Don Bosco The Founder
To ensure that his total dedication to their cause shone through his actions, he based his education on the three great principles of Reason, Faith and Loving-kindness, loving those to whom he dedicated his life as a caring father, and doing everything possible for their welfare. The system of education that emerged from these principles of Don Bosco is popularly known as the Preventive System and is the system that is followed in all the Don Bosco Schools, all over the world. Joseph Zoppi, the Swiss educationist said, “If there ever existed a method of education adapted to inspire confidence and love, it is the method of Don Bosco.” The system aims to create a generation of young men and women steeped not only in sound knowledge-based education but also in a strong value-based education for life.
Don Bosco Society
The Don Bosco Society, variously known as “The Salesians of Don Bosco”, “The Don Bosco Educational Society”, etc., was founded by St John Bosco. Today, the Salesian society has over 32,000 members working in 132 countries. Through a global network of educational and social service organizations which include 14 universities and thousands of schools and social development centres, it attends to the total development of the young. It currently caters to over nine million young people the world over. Because of its reach and expertise in the field of education, the Society enjoys consultancy status at the United Nations.
Don Bosco Society In India
In India, the Salesians of Don Bosco began their operations way back in 1906. From a small beginning with a trade school and hostel for poor children at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, the Society today has over 5000 members. Its services are offered through 28 colleges, which include 2 engineering colleges, over 100 technical schools, and a large network of high schools and scores of non-formal technical and agricultural training centres, spread across the country, covering the entire spectrum of social development. We also have the Don Bosco University, at Guwahati which was inaugurated in 2008. The society is also involved in literacy centres, shelters for street children and rehabilitation and relief operations. The Government of India has recognized the Salesians of Don Bosco as the largest non-governmental provider of technical education in the whole country.