Bishop of Belagavi Rev Dr Peter Machado has urged Deputy Commissioner N Jayaram against the recent accusation by certain elements terming St Jospeh’s Convent as anti-Kannada and pro- establishments. He has also urged the district administration not to make any attempts to close the St Joseph’s English Medium Convent School.
A delegation comprising of Christian leaders, school management and priests on Friday submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner in this regard . Bishop Machado has referred to media reports where the deputy commissioner had allegedly directed officials of education department to close even the St Joseph’s English Medium School as the management was unable to continue Kannada medium section.
“You have labelled the management anti-Kannada and pro-establishment. We respectfully beg to differ from your statement which is far from the truth and hurting not only the St Joseph’s School Management but all the Christian Minority Institutions in Belgaum District. If St. Joseph’s School Management was anti-Kannada, they would not have run the school for the last 125 years. The fact is that the Government has refused the Management to fill up five vacant posts, which are lying from many years in St Joseph’s School, and other Christian Minority Institutions, which are never anti-Kannada or anti-any other language,” Bishop Peter has stated in the memorandum.
He also brought to the notice of the school that Christian Minority Managements are also running Kannada Medium Schools in the city, like St. Anthony’s Kannada School, Vanita Vidhyalaya, Beynon Smith and also in remote villages like Modage, Deshnur, Mhore, Nesargi .
However, all them are facing closure because the Government is not allowing us fill up vacant posts, which are lying vacant from many years,” bishop has further stated.
After being apprised of the situation DC Jayaram called up the DDPI and directed him to make special efforts in filling up the vacant posts in the school. Appreciating the role of the Cannosian nuns for running a Kannada medium school for more than 100 years. He also said that he would initiate efforts to help the management in getting special aid from the government. Urging the management to continue the admissions process for the Kannada medium school he said he would urge generous contributors to support the nuns financially till the vacant posts are filled.
Principal of St Josephs Convent Sr Thankam Michael, Manager Sr Maggie, Fr Lucio Mascarenhas, Fr Nelson Pinto, Louis Rodrigues, Jerome Andrade , Wilson Carvalho and others were present.