Bishop talks tough, wants ‘transparency’ in schools

KOLKATA: Probal Dutta, who was formally installed as the 20th bishop of the Kolkata Diocese of the Church of North India (CNI) on Sunday, plans to review the functioning of all schools under CNI, which includes some of the city’s most reputable institutions.



The idea is to “initiate reforms and usher in transparency” in its schools, according to a senior CNI official. Several eminent educationists have been sounded out to be a part of school managing committees. Among them are two former principals of a prominent city school who have also had stints at reputable educational institutions outside the city.

At an investiture ceremony in St Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday, Dutta — who is now the head of management committees of all schools under CNI — said: “The world is changing and excellence is the only key to success. We cannot lead schools and other institutions towards excellence unless we induct leading educationists. Many have happily shown interest.”

A prominent school with both girls’ and boys’ sections may have a board shake-up, said sources. “Schools run by the CNI are not institutions of profit but centres for social service that should strive to keep corruption at bay. Admissions to these schools should be free and fair and any hint of corruption anywhere will be dealt with severely,” Bishop Dutta said. CNI runs around 30 schools and colleges in and around Kolkata, including the two La Martinieres, Pratt Memorial, St James’ and St Thomas’ School, Kidderpore.

Sources said Dutta, appointed head of the Kolkata diocese on October 9, had convened a meeting of a prominent school where he had made his intent clear. The school managing committee secretary wasn’t available for comment on Sunday.


‘Church to keep tabs on admissions’

At the congregation on Sunday, at which Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien was also present, CNI moderator P C Singh, in his address, also suggested “reformative measures”.

Dutta said he had made several changes to the admissions procedure of Pratt Memorial to make it “clean and fair”. “I have a new committee in place that will ensure that only the deserving candidates who fulfil the conditions can only get admission and no one else meddles in these matters. The Church will keep a strict eye on every admission to each school under it,” Dutta told TOI immediately after the investiture.

Sources said the tenure of most of these school managing committees will be over in March 2019. The changes are likely to be made after that. Apart from the two, several other eminent educationists and experienced professionals have also been sounded. All changes, the sources added, were likely to be made according to the constitution and precedent at these schools. While the school managing committee is likely to be reshaped in two schools, two other schools are likely to get new principals.

In a late August interview to TOI, Dutta had indicated that they’d received some complaints against CNI-run schools, which would be probed. On Sunday, he said: “These investigations will continue and I will bring about changes in the management of not only schools but all institutions that are run by the Church. The managements need to understand that it is the Church that is the supreme authority and cannot work against the Christian spirit of charity and goodness that it promotes.”