By Ms Neelam Rodrigues, Ms Ujwala Siddapur, Cl. Rohan D’Souza, Ms Natasha Rodrigues and Ms Pearl Fernandes for BISMumbai

Schools across the Province of Bombay reopened last week, and the campuses of its institutions are teeming with life, zest, and energy.

15 June 2023, marked the beginning of the new academic year at Don Bosco High School, Borivli. Eager young faces lined up the portals as all the teachers welcomed the students with broad smiles, armed with a placard of their respective classes. The feelings of excitement and joy were ever more present among the students and the teachers as they stepped into the newly inaugurated school building. A huge, spacious, and state-of-art infrastructure awaited to embrace these young ones with open arms. As the teachers led the students to their classes, one could not miss the exhilaration and eagerness on their faces. 

Even Don Bosco School and College, Lonavla, began the new academic year on 15 June. The students and teachers gathered in the hall for a prayer service, invoking the blessings of the Lord on everyone for the new year. After the prayer service, the Management welcomed the students. Fr Blany Pinto, the Rector, addressed the gathering and congratulated the Principal and teachers for the exceptional results achieved by the students in their Board exams. He emphasised the importance of striving for excellence and urged all the students to continue their journey towards success. Fr Pinto highlighted the four integral aspects of a Salesian Institute - home, school, playground, and place of prayer, explaining how each element symbolised a significant aspect of their holistic education. The Principal, Fr Ranson D’Souza, encouraged the students to cultivate values of hard work, diligence, and obedience. He stressed the importance of personal growth and urged the students to become individuals who command admiration and respect from the world around them.

The academic year at St Dominic Savio High School, Andheri, commenced on 15 June after a relaxing and rejuvenating summer break. The inaugural assembly conducted by the secondary section began with thanksgiving and praise to the Almighty, followed by salutations to the motherland. The traditional samai was lit by the leadership team, invoking the Lord’s choicest blessings and prayers for a blissful new academic year. The Principal Ms Valerie Mascarenhas welcomed the gathering and formally introduced the new Rector and Manager, Fr Francisco Pereira. In his turn, Fr Pereira congratulated the Principal and the staff for securing 100 per cent results at the SSC board. He urged each student to grow well in all three domains, namely the head, the heart and the hand stating that knowledge alone cannot enhance growth. 

At Don Bosco, Yerwada, students brought in rays of love, joy and laughter as the academic year began on 15 June. The Management, teaching and non-teaching staff welcomed the students with much happiness. Being the first day of classes, the students had a long interaction with their teachers and friends and expressed their joy in coming back after a long vacation.