“The nation is not made through laws in Parliament, but in classrooms in schools across the country. Character is developed in classrooms. Corruption, indiscipline, communalism, extremism and terrorism are found in society because of lack of character,” said P.J. Kurien, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, at the golden jubilee celebrations of St. Thomas Matriculation Higher Secondary School in north Chennai on Monday.
Mr. Kurien said that students must not only build their character, but also nurture compassion and commitment to society.
“Education is not just about imparting knowledge but building character,” he said.
Ruing the fact that education was becoming more and more commercial, Mr. Kurien said, “The founders of St. Thomas school, C.M. Mathews and Ponnamma Mathews, started from nothing. For the first six months, they didn’t get a single student…anyone else would have shut the school down. But the founders did not. They had the determination, dedication and devotion for teaching the kids.”
Mr. Kurien also presented mementos to teachers who had served in the school for more than three decades.
Introducing the chief guest Mr. Kurien, Abraham Zachariah, chairman and correspondent, St. Thomas Matriculation Higher Secondary School, said: “He has done a lot of work in his village. He has built world class roads and ensured electricity and water supply for 24 hours.”
Shirley A. Zac, principal, spoke on the occasion.