Of the
69 hamlets currently under our adoption, about 20 villages lack even a pre-school.
Pre-school Centres
need to be constructed and a teacher each to be appointed.
The 100
and odd teachers serving in the schools (Primary, Middle, High and
Higher Secondary) of the service area need to be given computer
literacy.
The
teaching-learning process needs to be strengthened by envisaging
strategies that augment the teaching of Science,
Mathematicsand English in these rural schools.
Strengthening School Infrastructure / Laboratoriesin 15 Primary, Upper Primary and Senior Schools.
Integrated community herbal farms need be
established in seven centres. The 69 villages could be geographically
grouped into seven clusters, with one centre for each cluster.
Basic
education and income generation skills have been found to empower the women folk
towards a reasonable degree of self reliance. The pressing needs of the
programme revolve around this target. The
remarkable aspect of this form of "paying-back to the community" is
that the students not only render their service but also financially meet over
80% of the annual budgetary needs of the department. We are striving
hard to accomplish an appropriate recognition of the service of the students and
the Extension Faculty by the UGC and/or the Union Ministry of HRD. The efforts
continue in this direction while the students of St. Joseph's carry forward the
service silently. For SHEPHERD is not just about the students - it is the
combined label given to the three communities - a 48000 - strong rural community of
awakened people, a 5000-strong community of committed students and a
350-strong community of dedicated Jesuits and Professors.