(Salesian College Sonada, Siliguri) – The Salesian College (Autonomous) Siliguri organized a National Education Policy 2020 session for school principals of North Bengal on October 17. Principals or their representatives from 10 schools participated in the event held on the theme, Changing Contours of Education: From School to College, by Head, Centre for Information & Resource Management, University of North Bengal Assistant Professor Mr Anirban Biswas.
Principals represented the Education Boards of ICSC, CBSE and West Bengal Higher Secondary Board. Inaugurating the programme, the new Principal of Salesian College Siliguri and Sonada Father Dr Babu Joseph stressed the role of schools in partnering for higher education in the region. “The New Education Policy (NEP) has opened several academic options for students. Unless they make wise decisions, their postgraduate employability will be less,” said Fr. Babu Joseph.
Mr. Biswas insisted that schools should implement NEP curriculum options and offer career guidance to the students. In the interactive session, the Head of the Psychology Department, the first from North Bengal, Dr. Prince, offered free psychological counselling and testing services for schools. Meanwhile, 59 senior undergraduate and Postgraduate Psychology students offer voluntary counselling services in several schools under faculty supervision.
Salesian College Siliguri has some 2,500 students from 20 states of India and 185 schools and students from neighbouring Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. While thanking the school authorities for recommending students to join Salesian College, Father Babu honoured principals with a traditional ceremonial scarf, memento and gifts.
The Salesian College, established in Shillong in 1933, was translocated to Sonada in 1938 after a tragic fire accident on Good Friday, April 10, 1933. The Siliguri campus was opened in 2009. It was awarded autonomous status on May 31, 2023.
A similar Principal’s meeting is scheduled for hill schools in the Sonada campus in the coming days.
Source: Don Bosco South Asia