From the Chairman’s Desk

GREETINGS FROM LIVINGSTONE!

“We are what we learn & become what we think”. The principal difference between who we are today, versus every other potential version of who we might become, boils down to what we have thought & learned along the way. Good education and proper training are the chief ingredient that leads towards virtue and contentment in life. One should not run after Marks/Grades alone because every individual is made unique and for a different purpose. One must understand that every child is special and everyone has weaknesses & strengths. As Educators, Parents & Guardians we need to find out the passion and desire along with the weakness of our children and help them grow by supporting them. Education is not about acquiring certificates & medals but it is about being a good human and bringing smile and happiness in other lives too.

What good is a Man if he achieves everything in life but has no compassion for humanity! The foundational education we provide here in Livingstone is what sets up our students for their future. Clearly not every student we meet here will be College bound but I submit that it should be our collective effort to provide the guidance and the motivation for them to be strongly considered for it. From the day they step into our classrooms, I believe we owe it to our students to encourage a post – secondary education. In our new economy it literally could make a difference to whether they find a job or not. The economy of yesterday will not probably suit the economy of tomorrow and so on. As time changes, economy changes too! So, we believe in upgrading our approach every moment.

Prospectus! Pro + spectus; pro = for or forward; Spectus = see, sight, looking. In other words, prospectus means “looking ahead “Isn’t it a paradox?” ‘Prospectus’ of a college actually is the epitome of all that the college stands for. Strange to say, in prospectus, the college, besides being in a capsule form, can it also be a “Blue Print”? Perhaps, this is being too ‘audacious’ if not paradox! This Prospectus in the present form tries to do both. It not only summarizes all that this college is but it also lays down guidance for the future landmarks to evolve.

I only wish all that the College envisions through its present status will gradually evolve into a future foreseen “Banyan Tree” which has its branches spread out in all direction and taking their roots. “Just as a seed needs water, soil and sun for growth, the seed of knowledge also needs quality educational methods, a favorable location, and enlightenment for growth and sustenance. “

We are in an age of specialization. The quantum of information about every subject is very high compared to that of a decade or two ago. And this leads us for specialization. Some time back we only had few subjects in the universities and colleges that could offer for graduation. Now many of the topics in those subjects have turned out to be independent subjects offering a graduate, post graduate degrees or beyond. It is like the sons and daughters in a family becoming independent heads of families later. The end result of this change is that, instead of the very few professional courses that we had in the past, we have now hundreds of specialized professional courses. This leads every activity to be more scientific, professional and efficient.

Besides, the conventional subjects, the College should introduce the extracurricular activities side by side with co-curricular activities. Introduction of these subjects would eat up the treasury of the management but looking into the future, these subjects are to be given due importance and inclusion. Bear in mind that one needs to analyze his or her interest, hobby, aptitude, strength, weakness, personality, skills, talents, financial support, academic back ground, capability, opportunity, nature of work before choosing the right course for study to have a successful career. Career means profession, which we want to adopt for earning livelihood, and planning means proper flow or to make proper decisions. Pre- planning in our life plays very important role in every aspect of life, to work in a proper flow. Sir Richard Livingstone rightly says “Education is Atmosphere as well as instruction”.

In retrospect to “Education” as “atmosphere” and “instruction”, it is essential to comprehend that Education itself is the very atom of a society’s structure. As such it is significant to treat each learner equally without any segregation based on race, class, caste or religion etc. in order to allow education to bring forth in each learner’s mind a balance of worldly knowledge and good moral conscience. A supportive example of the mentioned can be sought in the historical context of when South Africa got its independence from the British in 1990 under the leadership of Nelson Mandela. His supporters, mainly African Tribes, demanded Reservations in education sector, govt sector & in private sector! Nelson Mandela replied that he will not allow any type of Reservations in any sector i.e. in education sector, in govt sector & in private sector at any cost, because Reservations & the products of Reservations will destroy the whole nation! The famous statement of Nelson Mandela is displayed at the entrance of the University of South Africa thus:

“Destroying any nation does not require the use of atomic bombs or the use of long-range missiles. It only requires lowering the quality of education and allowing cheating in the examinations by the students.”

Patients die at the hands of such doctors. Buildings collapse at the hands of such engineers. Money is lost in the hands of such economists & accountants. Humanity dies at the hands of such religious scholars. Justice is lost at the hands of such judges…“The collapse of education is the collapse of a nation.”

Thus, Livingstone has and will continue to strive to blend an equal atmosphere of education without a stain of segregation in any form as it is “Education” which plays a large role in our young and aspiring youths’ overall development to responsible adults. As the saying goes the more comfortable and welcoming your environment is, the easier it will likely to be for you to stay there and focus.

“Indeed, I wish the students to be that drop that creates the ripples of change”