Tag: Goa Schools

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Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts Hosts Gourmet Lunch for Educational Leaders

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

Panaji, November 2025: The Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts recently hosted an exclusive gourmet lunch for principals and educators from various educational institutions across Goa. The event, held at the college campus in Verna, was designed to strengthen ties with the academic community while providing students with a platform to showcase their culinary skills and hospitality.

Students from the Hot Kitchen and Bakery departments prepared and served an exquisite meal under the mentorship of Chefs Pratiksha, Paul, and Sameer. The lunch featured innovative dishes and desserts, reflecting both technical mastery and creative presentation. The event drew representation from a wide range of higher secondary schools, including People’s Higher Secondary School, Santa Cruz Higher Secondary School of Arts and Commerce, Vidya Vikas Mandal’s Ramakrishna Madeva Salgaocar Higher Secondary School, St. Thomas Higher Secondary School, Fr. Basilio Andrade Memorial Higher Secondary School, Shivgram Educational Society Shiroda Higher Secondary School of Arts, Commerce, Science and Vocational, M.E.F’s Higher Secondary School of Science, and St. Xavier’s Higher Secondary School.

Educators attending the event praised both the quality of the cuisine and the students’ hospitality. Fr Agnelo Fernandes, Vice Principal of St. Xavier’s Higher Secondary School, commented, “The meal and desserts prepared and served were truly exquisite. Having interacted with the students and chefs of Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts, I was impressed by the warmth, attention to detail and high standards maintained at the institute.” Trevor Vaz Barreto, Principal of Santa Cruz Higher Secondary School of Arts and Commerce, added, “It was a pleasure to be part of such a special event. The engaging conversations, delicious cuisine and camaraderie created an atmosphere of genuine connection and inspiration. I look forward to more collaborations between our institutions.”

The Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts plans to host a series of similar initiatives in the future, aiming to build strong relationships with other educational institutions while giving students real-world exposure to hospitality and culinary excellence. The event not only highlighted the skills of the students but also reinforced the college’s commitment to fostering learning, collaboration, and professional growth.

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St. Mary’s Convent High School, Mapusa Held School Exhibition 3.0: Igniting Young Minds Through Creativity & Innovation

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

St. Mary’s Convent High School, Mapusa organised School Exhibition 3.0 on 21st and 22nd November 2025 in the school premises, bringing together creativity, innovation, and culture under one inspiring theme: “Igniting Young Minds Through Creativity & Innovation.” The exhibition showcased a wide range of student-created exhibits across Art, Science, and Social Science. Students from neighbouring schools visited the exhibition on 21st November 2025, while parents along with the students explored the displays on 22nd November 2025. Visitors were warmly welcomed with lively Goan folk dances that beautifully reflected the vibrant culture of Goa, accompanied by soothing Western musical pieces and classical Indian compositions. A counter presenting traditional Portuguese dishes added a distinctive and elegant cultural flavour, enriching the entire experience.

The entrance of the school was creatively decorated on the theme of Space, capturing the attention of visitors from the moment they arrived. Each floor featured colourful and thematic displays that added to the brilliance and beauty of the event. The Science section presented various working models and experiments that demonstrated scientific principles and innovations with clarity and enthusiasm. The Social Science exhibits explored historical discoveries, the prehistoric period, and key geographical ideas through charts and working models that were both educational and visually engaging. The Art displays featured paintings, newspaper art, and a variety of creative works that reflected the students’ artistic imagination, creativity, and dedication.

Visitors from other schools, as well as parents, expressed deep appreciation for the event. They praised the students’ creativity, innovation, and confidence, as well as the thoughtful planning and visually appealing presentations that made the exhibition informative, interactive, and inspiring. School Exhibition 3.0 once again reinforced the importance of fostering scientific thinking, encouraging artistic talent, and promoting historical and geographical understanding among students. By providing meaningful exposure to creative, cultural, and scientific pursuits, the event truly lived up to its theme, igniting young minds through creativity and innovation.

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Academic Resource Room Inaugurated at St Xavier’s High School, Moira with Support from PACT Foundation

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

St Xavier’s High School, Moira, has taken an important step in strengthening its commitment to inclusive and quality education with the inauguration of a dedicated Academic Resource Room, established with the support of the PACT Foundation. The inauguration was held in the presence of Auxiliary Bishop Simiao Purificacao Fernandes, Dr Ashwin Fernandes, Founder of the PACT Foundation, Headmistress Noreen Dias and Manager Fr Alexander Pereira. The ceremony began with a solemn welcome, followed by prayers and blessings over the new facility. A marble plaque was unveiled and the ribbon was cut to mark the formal opening of the room. Students presented a prayer dance and a reflective monologue, creating an atmosphere of dignity and inspiration.

In his message, Bishop Fernandes drew on the example of St Francis Xavier, highlighting the acronym SFX – Space, Fostering and ‘Xtra’. He explained that the new space was created to nurture curiosity, encourage growth and provide students with the tools, support and guidance they need to learn without struggle. He emphasised that the room is designed to foster excellence not through comparison, but through collaboration and the discovery of individual potential. Whether for remedial learning, creative projects or skill development, the space invites both teachers and students to go the extra mile and to embrace lifelong learning. He also recognised Dr Ashwin Fernandes for his dedication in extending similar educational initiatives across several schools in Goa.

Dr Fernandes expressed his appreciation for the school’s commitment to student welfare and outlined the purpose behind the new Academic Resource Room. He described it as a safe haven for students who require additional academic support and a vital space for specially-abled children, made accessible by its location on the ground floor. He shared that the project forms part of the PACT Foundation’s Happy School Project, an initiative aimed at enhancing the quality of education in rural Goa. Since 2023, the Foundation has been working to strengthen under-resourced schools by improving infrastructure, integrating technology and promoting inclusive learning environments. He reaffirmed the Foundation’s mission to provide every child with access to quality education and highlighted the room’s role in supporting students who wish to use it for extra study, equipped with a smart board and modern facilities.

Headmistress Noreen Dias expressed deep gratitude to the PACT Foundation for its consistent support through multiple projects, including the renovated pre-primary playground, the smart classroom and now the Academic Resource Room. She shared that creating such a room had long been her dream, especially for the children with special needs at the school. She noted that the use of modern technology, including the smart board, white board and improved furniture, would motivate students and significantly support their learning. She was particularly relieved that the room is located on the ground floor, making it easily accessible for a specially-abled student who previously struggled to reach the earlier resource space on an upper floor.

Fr Alexander Pereira, Manager and Parish Priest of Mary Immaculate Conception Church, Moira, described Dr Fernandes as a blessing to the school and highlighted the numerous projects the PACT Foundation has supported, including the playground for pre-kindergarten students and the smart classrooms. He expressed his hope that this meaningful collaboration would continue to enhance the facilities available to children in Moira and the surrounding areas. The launch of the Academic Resource Room stands as a testament to the school’s vision of providing an environment where students feel respected, supported and encouraged to reach their fullest potential.

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St. Thomas Higher Secondary School, Aldona Shines at Colourful Annual Day 2025

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

St. Thomas Higher Secondary School, Aldona came alive with colour, music, and celebration as it hosted its Annual Day on 22nd November 2025. The programme opened on a patriotic note with the National Anthem and School Anthem, setting the tone for an evening dedicated to talent, culture, and achievement. The Manager, Rev. Fr. Jerard Sahayaraj MSFS, welcomed the gathering and emphasised the school’s dedication to holistic education, shaping students not only academically but also morally and culturally.

The event was honoured by the presence of distinguished guests, including Dr. Ashwin Fernandes, Founder of the PACT Foundation; Adv. Carlos Alvares Ferreira, MLA of Aldona Constituency; and Rev. Fr. Johnson Gonsalves MSFS, Provincial Superior of the Pune Province. Their encouraging words applauded the students’ creativity and reinforced the need to preserve Goan culture and language.

The cultural programme proved to be the highlight of the evening. Students showcased a graceful welcome dance, engaging Goan folk items, dynamic fusion performances, lively comedy skits, and an impactful thematic play titled “Hope Does Not Disappoint Us.” Each performance reflected hours of preparation, collaboration, and artistic expression, earning hearty applause from the audience.

The Prize Distribution Ceremony rewarded outstanding achievements in academics and co-curricular fields, with Purple House proudly lifting the Overall Championship trophy. A special moment of the evening was the felicitation of teacher Asiambi Shaikh, who was honoured for her 25 years of dedicated service to the institution.

Principal Mrs. Angelica Fernandes expressed deep gratitude to the management, staff, parents, and students for their steadfast support in making the event memorable. The celebrations concluded with a spirited medley of Goan songs, accompanied by a live band that filled the campus with energy and nostalgia. The Annual Day 2025 will be remembered as a joyous celebration of talent, culture, and community spirit.

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Goa’s First Research-Based Inter-School Science Fair 2026 Begins with Teachers’ Orientation Program by BIE and AJ Academy

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

The Board of Innovative Education (BIE), in association with AJ Academy for Research and Development, has taken a significant step toward transforming science education in Goa with the launch of a Teachers’ Orientation Program for the state’s first research-based Inter-School Science Fair 2026. Designed for students from Classes IV to X, the initiative marks a major shift from conventional model-making to genuine scientific inquiry that encourages curiosity, analytical thinking and evidence-based exploration. During the orientation, teachers were introduced to the core objective of integrating academic concepts with real research practices from an early age. The training emphasized the importance of helping students think like scientists—asking meaningful questions, developing hypotheses, identifying variables, conducting experiments, analysing data and presenting clear, research-backed conclusions.

One of the distinguishing features of this year’s Science Fair is its emphasis on Goa-centric research themes. Topics such as coastal erosion, mangrove ecosystem health, water quality challenges, waste management, the environmental impact of tourism and mining, and issues related to biodiversity were presented as key focus areas. By working on these locally relevant themes, students will be able to apply scientific thinking to issues that directly affect their surroundings, allowing them to propose solutions rooted in research and a deeper understanding of their environment. This approach aims to make science education relatable and empowering, encouraging students to view scientific inquiry as a tool for improving their communities.

Addressing teachers at the orientation, the Secretary of the Board of Innovative Education underscored the transformative vision behind the Science Fair. He emphasized the need to “bring out the C. V. Raman, Einstein and Newton hidden in our young minds,” highlighting the immense potential within Goa’s student community. Teachers were acknowledged as the driving force behind this transformation, and the session provided them with practical guidelines, mentoring frameworks and support strategies to help students undertake impactful research projects.

The upcoming Goa Inter-School Science Fair 2026 is expected to showcase meaningful, evidence-driven projects that reflect real-time challenges faced by the state. Through this research-oriented approach, the initiative aims to ignite scientific curiosity, strengthen analytical skills and inspire young minds to explore science as a powerful tool for understanding and solving the challenges of their communities.