THE HISTORY OF ANSALDO COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Ansaldo College of Education is a private Catholic higher education institution located in Keeripillaiodai near Maruthuvampadi village in Chetpet taluk, Thiruvannammalai district, Tamil Nadu. It was established in September 2005 by the Franciscan Sisters of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, a registered charitable society dedicated to education and social upliftment. The college was founded on the invitation of Most Rev. Dr. A.M. Chinnappa, the Bishop, and Rev. Fr. Joe Lourduswamy, the Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Vellore.
The college started with the motto “Educate to Edify” under the leadership of Rev. Mother C. Noel Rani, the Superior General, and Rev. Fr. A. Immanuel Raj, the principal. Initially, it had 12 teaching staff and 6 non-teaching staff members, offering the B.Ed course with 100 students. The college is recognized by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) Bangalore and affiliated with Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore. In 2008, it became affiliated with Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University, Chennai.
Under the guidance of Superior General Rev. Mother A. Mary Stella, the college received accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with a “B+” grade in 2014. In 2015, due to curriculum changes, the one-year course was redesigned into a two-year course, resulting in a change in the teaching staff and non-teaching staff pattern. The college obtained provisional recognition from the NCTE once again in 2015, subject to certain conditions.
On June 15, 2017, Rev. Dr. F. Josephine Mary Stella took charge as the principal and worked diligently to obtain the No Objection Certificate (NOC), recognition, and affiliation for the college. Under the guidance of Rev. Mother G. Rajamani, the Superior General, the college overcame challenges and obtained permanent recognition from the NCTE, Delhi on October 21, 2020.
The college has ample land and plans to expand in the future, potentially becoming an Arts and Science College or an Integrated College of Education.
Institutions under the Generalate
- Gonzaga Animation Centre – Puducherry
- Ansaldo Matric. Hr. Sec. School – Chetpet
- St. Joseph Higher Secondary School – Pagalpatty
- Gonzaga Matric Hr. Sec. School – Kathampallam
- St. Joseph Teacher Training Institute – Pagalpatty
- Ansaldo College of Education – Chetpet
- St. Joseph College of Arts and Science for Women – Pagalpatty
- Gonzaga College of Arts and Science for Women – Kathampallam