A Brief History

     St. Margaret’s Higher Secondary School, Shillong is an educational institution of the Catholic Church belonging to the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians (MSMHC) of North East India, registered under Societies Registration Act XII of 1983. No. SR/MSMHOC-55/90 0f 1990. The society follows the educational method of Don Bosco the great educator and friend of the young and aims at the all-round development of the pupils.
On 15 August 1963 St. Margaret’s Convent was opened for the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians by Bishop Stephan Ferrando then Bishop of Shillong and the Founder of the Congregation. It was established as the Mother House of the Congregation. The Convent housed the Novitiate of the congregation and the student sisters. The place was ideal for study, prayer and deep spiritual formation as it was surrounded by fruit trees and beautiful flower gardens. The pine trees that stood strong and mature in the garden added to the beauty of the land.
     Mr. Charles the son of the First European Catholic of Shillong, willingly sold his land that was called “Peachlands” at the request of Bishop Stephen Ferrando to establish the Mother House of the congregation. He being the Founder of the Congregation named the convent established in the year 1963 as St. Margaret’s Convent as a sign of gratitude to Mr. Charles Dela Nongerede whose wife’s name was Margaret.

    Under the patronage of Bishop Stephen Ferrando the sisters opened an elementary school in the campus on 15th February 1967 and called it St. Margaret’s School. With 37 students and classes from Nursery to Class I, the sisters began the journey of one of the premier educational institutions in the state. Initially the students had their classes in the house of the Dela Family and in the later years they were also accommodated in the convent, until 1975, when the students were shifted to the newly constructed school building. The able and gracious guidance of Sr. Jacquline Viegas, Sr. Anne Vellacheriyl and Sr. Elizabeth Philip Plathottam laid a strong foundation to this little school. From the very inception the school catered to the education of children from all walks of life giving it a true cosmopolitan face. Sisters and novices were the only teachers of the school until 1980 which provided and extraordinarily loving and caring ambience to children and sense of security for their parents and guardians.

      With the new session in 1986, the school began to be upgraded to Class VII and subsequently proceed to the secondary section. In view of the up gradation to the school the construction for the extension of the building began on January 3, 1986.

     As the school began to be upgraded to Secondary level the presence of the boys were restricted to lower classes. While the First Batch of students wrote their Matriculation in 1990 the Boys were only up to Class III and now only up to Class K.G. II. Thus giving it the nature of a Girls’ School. It would be surprising to note that the first student of the first batch in the school way back in 1963 was Arun Kumar Banerjee a Boy while today it has become a Girl’s School.From the very first batch onwards they have endorsed themselves in the list of toppers in the State Board Examinations and excelled in all their performances.

     The First of 16 girls wrote their Matriculation examination in 1990 stunning every one with and outstanding result. One of them secured 9th position in the state, while all the others cleared with either First or Second Divisions only.

     The school was elevated to the Higher Secondary level in 2001. By 2008 the first batch of Science and Commerce students were enrolled into the School. Thus St. Margaret’s Higher Secondary School became a full-fledged Higher Secondary School recognized by the Meghalaya Board of School Education.

     The mission of education was incomplete without the participation of students in the social, cultural life of the society. They were fully and whole heartedly engaged in social services and a number of cultural activities. The students’ participation in the relief work for the victims of the cyclone, flood affected areas and the people affected by ethnic violence are remarkable. They make generous contribution towards the help of the poor. Their contribution towards the Smile Foundation, disabled and the under privileged are remarkable. Across the years the students’ performance in the Guides, YCS, LTS and NCC are praise worthy. With the birth of YAC and NSS too they make their impact on the society. They readily avail themselves for the Service of the downtrodden by offering voluntary service at the orphanage of the St. Mother Theresa’s Sisters at Anand Bhavan and always try their best to keep the school and its surrounding including the Upland Road clean by engaging themselves in the regular cleaning drive. The students are trained to be compassionate and kind towards the less privileged. The interactive programmes with the Students of Ferrando Speech and Hearing centre, Umiam and the other such organizations at all times are to be noted.

     Today the school has procured the fame of one of premier Educational Institutes in this picturesque city. It has created a tradition of excellence. From 1990 onwards the students have successfully endorsed their names in the rank holders list and secured highest marks in different subjects. It reached the Zenith of Glory as it secured 1st position in the Matriculation examination consecutively for three years from 2014, 15 and 16.

  • The Rotary Club awarded the school for the excellent result in the year 2005.
  • The Panorama, a premier magazine awarded the school for the best school among the top ten schools in the year 2006.
  • The Analysis of the Qualitative and Quantitative Performances of the different recognized Schools in Meghalaya in the SSLC Examination, 2007 found that the highest percentage of score was obtained by St. Margaret’s Higher Secondary School, Shillong with 83.00 % and it is the only school where the percentage of score is more than 80% in the state as well as in the District- wise analysis. In the Division-wise analysis, the school scored the highest percentage with 94. 00%.
  • The school exemplifies in the policy building, respect for fellow beings, and elevates the participative culture, spirit of excellence and emotional development, besides excelling in humanness, harmony, cooperation, virtue and discipline.
     With the motto “Knowledge, Virtue, Wisdom”, we endeavor to realize the vision of the Congregation for its mission of Education, “Educate Persons with Character and Competence to Build a Civilization of Love”. Through the quality education they received our students reach out to places and persons as strong, mature, responsible, creative, sincere and hardworking persons.

The sisters with our Founder, Bishop Stephen Ferrando along with Rev. Fr,N. J. Kenny ( SDB) along with with sisters in the school campus.

A class of Students in front of the newly constructed Building.

The First Batch Of Class X ( they call themselves Sweet Sixteen) with their Headmistress Sr. Jane Francis, Sr. Theresa Varkey, the Provincial Superior, Sr. Jessy Sebastian Superior.

The First Batch by themselves, near the Grotto at the School ground, a place of great memories and devotion to all the students.

Students inside the school Campus