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Other Educational Programmes
Montessori Schools
The very first Montessori School in Ranchi started in
1967. Mr. Joosten, an English gentleman introduced the Montessori
system of Education in Ranchi for the first time. At this juncture
12 Ursuline Sisters got trained in this new way of education originally
meant for the children of Lace-women below 5 Sister John Narikuzhi
conducted the very first Montessori School from its inception in
1967. At present children belong to a mixed group in the Montessori
Schools.
The two other Montessori Schools are at Ursuline Convent, Lohardaga and
at Carmel School, Chakradharpur respectively. The Annual function is
held on the birthday of Maria Montessori. The Founder Father of this
system of education, on August 30. Almost all the children appear on
the stage for different items to be admired by the audience, particularly
by their parents. On completing the course they are fit to join
Primary Schools.
Balwadis
There are a few Balwadis conducted in the villages for the children of
the village. Christian Children's Fund (C.C.F.) has been sponsoring
a few of them. Other Balwadis are undertaken by the
Government. The co-operation of the Villagers is required if
Balwadis need to be established on village level.
Lace Schools
Right from the very beginning, along with Formal Education, Non-formal
Education has always had an important place in the Ursuline
Education. The aim was "Education and Formation of Women for
Life", for a better future with diverse skills for better homes
towards the building up of a happy, prosperous family with Christian
atmosphere, enabling them to fulfill the role of an ideal mother, an
effective leader in the family and society, contributing towards the
building up of a healthy society. The Ursuline pioneers began the
preliminary stages of Non-formal education with
"Work-Rooms". Lace making was started in 1904 though there
was no expert teacher. Still some lace could be sold to the English
ladies living in Ranchi. Rural
Training Programmes
In due time Khunti, Tongo, Rengarih, Noatoli and Samtoli added
Tailoring, Knitting and Weaving to their syllabus. Ursuline Convent,
Noatoli had started a Rural Training Programme in addition, with two more
subjects - Agriculture and Farming. These Tailoring and Weaving
Schools trained many girls and women. They learnt to stitch garments
for different age groups and also for marketing in the villages at
reasonable rates. The home-spun woven material was of excellent
quality for home use; its discontinuance is regretted today by those who
have experienced the value of the home product.
In the 1940s the weaving section started losing ground due to high cost
of raw material and people were attracted towards the fine cotton texile
from the mill.
Tailoring schools continued training many young girls with preliminary
education at Primary or Middle school and the drop-outs, also the poor,
unfortunate ones who couldn't continue their studies. They had a 2
year programme during which they learnt stitching garments and other
articles for home use and hand embroidery. Religion and Moral
Instruction, health and hygiene, home management and household duties etc.
were part of the programme. After completing the training they were
employed as teachers and helpers in other tailoring schools or were self
employed at home. All these learnings proved beneficial to raise the
standard of their family life.
Grihini Schools
Grihini School movement highlighted an allround
development of women's talents. Today's complex society forces a
woman to be a bread winner, a cultivator, a community leader, a petty
trader or a self-employed entrepreneur. She has to play multiple
roles and perform multiple functions, hence needs to develop various
skills. This programme could be called an "Integrated Training
Programme for Women".
Since then Grihini Schools have been conducted in
Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, west Bengal, Assam, Orissa and the
Andaman Islands.
The marriageable girls needed a comprehensive
pre-marriage course before entering the married state to be a successful
happy future house- wife and mother in a family. They needed to
learn, how to make the best use of the little they have at their
disposal. They needed to enhance their family income.
At present Ursuline Sisters share only a few Grihini
Schools. Some of the Ursuline Sisters had the opportunity to be
trained in the School of Home Science, Bethiah, run by the Holy Cross
Institute in the 60s. Later the Holy Cross V.T.I., Hazaribag, in
cooperation with the programme of Women's Development of the Indian Social
Institute, New Delhi, started a Teachers' Training Course of one year
duration. There were about 10 Grihini Schools run by these Trained
Sisters, assisted by one Senior Trained lay teacher each. These
Grihini Schools were directly under the Parish. Very many young
girls have gone through these Grihini Schools and have had a very happy
family life. Vocational
Training and Co-operative
Realizing the pressing need of helping young women,
a Vocational Training Centre was started in Ranchi by the Ursuline Sisters
in 1990.
One of the most satisfying achievements has been the
formation of women's cooperative society, a Registered Society under Bihar
- Orissa Cooperative Act of 1935. The trained members of this
Vocational Training Centre are invited to join this Society and run their
business cooperatively.
Since these young women lack proper infrastructure
and atmosphere for the work at home, they are provided a place in the
Ursuline Vocational Training Complex and they have to pay only nominal
rent. There is a store in Jawan Bhawan, Main Road, Ranchi, No. F 37
C that has been allootted to the Ursuline Society. The management of
this store is done by the members of the cooperative society.
At present, they have developed their skill in
producing quality goods as embroidered sarees, bed linen, table cloths,
handkerchiefs, wedding veils, different kinds of garments. Church
articles, garlands and other items as well. They become self
supportive.
At the initial stage in the year 1991, the Centre
was provided with 7 sewing machines, later 3 knitting machines and wool by
the government. Besides this, the tribal girls of the rural areas
were given stipends by the Deputy Director of Welfare, Ranchi. Also
each one received one sewing machine along with the material as capital
worth Rs. 1500/-. In this way 240 trained tribal women were
encouraged to start self-employment.
At present this Vocational Training Centre is
supported by another Organization called SKIP (Skills for Progress),
Bangalore being its centre. Membership has been obtained already in
the year 1990.
The target of this Organization is to uplift the
poorest of the poor without discrimination of caste, creed and culture in
any part of the country. Sister Mariam Tirkey is incharge of "Ursuline
Vocational Training Centre" in Ranchi at present.
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