UPDATES FROM THE HEADMASTER AT GURUTALAWA
AN UPDATE FROM THE HEADMASTER – 29TH APRIL 2009
HEADMASTER'S COMMENTS
STCG EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING – APRIL 2009
Gentlemen,
I don't have much news for you this month as we have been on vacation and will be reopening on the 4th of May. However I have some matters about which I wish to keep you informed and updated.
1. G C E Ordinary Level Examination 2008 Results
The above were released just as we were to close for the vacation. We are more than satisfied with the outcome, despite the fact that only less than 50% have passed English. The poor performance of the Class of 2008 is all the more disappointing given the fact that the teacher that these boys had was the best we have – Fr Harold Goodchild who took great pains to prepare the group. There is no doubt that the poor performance is due to the lack of a proper grounding at Lower and Middle School levels or in the earlier schools attended. Our programme for the development of the teaching of English put in place by Panini Edirisinghe continues and we hope that there will be an improvement.
The overall percentage of passes in all three media reflect better performance than previous years on the basis of statistics from 2002. The first batch of the bilingual stream (that is 5 subjects – Maths, History, Science, IT, & English in the English language and 4 in Sinhala or Tamil) presented performed very well. There were 100% passes in Divinity, Islam, Saivism, English Language, History, Entrepreneur Studies, Link Language (Tamil), Art, Dancing, Music, Health &
Physical Education & IT. While an average of 60% of the 58 students who sat the exam have qualified to follow Advance Level courses the three best Performances were from among the 12 who formed the first bilingual batch:
A. W. S. T. Gomes – 9 'A's
W. K. M. L. S. Bandara – 7 'B's & 2 'C's
V. R. Premkumar – 7 'A's, 1 'B' and 1 'C'
A more detailed analysis will be given at the Prize Giving but I am more than satisfied. Over 15 of our boys have secured entrance to STCML to follow Science, Maths, Commerce and Arts A/L courses in the January intake and there will be at least another 10 going in May.
2. OBA Sub Committees
I have been asked to clarify my position with regard to the sub committees I have requested the OBA to form – Education & Faculty Development, Sports Development & Infrastructure Development. My expectation is threefold – advice, fund raising & resources and the sharing of expertise, skills & knowledge. However, I wish to reassure those who have misgivings that such sub committees will not lead to unnecessary conflict between the Management of the School i. e. the Headmaster or Board of Governors & the OBA, as these sub committees are expected to serve a purely supportive role. I shall be free to accept or reject proposals and recommendations and I am sure those who form these sub committees already know their limits and boundaries. Nothing can
be started without my knowledge and my consent. My primary purpose in seeking the formation of these sub committees is to tap in to the vast resources that I know are available among the Old Boys of Guru that remain untapped and when I use the word 'resources' I am not referring only to money.
If I cant turn to the old boys who can I turn to for such support? I shall forward in due course a list of proposals and points of reference to the Chairmen of each of these sub committees to clearly show what I expect from each. Please send me a list of the membership of the three committees with contact details as soon as possible. We can consider co-option of old boy experts who are not in the Ex-Co as well at some point down the line. I look forward to working closely with these
committees, but gentlemen, your patience is essential as is a right perspective on things. Please keep in mind the limitations and ground realities at Guru and that progress is often slow.
3. College Website
Muditha Dissanayake has now furnished me with all the information required to take over and run the College website. I think it would not be out of place to record our thanks to Muditha for his contribution as Web Master over the past years. I shall keep the Ex-Co informed as to the progress of the reconstruction of the site.
4. Dates for your Diaries
Friday 16th May
Appreciation & Farewell Assembly for Jacques Huyghebaert at which the
Lord Bishop of Colombo will preside and the Board of Governors will be
present. Members of the Ex Co are cordially invited to attend.
Saturday 23rd May
Revived annual Uva Thomian Cricket Encounter at the Bandarawela
Esplanade. I am told transport arrangements are being made by Ananda
Galearachchi for those who wish to travel from Colombo for the event.
Friday 3rd July
Annual Prize Giving
Chief Guest: Mrs Nirmalie Wickremesinghe, Principal of Ladies' College
Members of the Ex Co are cordially invited to be present.
Esto Perpetua.
Warm Regards,
Headmaster
29th April 2009
AN UPDATE FROM THE HEADMASTER – 6TH APRIL 2008
Dear Friends,
A glance at how our Class of 2008 has performed at the GCE O/L exam of 2008 shows satisfactory performances. Of the 60 who sat 1 has obtained distinctions in all 9 subjects (the 2008 Head Prefect and Jayatilleke Scholar) while one has obtained 6 'A's and 3 'B'sand another has obtained6 'A's, 2 'B's, and a 'C'.
I shall forward detailed statistics when they have been completed.
These results are a morale boost to our struggling community and I am grateful to my teachers for the hard work they put in to prepare these children. Successes such as this give us hope for a better future for STCG.
As always Laus deo!
Good wishes,
Marc B.
The Rev'd Marc Billimoria
Headmaster
S. Thomas' College at
Gurutalawa
Tel/Fax: 0094 57 2280000
Hotline: 0094 77 3876060
Web:
HEADMASTER’S REPORT PRESENTED AT THE
EX-CO MEETING OF 6TH FEBRUARY 2009
From: Headmaster S. Thomas' College at Gurutalawa [mailto:
Sent: 06 February 200916:08
To:
Subject: Re: STCG - Ex.Co. Meeting Minutes
Dear Dinusha,
Thank you for the minutes. As I informed you when I received the notice I am unable to
be there for the Ex Co meeting but I would like the following points mentioned under the
section 'Headmaster's Report'.
Gentlemen,
I am sending a very brief report. I shall be presenting a comprehensive one at the AGM.
1. The increase in school fees by Rs 500/- has resulted in a drop in numbers. Our
admission drive continues but unless we reach 500 sooner than later the financial
situation will be unresolved. All those in arrears are not being taken back to School as of
January with the approval of the Board. The fee increase was inevitable and unavoidable.
Maintaining numbers will be by far our biggest hurdle this year. Without 500 soon we
will face difficulties. The Board has approved certain methods to raise our numbers and I
am prepared to do everything necessary to do so as without the right numbers we will not
survive.
2. For the first time in a number of years a budget was prepared for 2009 in consultation
with the Board. This process has highlighted a number of areas where we have been
losing money although we were breaking even at the end of 2008. The audit of the 2008
accounts will be undertaken by B. R. de Silvas within the next two months. However,
2009 will be different as our budget indicates if we do not raise numbers and the Board of
Governors has approved certain remedial measures to prevent serious problems.
However, contrary to popular myths our finances in 2008 were certainly not as 'bad' as
some have tried to make out and our financial controls will be further strengthened this
year. Mr Lincoln Fernando will concur with this estimate.
3. Mr Jacques Huyghebaert has voluntarily withdrawn from his role as Financial
Controller and Advisor although he is still available for these functions at my request. I
would like it noted that his decision was in no way connected to what some people have
purported to be differences of opinion with me. He and I are on good terms and he is still
a strong support to me despite him not coming in on a daily basis. He felt that after two
years of voluntary service it was now time for him to withdraw. His contribution to the
survival of Guru can never be forgotten and while I accept that there were differences of
opinion from time to time between him and some members of the OBA over certain
matters I don't think anyone can deny the very significant role he played in the years
2007/2008. In fact there was still much that he could have contributed to the work that is
being done but I have reluctantly accepted his decision. On a request by me to the Board
the Financial Controller of the 4 schools employed by the Board and based at Mount
Lavinia is now monitoring the accounts that are up to date after many years.
4. I have been able to establish a link with Dr Hayman's alma mater Sherborne in
England. They are actively involved in raising funds for infrastructure development at
Guru and are also sending gap year students to help with sports and English. This link
will be very beneficial to the School. Also a Trust in England has financed the bakery
wiring and we should have the mixer operational by mid February. This Trust has also
sent funds that will be utilised for laboratory equipment.
5. I have now planned much of the things at my end for the Golden Jubillee celebrations.
I have already sent an email to Mahen outlining a programme. Please let me know what
the Ex Co decides. The Service on the 7th at MountLavinia will be followed by the
launch of the Hayman Foundation. May I propose that the Ex Co organises some
refreshments to be served at a time of fellowship especially since there will be a number
of seniors who may not be able to make it to Guru the weekend before. The Bishop is not
available on the 7th and I have thus invited him to the service on the 1st for which I have
not yeat had a response. I shall keep you posted.
6. The toilet and washroom block is looking very good - thank you to all who helped in
the project and with fund raising, but thank you especially to Mahen for his dynamic and
proactive leadership in making the project a reality. I dont think it would have been
completed without Mahen's constant attention and leadership. It has not been easy to
raise the funds but despite the financial constraints the project has now been completed.
On behalf of the students I want to place on record my thanks to the Ex Co for this
building.
7. The pool was emptied in December and the surfaces scrubbed. Unfortunately it was
too late in the holidays and we had trouble refilling before the children returned. We are
trying to have it looking good for the OBA reunion.
8. Despite all the little problems faced in 2008 I want to assure the ExCo that we are not
losing hope. It is frustrating sometimes and there have been times whenI have thought of
just chucking up. But I believe in Guru and I will do all I can to maintain what has been
started.
As this is the last Ex Co meeting for the year I want to say thank you to all of you for
your patience with my inabilty to be present at meetings. It is just impossible to get away
too often and I only do so for Board Meetings as you know. I also seek your
understanding if some of my decisions have not been in accord with your thinking. We
must continue to agree to disagree from time to time. Thank you also to those of you who
have always stayed in touch and clarified matters before believing every rumour that
emanates from this strange and complexed little world that is our Guru!
I look forward to welcoming all of you and other Gurutalawians for the reunion weekend.
With warm regards,
Rev. Marc Billimoria
Headmaster
S. Thomas' College at
Gurutalawa
(0094) 57 2280000 (Tel/Fax)
(0094) 773876060 (Hotline)
HEADMASTER’S MID YEAR NEWSLETTER – SEPTEMBER 2008
Dear Fellow Old Thomians and Gurutalawians,
Greetings from Guru.
I am writing this newsletter at the request of many old boys, benefactors and friends of STC at Gurutalawa to keep you abreast of progress being made at STCG.
I have now had the privilege of being Headmaster for just over one year and have found that it was all I expected it to be – and more! It has been an action packed period with much progress in the spheres of education, discipline, the life of the Boarding, the College Farm and the infrastructure development programme that was initiated in 2007. As I have said over and over again STCG is on an even keel after many years – a fact that all those who know something of what existed pre 2007 have to concede whether they like to or not! Sadly there are some areas where there has not been the level of progress that I would have wished but everything cannot be put right at once. Below I shall attempt to provide a brief overview of some of the highlights and then add at the end a ‘wish list’ for those readers who may want to extend support and solidarity.
Education:
Education is the primary task of a School and no less at STCG. Our numbers stand at 520. Our admissions drive for 2008 has commenced. Of the 52 students (including 3 girls) who sat the GCE Ordinary Level Examination in December 2007 the majority qualified to follow Advanced Level courses and a number were admitted to STCML to follow Science, Maths, Commerce and Arts. The Warden has commended them to me for their discipline and character. 1 of the girls obtained 5 As and 5 Bs and is now at HillwoodCollege, Kandy on a full scholarship. One of the boys obtained 7 As, 1 B & 1 C and is in the Biological Science stream at STCML. On the whole our results were not as bad as were actually expected. The Class of 2007 made us all proud in addition to making us think more about how we treat children – these were all boys condemned as amounting to nothing who were merely given a second chance to prove their worth. The Class of 2008 is expected to do even better. We will be presenting our Amity Programme students for the O/Ls for the first time in December.
We presented 17 boys of Upper 3rd (Grade 5) for the Government Scholarship exam in August and we are awaiting results.
Discipline:
Compared with previous years discipline has improved greatly conforming slowly to traditional systems but not in the same way. New philosophies of education have warranted new methods of discipline and while we struggle as a staff to accept the changes and use the alternative methods I am happy to report that the reintroduction of the traditional prefectorial system of peer discipline is working. Further we have also reintroduced in full the On Report System for poor work or conduct, Detention and Suspension. Thankfully I have not had to expel anyone yet, but that is the final solution. If boys in the Middle & Upper VIth are prone to minor acts of indiscipline and mischief this is perhaps indicative of the mental and physical changes they are experiencing as they grow from adolescence to adulthood rather than a problem peculiar to STCG. I am also happy to report, yet again, that the culture of violence and vandalism among students is no more. Those who visited the School in recent times will vouch for what they have seen with their own eyes.
Boarding:
The life of the College Boarding is at the heart of STCG. We are a Boarding School first and foremost. We have returned in full to the House System in the division of the Hostels. We have Dorm Masters for each dormitory, who despite their obvious limitations not being familiar with the traditions of a Boarding School, are doing their best to support me in maintaining discipline and good order in the dormitories. Fr Harold Goodchild functions as Senior Boarding Master and offers guidance to the Dorm Masters. I have recommended to the Board of Governors the appointment of a full time Hostel Warden or Boarding Administrator who will be responsible overall.
I have appointed a Boarding Council that is convened monthly. The seniors also have the monthly Boarding House meeting chaired by the Head Prefect to discuss common concerns at which the masters and I are present as observers to offer advice if requested.
There is a basic dress code for preparation and dinner and cutlery is mandatory at lunch for the boarders.
Surprise visits are made even late at night to inspect the dormitories and while I do have high expectations for order and cleanliness in the dorms I am also conscious that for the Boarders this is their ‘home away from home’ and so I am not keen to enforce a military school type of discipline. This philosophy is working well so far.
The quality of food is quite good now, although there are the occasional traditional protests at watery dhal or stones in the rice or leathery fried eggs!! Once we start the growing of fruit trees on the farm we hope to give bananas and papaya as a dessert.
Through the generosity of an old boy and a parent the senior, junior and Keble boarders now have access to Dialog TV for educational, sports and news channels as well as films. The Friday night film is still a much awaited weekly event and we have also received a new 28” television for the TV room adjoining the Office.