Montfort School, Mandla was started on 14th July 1993 in Rajiv Nagar, Deodara Gram Panchayat, Mandla. Mandla is a tribal district situated on the bank of the Narmada River. It is 2 Km away from the District headquarters.
The Provincial administration thought about it and purchased a plot of land at Mandla in the year 1991. Bro. Sebastian Azhiakunnel then a member of the Junwani community was entrusted with the responsibility of constructing the boundary wall the following year Bro Herbert and Bro Emmanuel moved to Mandla. Montfort School was started on 14th August 1993 with 14 students and one lady teacher named: Miss Helen P. Ambrose From then on the school has been on the path of steady progress and has been. Inculcating the Montfortian Ethos in the life of the students Deodara village was considered to be a very remote area of Mandla. In spite of various problems the school steadily progressed. Initially, the students used to come to school by a green van and that was the first school bus in the town. Later we purchased a bus to transport the students.
Bro Cyriac N. T. replaced Bro. Emmanuel in the year 1996. More classrooms and three science labs were added to the existinginfrastructure. Over the years Bro. Barnabas, Bro. Joy Thomas and Bro. Kata Rayappa rendered their service to this Institution along with many other dedicated teachers and other staff members of whom many have left the institution. The Brothers used to stay in a temporary building, Bro. Cyriac was instrumental in constructing the Brothers residence. Bro. Joseph Stephen replaced Bro Cyriac in the year 2002. After a year Bro. James K. C. replaced Bro. Joseph Stephen in the year 2003. During the tenure of Bro. James more infrastructure was built. A new block consisting of the School office, the Principal's office, and many more classrooms were built at that time. The concrete basketball court was built in the year 2008. The school got the NOC from the state government in the year 2005 and the school got affiliated to the CBSE board in the year 2006. During this period Benedictine and Holy Cross sisters also started collaborating with the Brothers in the education mission. He also purchased two plots of land from the housing colony just in front of the School. Those days it was very difficult to get qualified and English-speaking teachers from Mandla, so Brothers recruited teachers from Jabalpur and other parts of M.P. and provided accommodation in the School campus.
After a very fruitful period of six years, Bro James K. C. was transferred to Lucknow in 2009, and the pioneering Principal Bro. Emmanuel came back to the Institution. Bro. Emmanuel added a floor each on two blocks of the building to pride more facilities. He also started the smart classes for better learning and to equip the teacher. During this period some of our old students joined the School as teachers, the School welcomed them wholeheartedly as they were better equipped as teachers. Their presence was an added asset to the school, especially in maintaining a cordial relationship among all the agents of education, the management, teachers, the students, and the parents.
A contract was signed with the Sewa Missionary Sisters of Mary to collaborate with the Brothers in the education mission in the year 2014 and initially sisters stayed in a rented house near the School. Later a convent cum staff quarters for lady teachers was built where the old Brothers residence existed. The sisters were shifted to this new building after its blessing on 19th June 2015. A few more rooms were added to the Brothers residence as well. Bro. Emmanuel was transferred to Jabalpur in the year 2015 June. Bro. George Pottakaran took charge of Bro. Emmanuel in June 2015. He continued the construction works as more classrooms and facilities were required. He added a floor to the existing office block. A ramp was built in the primary block to facilitate the students. The old tin roof was removed and was replaced by a concrete slab by providing additional columns and another floor was added to the long building. Since the Silver Jubilee functions were to be held in the year 2018-19, a big stage was built in the playfield to host the Silver Jubilee function. Theschoolhad a yearlong celebration, which included various intra and inter-school competitions and programs. The culmination of the Silver Jubilee celebrations took place on 15th December 2018 with a grand cultural extravaganza and felicitations. As a silver Jubilee memorial, we have planned to construct a hostel building for the boys in the two plots in front of the School.
Bro. George Pottakaran continued his services in the institution till January 2022 but due to his declining health, he had to give up the charge as the principal of the institution and was advised by the provincial a few months of rest for a speedy recovery.
Since the institution required immediate attention as the new session was on the verge of beginning the provincial appointed a new principal for taking up the responsibility. On 9th of March 2022 Bro. Binu Cheriyan took up the charge ofthe institution as theprincipal. The school has tremendously improved in all spheres under the able leadership of the newly appointed Principal Bro. Binu Cheriyan. Brother improvised the ambiance of the school with visible cleanliness, systematic working schedules, painting the walls and surroundings with vibrant colors, planting saplings on the campus, and regular monitoring.
A new furnished staff room was constructed to cater to the increasing staff requirement. The office area was also updated and a reception counter was made for guiding the parents and making inquiries. The excess rooms on the 3rd floor were converted into Dance/Music/Yoga/Meditation and a sports room. Students were given access to the ATL lab so as to exercise their innovative ideas and skills. As per the increase in the student numbers in all the classes, the teaching faculty was also increased. The current staff status comprises 78 teachingstaff members and the students from Nursery to class XII area totalof 1850. Classes I-X have four sections each and classes XI/XII have the Maths/Bio and commerce streams. The fee structure of our institution is comparatively less than the other schools which in turn results in low salariesmaking it difficult to retain good faculty.
Montfort Sen. Sec. School, Mandla will complete 3 decades on the 14th of July 2023. Since the opening of the institution in 1993 till date after completing 30 years in the service of the society. The institution has never looked back, it has improvised and updated in infrastructure, qualitative academics, and the overall development of the students.
The management, staff, and students are indebted to the Brothers, Sisters, Staff members, Alumni, Parents, and well-wishers who have been instrumental in the development of the institution. We wish for their well-being and God’s abundant blessings on them.