by Mrs. Valerie Mascaranhas
MATUNGA-MUMBAI, NOVEMBER 8, 2014: "Gaining knowledge is the first step to wisdom; Sharing knowledge is the first step to humanity" was the underlying wavelength that the second day of 
NECDBS 2014 resonated with. The day began with the celebration of the Eucharist by Fr. V. M. Thomas- Provincial of Guwahati and SPCSA delegate for Education- in the enchanting crypt of Don Bosco shrine, Matunga. After the Eucharist, the delegates, energized with a good breakfast, geared up for the session of interactive deliberations that followed.
The three key themes to be analyzed and dichotomized were: Quality education; Preparing Salesians to lead schools; Leadership of teaching and learning and the curriculum. Every delegate was participant to one of the theme discussions. Each theme was handled with a generic process that included- sharing by expert panelists and a Q & A session; division of delegates into four working groups which had interactive discussions based on the panel input and facilitated by the Adhyayan trained Salesian teachers of the Mumbai province; Presentation by each working group was then put together by an able synthesizer.
The culmination of these discussions was the final synthesis of the three theme discussions put together by the synthesizers, to keep the entire gathering of delegates abreast of the themes discussed for the day. Interspersed were the presentations by the cosponsors of the event. Some quality inputs that were followed by engaging group activities and discussions were provided by eminent educationists at the three different venues for the three themes of the day:
1. Quality Education: Fr. Bernard Fernandes sdb, Azad Oommen, Kavita Anand and synthesiser Fr. Felix D'souza
2. Preparing Salesians to lead schools: Fr.V.M.Thomas sdb, Lalita Pradeep, Susmita Basu and synthesiser Mr.Conrad Saldanha
3. Leadership of teaching and learning and the curriculum: Bhaskaran Ramdas, Mona Seervai, Rajshree Doshi and synthesizer Fr. Vinod Mascarenhas.
The very eventful morning session moved into the next half of the day with a sumptuous meal for all.