The establishment of our SFS Matriculation School at Nalattinputhur in Thoothukudi District is the fruit of long struggle and selfless service of our MSFS missionaries. The school is located elegantly on National Highway 44, connecting Chennai to Kanyakumari. As we had already taken up the Nalatinputhur parish, the province was exploring the possibility of implementing the apostolate of education in our new parish as a response to the people’s demand for an English medium school in this area. Consequently, our fathers working in the parish were able to buy 7 acres and 50 cents of land, and then they initiated the process of starting a school under the guidance of the province. Finally, our missionaries started the school in 2009 with the necessary simple facilities first on the parish church campus.
At the same time, Fr. Jeganathan, MSFS was appointed in the same year as the principal and entrusted him the responsibility of looking after the school construction. Now the school is eight kilometers away from the din and bustle of the Kovilpatti town, and it is more rural based and offers education to the children from the surrounding villages.
The syllabus system followed at SFS school is the matriculation board syllabus with Tamil as the first language. The first batch of students appeared for the class 10 public examinations in 2018. The curricular and extra-curricular activities offered aim at preparing the students to develop their talents with commitment that they would become responsible citizens. However, the effects of Corona pandemic had affected the school very badly and consequently the strength of the school drastically dropped down. However, our fathers were convivial and debonair in their efforts, working indefatigably in bringing the strength back and building up the school’s good name. The school staff follow this principle in their approach while teaching and training the students at our SFS school to have good education and shine out successfully in the final exams. The school management is synergistic and resilient in their efforts to create opportunities for our students to excel in other arts like Silambam, Bharathnatyam, Folk dance, Yoga, Kabbadi and other games.
Developments undertaken at various times
Fr. Jeganathan, MSFS was appointed as the first principal, Fr. Sahaya Wilson, MSFS was the correspondent, while serving as the parish priest and Fr. Jeyaraj, MSFS was the procurator. As they had to work out the plan for building the first phase of the school structure, they collaborated with each other and worked in Dexterity in constructing the first block of the school with a separate block for washrooms. The new building was blessed and inaugurated by Fr. A. Lawrence, MSFS, the provincial of the South-East India Province on 18 October 2010. Then, the school was shifted from the parish campus to the new building. The school was steadily marching forward on the path of development and as the school’s strength was increasing, there was a need for more classrooms.
So, the next school administration consisting of Fr. Y. Arulanandam, MSFS as the principal, Fr. Daniel Raj, MSFS the procurator, and Fr. M. Nicholas, MSFS the correspondent showed inexorable spirit and dedication to construct the second block of the school, which was inaugurated and blessed by Fr. A. Dharmaraj, MSFS the Provincial on 26 May 2013.
After a year, Fr. Y. Arulanandam, MSFS was transferred and Fr. D. Amirtharajan, MSFS was appointed as the principal in 2013. He made indefatigable efforts in guiding and motivating the staff and the students to achieve better results and contributed to the growth of the school. As the need of the time demanded, the Mermier Block was constructed and as the washrooms for the children were dilapidated, new restrooms were constructed with the help of the province. The new school block was blessed and inaugurated on 18 March 2016 by Fr. A. Dharmaraj, MSFS the provincial in his second term. Furthermore, as there were no proper office facilities in the school, Fr. D. Amirtharajan, MSFS with the help of the province, made efforts and constructed the office block and it was blessed on 21 January 2019 by Fr. K. Ignacimuthu, MSFS, the provincial superior.
Thus, our Fransalian missionaries had developed a very good infrastructure in the school with sufficient classrooms, and other facilities. There are 238 children from LKG to class X, animated by 19 teaching staff and 10 non-teaching staff members as of 2025. The fathers who succeeded in the coming years as principals and procurators truly offered flamboyant service for the development of the school, despite the challenges and hardships.
Succession of the principals
Fr. Jeganathan, MSFS 2009 – 2011
Fr. Ferdinand Sagayaselvan, MSFS 2011 – 2012
Fr. Y. Arulanantham, MSFS 2012 – 2013
Fr. D. Amirtharajan, MSFS 2013 – 2019
Fr. J. Savarimuthu, MSFS 2019 – 2021
Fr. A. Arockiasamy, MSFS 2021 – 2023
Fr. Jerry Louis, MSFS 2023 –
Succession of the Procurators: Fr. Jeyaraj, MSFS, Fr. Daniel Raj, MSFS, Fr. John Gragori, MSFS, Fr. Arockia Christuraj, MSFS, Fr. Sahaya Jerald Abin, MSFS, 2016 – 2017; Fr. Maria John Franklin, MSFS, Fr. Arockia Charles, MSFS, Fr. L. John Peter, MSFS, 2022 – 2024; Fr. Jennie Naveen, MSFS, 2004 –
Succession of the Correspondents: Fr. Sahaya Wilson, MSFS; Fr. M. Nicholas, MSFS; Fr. S. Alexander, MSFS; Fr. C. John Britto, MSFS; Fr. L. John Peter, MSFS; Fr. V. Vedharaj, MSFS;
