Media Release
Mangaluru, Aug 24: The students of St Aloysius B Ed College had a unique opportunity to experience, live and learn about the aspects of life in villages as part of their Rural Immersion Programme.
St Aloysius B Ed College conducted a six day Rural Immersion Programme for its teacher trainees at Mundgod taluk of Uttara Kannada district and Hanagal taluk of Haveri district under the following objectives - to inculcate human values, develop management abilities, internalize discipline, imbibe environmental conscience, understand the diverse cultural practices, lead a simple life, and develop an attitude of cooperation and adjustment.
The initiative was undertaken with an objective to sensitize the students to the hardships faced by the villagers and also with a spirit of bringing to life the Aloysian ideal of being men and women for others.
The students were sent to eighteen remote villages in the two taluks in groups of five. They stayed in the village houses to learn their life style and work with them. The students spent time with the children and the people of the villages. They also provided services in different schools by teaching subject matter, songs and conducting games. They also collected data regarding the school and role of women.
This programme which was conducted with a theme of ‘Education of the Heart’, helped the students in experiencing the reality faced by the vast number of villages of North Karnataka, problems of the farmers, variety of agricultural crops grown in these villages, food habits, social restriction faced by them on the basis of caste and gender, the customs and practices, educational facilities, transportation and employment. The students expressed appreciation about the village immersion programme as it touched them and instilled in them a strong commitment to the poor.
Fr Francis Balaraj, director, Loyola Vikas Kendra (LVK) Mundgod taluk and Fr Jerald D’ Souza, director, LVK Hangal taluk made all the arrangements in allotting villages and houses for the students.Faculty members Santhosh Furtado, Jerome D’Souza, Joshna B and Sandhya accompanied the students. Fr Eric Mathias, director, St Aloysius B Ed College; Dr Farita Viegas, principal, and Delna Lobo, vice-principal visited the villages.