafisa, she was a Muslim. First she recognized that we were good singers and we sang some traditional songs, even in churches we used to sing them. She had a big fight with the College to allow us to take part in the College activities like singing and drama.At that time we came to know what discrimination we and our parents were going through. That day I decided that if I have to become a person in society, it should be a teacher surely–and I should gather all the students that belong to my category, my caste, and give them this awareness that discrimination is going on all over India. The root is from religion.Even today people belonging to a particular category–the lowest category, even if they are in a good position, people are treated very badly. Up until 6th standard we did not know the alphabet because nobody checked us, because always there was discrimination, beating and bad treatment. There was food given by the Government but we were not given it, we just had to go out of the class.We found out later that it was also there for us but they were not sharing it. We knew later that books were given by the Government, but we weren’t given them. In the 6th Standard the teacher explained all these things and we became aware, and then I thought of becoming a teacher. Then I studied well but I had to go in the morning to the Landowner’s fields, cut the grass, take the cows to drink, and in the evening clean the dung, give them food, and then come back and study. We got our friends together and said we should study very well and make a difference. We were nine from our caste in the school which was not a tolerable thing for the teachers in the school, because we nine were dominating everything. We were good at singing, narrating stories, good at acting and good at drawing. Suddenly in 7th Standard we got first class in the board exams and people started appreciating us. Even our colony people were happy to send their children to school. These teachers did not like so many students coming to their school, and they made a request to our local MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly), and requested a school for our colony. They did not want us to mingle in the mainstream. They made a separate school for us. I became troubled because teachers–those that were very bad and arrogant - they were sent to our school as a punishment! We did not know it (at the time) but we came to know it later. Then in 10th Standard(15 years old), I was studying but could not do very well because I had to go for tailoring training, and for assisting the postman. I had to go around the whole village and deliver the letters. I had to go late to college and then go back to the Landlord’s house and take the cows to the fields and bring the grass for them. We were 109 students in 10th Standard and I was number 109. In PUC(sixth form) I got the spirit of studying, and I had some kind of poetic knowledge. I began to write poems. At that time my poems were published in newspapers and I was very happy because of those appreciations. I really wanted to become a teacher then. In PUC I turned the number 109 into first. I became top of the class and was very happy to go forward. Then, I went for teacher training. I finished my 3 years of teacher training then I was searching for a job. Because of my background I was sent for some other work to Bangalore. I came to know that there was a place in Loyola School because many of my relatives were sending their children to Loyola school. I knew Father Maxim, he had come to our village. That day one of my sisters called me and said why can’t you go to Loyola School? I came here and I met Father Eric. Father Eric said no, I want only lady teachers! I went back. I was very sad because I had spent many rupees to come from Bangalore and now I had to go back. It was one week’s earnings. The next week Father Eric called me, he said “who is this?” I said “Basavaraj”. He said “you have left your notebook on my table?” I said “yes, it was mine”. He said, “the poems you have written, are those yours or someone else’s?” I said “mine.” He said “you have to come back” and I was very happy to come. He said “you are a poet because you have good Kannada literature knowledge”, and that is why I am now teaching Kannada in our school. (Kannada is one of the local languages in Karnataka State). I began as a hostel warden. I was very happy to be with the children and I came to know their struggle. I was thinking only of my colony boys and how they were struggling. I saw the whole world in that same pit. I would go with Father Eric to the villages and everywhere it was same situation, same kind of discrimination, same kind of superstitions. I wanted to become a teacher but I wanted to become a teacher for the Government school. But I changed that. I wanted to be a teacher (at Loyola) as I can see my own community children here and I can teach them. If it is possible I can inspire them a bit to come up in their lives. That is why I started changing myself. From warden I became 1st Standard teacher, then I was given High School teacher, then I taught even for the College and I won a state level award for one of my poems. Then I participated in the International Poetry Festival 2011 and 2013. It was a very happy thing and it was all because of the inspiration I got from this school.”
Basavaraj’s story is common with every Dalit child’s story, both 20 years ago and today. The discrimination and bullying that Dalit children face in the Government schools is hard to comprehend but still goes on.
Basavaraj is dedicating his life to teaching and helping Dalit children to rise up out of the discrimination, which we know is only possible for these children through being given a good education. One last point which made us gasp was when we asked him how old he was when he learnt English. He said, “I was 23. Father Maxim used to teach me from 10:30 to 12:30 at night even though I was drowsy and sleepy. Whatever I am speaking today it is not from my school - I learnt from this school.”I t is easy to forget that for all the children and teachers at both Loyola Xavier school in Manvi and Loyola Kapepaladi school in Pannur, English is their second if not third language. Years ago I remember being impressed hearing about a school in Hertfordshire that teaches several subjects in French and German, and thinking how quick the students’ minds would need to be to learn History or Geography in a foreign language. And yet this is what our Manvi and Pannur students, as young as three years old, are doing everyday.
Sumitha's Experience
I am Sumitha; I joined the Institution in the academic year of 2016-2017. First of all, I thank the management for giving me the opportunity to work in this Institution.
I feel privileged to be appointed to serve the poor and needy. I feel happy to teach the children who are poor and marginalised and the less privileged ones.
At times it is very challenging to teach these children in this village, because they are not able to grasp quickly and it makes them feel happy to teach them over and over again.
It makes me understand these children; because of their poverty they undergo these kinds of problems. So, I want to educate these children with my effort and uplift their dignity. And I want to serve them with whole heart.
In this village there is no proper electricity, no proper transportation, no better way of living, and children at times don’t have sufficient food to eat.
So, when I see this, I feel pained. I feel I am very privileged to serve these children in this School. As a teacher, I have learnt a lot from the children.
Some of the children in the school are slow learners, slow in understanding and it is very challenging to teach them with PATIENCE.
It is helping me to be kind, gentle and patient while dealing with children. I am happy to give myself to their growth.
And I am very happy and inspired by the benefactors like Dinah and Peter, who are generous in helping these children who are not privileged. I always pray that God may grant them good health to continue to do good works in this place.
Santhoshi’s Experience
I feel that I am blessed by GOD in abundance to teach at a School like LOYOLA KAPEPALADI SCHOOL. Being a teacher at this school is a great opportunity to love and care the children.
Children are helped here in various ways as they come from very distant places to study here. Most of them come from poor families, where the parents are not educated, they are very innocent in all sorts of things. But the children are loving and approachable. Teaching these children makes me learn more and more from them. They all have a definite goal in their lives, so they put a lot of effort in their studies. They work with a lot of unity and co-operate with each other. They share their love and joy with everyone in a brotherly and sisterly concern for each other, and I feel that I am able to give my best to these children as well as the school, as I am provided with everything I require.
It is the biggest REWARD for a teacher, when they really make a difference in their students’ lives, especially by igniting the passion to learn more and to see them GROW. But on the other hand, it can be very frustrating and stressful when dealing with few unmotivated students, long classes and heavy workload etc., but at the end of the day I feel that I have at least put my efforts in igniting them to pursue their DREAMS.
So, I thank the Institution for giving me an opportunity to TEACH.
