Educational
Contributions of CMC in India and Abroad
Introduction
Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara a great visionary of
nineteenth century Kerala church recognized the importance of woman education
and its impact in families and society of Kerala which was downtrodden due to
the absence of a well-organized system, caste restrictions and communal
barriers in the field of education. Though modern women empowerment programs
were unknown to him, he was aware that the stability and sanctity of families
depends mostly on well-groomed women in society.[1]
He was also conscious of the social taboos which had tied up nineteenth century
women. At an awful condition of women in Kerala, as a prudent and effective
CEO, Chavara with the help of Fr. Leopold Beccarro OCD - then Carmelite
missionary delegate of Kerala- in view of empowering women in the Church and
the society, founded the first congregation for women in Syro Malabar Church on
13th February 1866[2], which was then termed as
‘Women TOCD’ and later bifurcated into CMC and CTC on the basis of rites.[3]Through
this article we try to look at the contributions of CMC in India and abroad for
the cause of education.
Initial Stages of CMC
in the Field of Education
As per the vision of the founders Blessed Kuriakose Elias and
Fr. Leopold, education is the first apostolic field in which CMC has
concentrated. The education apostolate of CMC was inaugurated in2nd
January1868[4]by
starting anEducandath(boarding school) for girls to stay and study
Christian virtues, handicrafts and three Rs, viz. reading, writing and
arithmetic.[5]CMC
started a school outside the convent campus and began its formal education
ministry by 1872 October 16th.[6] Then
onwards sisters have been actively engaged in educational apostolate;and thus
participate in the mission of the church and contribute in nation building. The
initial curriculum of the schoolmust be the expanded from of what they had started
in boarding school (Educandath), which was comprised of cooking, music,
languages, arithmetic, religion, stitching and handicrafts.[7]At
the beginning stage theeducational efforts of sisters of CMC were of three
kinds:
1.
Teach in Educandath- Boarding houses- It
was meant for Christian girls where Christian virtues were taught along with
basic education (3Rs) and handicrafts.
2.
Run and teach in formal schools [though planned
to start in 1668, really started in 1872.][8]
3.
Run orphanages for financially backward people
to stay and to do their studies in the regular school.
The educational work started at Koonammavu produced good
result. Citing Nasrani-Deepika vol. 44/51 Father Valerian presents the words of
appreciation the Jacobite scholar O.M. Cherian regarding the service of CMC
sisters. According to him, the famous convent at Koonammavu which was founded
by father Kuriackose Elias Chavara was spreading numerous blessings in the
society.[9]
The great enthusiasm shown by the bishops, priests, and the
parishioners in establishing convents, boardings and educational institutions
attached to them supported the growth of CMC very much in the initial stages.
Gradually convents and schools sprung up in the vicinity of the towns and the
villages of Kerala. Sisters rendered their dedicated service even in places
where transport facilities or the blessings of electricity had not reached.
Sisters had to face very many difficulties in the initial stages to satisfy the
government conditions to get grant, especially number of the students remained
unfulfilled for many years. But struggles did not reduce their enthusiasm work
for the growth of people.[10]More
thrust was given in moral and spiritual formation of students and in imparting
Christian values through life examples before studentsrather than words.
From the very beginning CMC focused on education of women and
female children. According to the statistics of the gold jubilee year of CMC (1916),
by 1913 CMC had established 13 schools. Among them St. Joseph School,
Koonammavu (1872), St. Joseph School,Mutholi(1888), St. Joseph’s, Changanacherry(1894),St.
Joseph’s,Arakuzha(1895),St. Joseph’s Karukutty (1899) St. Mary’s Ollur (1900),
and St. Ann’s Edathiruthy, (1906) were girls schools. St Joseph’s school-
Viakam and Immaculate LPS Pulimkunnu (1898) [started as girls schools, but
later converted to co-ed],St. Theresa’s School, Manaloor (1905), St. Joseph’s
LPS, Venthala (1909) and St. Joseph’s Chengal (1911) wereco-education schools.
St. Aloysius, Paravoor (1910) washand over to Parish Church in 1914.[11] The contributions of
these schools and later schools raised CMC as a major contributor in the
educationalscenario of Kerala. At present CMC has 627 schools in the following
groups.57 -Hr. sec. schools, 114- High schools, 110- UP schools, 106 Lower
primary schools, 266 - pre-primary schools in India.[12]This list includes aided
and unaided - English medium and vernacular state schools, CBSC, ICSE as well
as ISC schools. CMC schools are often appreciated for peaceful and serene
atmosphere, moral and spiritual orientation, systematic administration, good
infrastructure, committed staff and excellent result.
Teachers Training Institutes
Henry Brooks Adams says, “A teacher affects eternity; he can
never tell where his influence stops.” Fr. Leopold, the co-founder reminded
sisters to set exemplary life before students.[13] Understanding the importance
of training and formation of teachers CMC began a new venture in education
through teachers training institutes. St. Joseph Training School, Mutholi (1934)
is the first teachers’ training institute of CMC. There after Christ the King
TTI Pavaratty (1940), St. Joseph’s Training College Ernakulam (1946), and St.
Joseph’s TTI Karukutty (1952) are founded. At present CMC has seventraining
schools and two training colleges.[14] Many famous teachers
those who extended their valuable service in forming the present generation in
Kerala and outside are from these institutes.
CMC Contribution in Higher Education
Catholic colleges and universities should play a privileged
role to provide intellectual leadership to the society and humanity by
transforming the world through the optimism and hope, by forming people with a
sense of justice and truth.[15]According to Kothari
Commission report education of women is more relevant than that of men with
regard to wholesome development of human resources, progress of family
wellbeing and character formation of children. (Kothari, 1966) Having perceived the relevance of
providing higher education to young women CMC took a major step in education by
establishing St. Mary’s college Thrissur (1946), the first women higher
education institute of India.[16]In the beginning it was
affiliated to Madras University, but in 1968 it got affiliated to Calicut
University. Apart from St. Mary’s CMC has three more colleges viz. Vimala
College - Thrissur, Mercy College Palakkadu, and Carmel College - Mala. There
are5703 women are attaining higher education from these institutes.[17] CMC is trying to reach
higher education to more women of rural areas (3435) through eleven parallel
colleges.[18]
Vocational and Technical
Education
The aim of vocational and technical education is to develop
the skills through diversified courses to meet the requirements of, mainly the
unorganized sector and to instill self- employment skills in people through
self-employment oriented courses. Imbibing the mind of the founders CMC had
initiated vocational trainingthrough St. Joseph's Technical Institute
established in Koonammavu in 1868 itself. It aimed at enhancing the status of
women and to enable them to seek self- employment and thereby to attain
economic independence. The
girls were given training in making rosaries, scapular, embroidery works,
church materials, and decoration pieces which became a source of income for
them. Since 1922 this was raised to the level of a standard institution
supported by the government. In 1922 another technical institute of the same
kind was started in Karukutty. Apart from these two institutions recognized by
the government, other such institutions were opened attached to all the
convents and orphanages
and thus provided a source of income for the women of the surroundings.[19]At
present CMC has 20 technical schools. It provides various kinds of technical training
including skills in computer technology.[20]
Non-formal Education
Apart from
formal education CMC is involved in non-formal education too. Understanding the
condition and life situations of people whom we serve in the missions, with a purpose
of providing education for all and to have a greater equity and justice in the
society CMC extends her service through evening classes, pre-primary education
programs, free-tuition for students of government schools, classes for aged,
moral and health classes for women and children etc.[21]; some places we have open
schooling systems too. Many students who crossed their school going age and are
working in different fields for their livelihood could appear for board
examinations and, thus could improve their life situation and financial status
through open-schooling. At present there are seven open schools for CMC.[22]
Education Apostolate of CMC Outside India
Educational initiatives of missionaries laid a foundation for
growth and development in India. Blessed Chavara’s vision and contributions
enhanced it in Kerala. CMC following the example of the founders expanded its
mission to different countries abroad since1965-70. Mostly our service is
extended in medical field; but in African countries and in two American states
(Louisiana and Indiana) where we elongate our educational apostolate since
1977. In USA sisters teach catechism and Christian values apart from regular
subjects.[23]
In African countries sisters teach in diocesan seminaries and schools, but
their concentrated effort is for imparting moral and spiritual education. There
are three primary schools and a secondary school for CMC in the region which
are the best schools of the region; apart from them we have one special school
in South Africa for mentally retarded children and three vocational training
centers in Tanzania and Malavi.[24]
Conclusion
As per the
statistics of 2012, 1988 sisters are serving in the educational apostolate in
CMC institutions alone, to educate 2,03,892 students.[25] Apart from this list CMC
sisters are rendering their service in the diocesan schools tooalmost
equal in number.In recent years CMC schools are concentrating on Total Quality
Management under the guidance of general education councilor and secretariat.
‘CMC Education Ratio’ (2009) gives common guide lines to all CMC institutions
to be faithful to the founders’ vision and to the guidelines of the church. Imbibing the vision of founders
and strengthened by the divine love in contemplation CMC continue to offer
dedicated service and quality education to foster the individuals
intellectually, spiritually and physically, so that they may have a mature
vision of life.
CMC educational
Institutions in India and Abroad at a Glance
|
Type of Institutions
|
No of Institutions
|
Abroad
|
|
Arts/Science
College
|
4
|
|
|
Parallel Colleges
|
11
|
|
|
Training institutes
|
8
|
|
|
Nursing College /schools
|
5
|
|
|
Hr. Sec. Schools
|
57
|
|
|
High Schools
|
114
|
1
|
|
Upper Primary
Schools
|
110
|
3
|
|
Lower Primary
Schools
|
106
|
3
|
|
Pre-primary
|
266
|
|
|
Technical
Institutes
|
20
|
|
|
Open Schools
|
7
|
|
Source - Activity
Report of CMC from 2009-‘2012, 2012, 77 &
129
Reference
[1]Kadankavil, T.,The christian family, a prototype of Heaven
on earth, in the vision of Chavara inThe Lord of Heaven and earth ,2004,
Bangalore: Dharmaram Publications, 210-230.
[2]Chronicles of KoonammavuConventVol.
I, 9-13; Chronicles of MannanamMonasteryVol. II, 75-77. These will
be referred further as CKC and CMM with volume number.
[3]Women TOCD was the first indigenous women congregation in
the Syro Malabar Church. On 20th May 1887 Pope Leo XIII, through the
Decree Quod Jam Pridem separated the Syrians from the Latin
jurisdiction, (Bernard Thomma, 1916, 861). And thereafter TOCD got bifurcated
into Syrian and Latin wings and now named as Congregation of Mother of Carmel-
CMC and Congregation of Teresian Carmelites - CTC respectively.
[4]CKC I, 80-81.
[5]Jossy, CMCIn the Shadow of the Most High,
Aluva: Mount Carmel generalate, 1997, 68.
[6]CKC II, 60.
[7]Jossy, CMCIn the Shadow of the Most High,
68.
[8] CKC II, 60.
[9]Valerian,MalankaraSabhamathavinteoruveerasanthanam,
Mannanam: St. Joseph’s press,1938,
[10]Jossy, CMC In the Shadow of the Most High,
71
[11]Cf. Avila, Dhanya, &Mareena,ArivinteVazhiyeTapassamanassu:
Collection of Analytical Studies on the Eeducational Vision of ChavaraKuriakose
Elias, 2012, 84-95.
[12]Activity Report of CMC from 2009-‘2012, Aluva: Mt. Carmel Generalate,2012,
77.
[13]CKC II, 59-60.
[14]Activity Report of CMC from 2009-‘2012, 77.
[15] Becker, P., “Advance praise” in Globalisation and
its impact on higher education in India, Bangalore: Centre for publication,
Christ College,2006, x.
[16]Avila, Dhanya, &Mareena,ArivinteVazhiyeTapassamanassu,
2012, 97
[17]Activity Report of CMC from 2009-‘2012.
[18]Avila, Dhanya, &Mareena,ArivinteVazhiyeTapassamanassu,
99.
[19]Jossy, CMC In the Shadow of the Most High,
152.
[20]Activity Report of CMC from 2009-2012.
[21]CMC Education Ratio, Aluva: Mt. Carmel Generalate, 2009,51.
[22]Activity Report of CMC from 2009-‘2012, 77.
[23]CMC Holy Queen’s Province Through the
Corridors of History-
Malayalam, Sr. Cicy, CMC, Provincial Superior, 2003,319.
[24]Activity Report of CMC from 2009-‘2012, 129-130.
[25]Avila, Dhanya, &Mareena,ArivinteVazhiyeTapassamanassu,
100.
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