ST. MARY’S CONVENT, GORKHA- 1992

The beginnings

From earlier times, proposals were made to open a school in Gorkha, as Prithvi Narayan Shah, the Father of the Nation, hailed from Gorkha. Late Bishop Antony Sharma too desired to have a mission presence in this district. A search had been made for a suitable place. Finally, on 29th July 1991, Srs. Aloysia, Benigna, and Rufina accompanied by Mgr. Sharma, who also hailed from Gorkha, drove to Gorkha to complete all the transactions necessary for the purchase of the land they had decided on in Tera Kilo, Nagapani. After all the negotiations had been completed, it was registered in the name of the Nepal Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They also looked for a suitable building where a small school could be started initially while the new school building was being constructed.

The search for a suitable house for the beginning of St. Mary’s in Gorkha ended successfully on 21st October, and on 17th November 1991, our pioneers, Srs. Rufina and Joyce along with our then Provincial Superior of Patna Province, Sr. Febronia, and many other sisters of Kathmandu and Pokhara traveled to Gorkha to begin the new mission. They arrived at the new rented seven–room apartment in Gorkha Bazar owned by a Maskay family, with Rs 3,000/- per month as the monthly rent. On 5th February 1992, the school opened for the first time with the newly admitted students in the temporary residence building at Gorkha Bazar.

The school continued at its temporary residence for an entire academic year. Meanwhile, the construction work of the permanent building at Tera Kilo was in full swing. At the end of the academic year 1992, the building was ready and so on 6th December 1992, the sisters shifted to the new school building and on 4th February 1993, the school at Tera kilo began with 175 students on the list.

Challenges and Growth

As the school grew into a full-fledged school, its first batch of SLC students graduated class X in the year 2001. The Insurgency period and the turbulence in the country affected the smooth functioning of the school. The school was attacked and school property destroyed on various occasions which resulted in the closing down of the school for one whole year from May 2005 until April 2006. After much discernment, the school was reopened and has been functioning till this day.

Since its beginning, for nearly thirty years, the school catered to the education of girls. Later on, perceiving the need of the time, the school is now changed into a co-ed school and has grown with a strength of approximately 600 students from classes L.KG to class X. Students of all communities, irrespective of status, caste, creed, and religion receive education at our school. The school has won many laurels on different occasions for its quality education from the local government and is considered as one of the prestigious schools in the district.

At the request of the parents, who were concerned about a safe environment for their daughters, the C.J. sisters started a hostel in the year 1998, for girls coming from remote villages and were seeking admission in our school. An average of 50 boarders were accommodated in the hostel, built within the school premises. A couple of years ago, the hostel was closed down due to the lack of efficient residential teachers to monitor the boarders.

The sisters had also been engaged in many other Women Empowerment programs such as Adult literacy and Tailoring classes for women interested in vocational training, etc. Gradually, with the growing demand for formal education at school, the need for informal methods of education kept decreasing.

Activities

Moral Education, Physical training, Social and Cultural activities, Extra-curricular activities are given importance with the aim of forming disciplined and worthy citizens who can take up leadership roles to create a just society. Clubs and associations such as JPIC and FMW (Friends of Mary Ward) help the staff and students to be persons of competence, conscience, compassion, and commitment and encourage them to have harmonious relationships with oneself, with each other and the whole of creation.

Regular Orientation Programs conducted for teachers, parents, and students build healthy parent-teacher-student relationship for the all-round development of the student. Visiting the families of our staff, students, and neighborhood on special occasions is also an important activity.

Our deepest roots lie in nature and hence we remain connected with the rest of creation. The school being set up in a rural atmosphere with a vast area of agricultural land with plants and trees and a superb panorama of the river and the hills creates a green eco-friendly atmosphere for all. Activities such as dairy-farming, poultry-keeping, gardening, etc., are given importance to promote and preserve the gift of Creation as well and well as enjoy the healthy fruits of organic farming.