March 16, 2009 issue
Seedbed for future doctors?
New school in India aims to teach next generation of church, medical leaders
By Ryan Miller Mennonite Mission NetworkPage:
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JAGDEESHPUR, India — Mennonite partners who organized a new English-language school here hoped for 85 students in the first year.
Children dance at the October 2008 inauguration of St. Stephen’s Model School at Sewa Bhawan Hospital in Jagdeeshpur, India. From left are Rajneesh Kour (obscured), Tammana Das, Lubna Khatri, Asutosh Agrawal, Ranmit Wadhwa and Rashmeet Kour. — Photo by Tushar Naik/MMN
More than 140 enrolled.
The new St. Stephen’s Model School that began in the ground floor of Sewa Bhawan Hospital in the 2008-09 school year is more than an educational facility. It is a ministry.
Leaders from the area church, school and hospital hope English instruction prepares students both for higher education and more prestigious careers and for learning about God.
The school is a combined effort of Sewa Bhawan Hospital and Emmanuel Hospital Association, Bharatiyah General Conference Mennonite Church, Evangelical Trust Association of North India, Menno Christian Education Society, and St. Stephen’s Group of Schools (part of the Church of North India).
Classes are offered from nursery through fourth grade. Administrators hope to increase the grades over time.
Tushar Naik, Sewa Bhawan Hospital director, said English education is now optional in the Chhattisgarh province, which means anyone wanting to study English must pay for the instruction.
St. Stephen’s offers a sliding scale based on income so that English is offered both to those who can afford to pay for it and those who can’t.
The response from the community, Naik said, has been inspiring. More than 500 people attended an inauguration ceremony in the fall.
“There is no other alternative for our children,” he said.
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Comments
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Many Congratulations,
It is very interesting to hear about the development of this School, at Jagdeeshpur where we had our upbringing. There is need of good English medium school.
When we were growing we were priviledged to have our missionary friends with whom we could interact and communicate in whatever broken English. Hay I passed with distinction !!! Ceit to My God and good teachers that we had.
But today communicating population is less and demand for fluency is growing due to Info Tech. More and better run Christian Schools and colleges are need of the hour.
Saraipali can have a Christian College and hostel in the Mission Compound and the Church could benefit from it. The supporting bodies should start school soon- with thoughts of upgrading it to College level.
May God bless this venture.
Rev. G M.Jacob (Mob. 09451056574, 09410170207) Principal, POEM Bible Centre, Kathgodam, Nainital
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