However, the first full-fledged president of the Diocesan Society of Education was Dr. Nicolau Pereira was a scholarly man with great vision and wisdom. As Principal of St Xavier College (a DSE Institution) he laid a strong foundation for a vibrant college whose alumni are spread far and wide occupying important positions in life.
Archbishop Emeritus Dr. Raul Gonsalves was a strong pillar of the society. It was his encouragement and support that led the DSE to spread its tentacles far and wide throughout Goa.
Fr. Jose Santana Antimo Gomes joined the DSE as its secretary in 1969. Those were the days when the society was being given a formal shape, when the documents were being sorted out and filed, all of which needed a system and organization. To Fr. Antimo Gomes, goes the credit of having organised the office. He worked as secretary till 1982, then joined St. Xavier’s College and took charge as principal upon the retirement of Dr. Nicolau Pereira.
Fr. Avinash Rebello having worked with Fr. Antimo Gomes for three years as Asst. Secretary took over the responsibilities as full-fledged secretary with some apprehensions. Soon after being appointed secretary, he had to take up important cases to protect the interest of the DSE institutions and to strengthen the fabric of the schools within the ambit of government rules as well as the right of the minorities guaranteed under the constitution of India. It was a challenging task which he was able to carry out with the help of teachers, heads of the institutions, Manager and the Parishioners at large.
Under the tenure of Fr. Tony Salema felicitation of the teachers who render yeoman service to the institutions was introduced as a motivational factor. He was responsible for conducting training camps for Primary and pre-Primary teachers adjusting syllabus and laying focus on thrust areas of the syllabi, computerisation of records saw the light of day during his tenureship.
Fr. Zeferino D’Souza, who is the present secretary, is a man of integrity and personally puts in many hours of work daily, sometimes even ignoring his health. The present president of DSE Fr. Joseph Assumption de Silva, a devout and pious priest has given a free hand to Fr. Zeferino D’Souza to oversee the running a management of the DSE institutions. Fr. Zeferino has won the confidence of Arch Bishop Patriarch Rev. Filipe Nerri Ferrao who wants him to continue as Secretary to see that the diocesan institutions function as centres of excellence.
Many heads, teachers and managers have contributed to nurturing the institutions under their care but one priest of recent times who stands out for his building skills is Fr. Diago Manuel Oficio Fernandes popularly known as Fr. Diago. Wherever he has been posted he has built structures to house institutions with modern amenities Today on the 40th Anniversary of his ordination, he dedicates a structure with all modern facilities in Cortalim which is meant to house a DED college.
