Addressing the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Catholic Board of Education (CBE) of Diocese of Mangalore on Tuesday at Milagres PU College grounds, Mr Fernandes said that these technical institutes will help over 10 lakh students.

He said that positions and opportunities are opening up for India and we have to train our people to make optimum utilisation of the opportunities.

Mr Fernandes opined that Indians are revered across the world for the fact that Silicon Valley is run by Indians and in many developed countries Indians dominate the field of medicine, engineering and research.
He called upon the people to carry forth the idea of ‘scientific temper’ that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru spoke of and foresee the challenges that the country will be posed to during its journey to become the super power in the world.

Earlier, former chief minister M Veerappa Moily lauding the contribution of Catholic Board of Education in the region said that every child has an innate talent and if someone thinks that children are foolish, they themselves are fools.

He said that a study held about 16 years ago showed that over 60 per cent of the students in the primary schools have learning disabilities. “This cloud of disability must be cleared off by the schools so that every child emerges as a genius in their capacities of interest,” Mr Moily said.

On the occasion, Mr Fernandes released the souvenir of the 75 years of the journey of the CBE. Former Minister B Nagaraj Shetty launched the scholarship fund for economically backward students while former MLA N Yogish Bhat launched the Health Insurance Scheme for employees of CBE.

Former vice-presidents of CBE such as A F D’Souza, Aloysius D’Souza and Fred Periera and secretaries such as B Nazareth, Fr Denis M Prabhu, Anthony Serrao and others were felicitated on the occasion.

Mangalore Bishop Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza presided over the programme.

MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik, former Minister Ramanath Rai, former MLA U T Khader, Udupi Episcopal Vicar Fr Baptist Menezes, Collegiate Education Joint Director Dr Linda Christi and others were present at the programme.

Catholic Board of Education was formed in 1932 and has over 360 schools run under the board.