When you drive down Puthencruz Church Road in Ernakulam, you’ll pass a quiet campus with a boundary wall that’s stood for over 45 years. Inside, nearly 1,500 students walk through 19 classrooms, some of them carrying books from Lower Kindergarten all the way to Class 12. This is Mar Athanasius Memorial Higher Secondary School, a school that didn’t start with much but grew into one of the most trusted names in rural Kerala education.
How It All Began
In 1979, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church didn’t set out to build a big school. They had a simple goal: give children in Puthencruz a chance to learn in English, even if they lived far from the city. With just 84 students and a handful of teachers, the school opened its doors under the leadership of Very Rev. Thariyan Corepiscopa. There was no fancy building, no computer lab-just a strong belief that education could change lives. The school was named after St. Athanasius Paulose, known locally as 'Valiya Thirumeni,' a spiritual leader deeply respected in the Syriac Orthodox community. His legacy wasn’t just about faith-it was about service. And that’s exactly what the school became: a place where learning and values walked hand in hand.What Makes It Different
Unlike government schools in Kerala that offer free education, Mar Athanasius Memorial is a private unaided institution. That means families pay fees, but they also get something extra: consistent English-medium instruction from KG to Class 12, all under the Kerala State Education Board. There’s no Hindi or Malayalam-only stream here. Every subject-from math to science to social studies-is taught in English, giving students a real edge when they move on to college or jobs. It’s also co-educational, open to all faiths, even though it’s run by the Sisters of St. Mary’s Convent under the St. Mary’s Charitable Trust. That balance-religious roots, secular teaching-is key. Parents don’t send their kids here to become monks or nuns. They send them here because the school delivers results, quietly and reliably.Classrooms, Computers, and Clean Toilets
Walk through the campus today, and you’ll see what long-term care looks like. All 19 classrooms are in good condition. There’s a library with 2,500 books-not a huge number by urban standards, but impressive for a rural school. The playground is used daily. And the toilets? Six for boys, six for girls-functional, clean, and maintained. What stands out most? The tech. Fifteen working computers. A dedicated computer-aided learning lab. That’s not something you find in every school in rural Kerala. The school didn’t wait for government grants to upgrade. They invested where they could. Students learn typing, basic coding, and how to use digital tools-not as a trend, but as a necessity. The school runs on an April-to-March academic year, like most in Kerala. There’s no mid-day meal program, so kids bring their own lunch. But the all-weather road ensures that even during monsoon, buses and bicycles can reach the campus without trouble.
Who Teaches There
There are 43 teaching staff and 14 non-teaching staff. That’s a solid student-to-teacher ratio, especially for a school with 1,500 students. Many teachers have been there for over a decade. Some started as students themselves. The leadership history reads like a who’s who of local education. After the founding headmaster, names like Annamma Philip, V.J. Mathew, and T.K. Peter shaped the school’s culture. These weren’t just administrators-they were mentors who stayed long after retirement, often helping with exams or advising new teachers. There’s also a student council. Each class picks a rep. They meet monthly. It’s not just for show. Students have helped suggest changes to the library schedule, lunch break timing, and even how the school celebrates annual events.The Sister School: A Strategic Move
In 2004, the same trust opened the Baselious Thomas Ist Catholicose Public School, just a few kilometers away. This one follows the CBSE syllabus. Why? Because parents started asking for it. Families who wanted their children to take national-level exams like JEE or NEET, or who planned to move to other states, needed CBSE. Mar Athanasius Memorial stayed with the Kerala State Board because it worked for most local families. But the trust didn’t ignore the shift. They built a second school instead of forcing everyone into one system. That’s smart. It shows they listen. They don’t push one path. They offer choices.
What Parents Say
On Justdial, the school has a 4.0-star rating from 33 reviews. That’s not perfect, but it’s consistent. Most comments mention discipline, clean environment, and teachers who care. A few parents wish for better ramp access for children with mobility needs-something the school hasn’t addressed yet, based on the latest official data. There’s a YouTube channel called YOUNG ATHANASIANS with 851 subscribers. Videos show school events: annual day performances, science fairs, sports day. One video from three years ago has 2,800 views. That’s not viral, but it’s meaningful. It means families are proud. They’re sharing it.Why It Still Matters
Kerala has over 1,700 schools in Ernakulam alone. Most are government-run. Some are elite private schools in Kochi. Mar Athanasius Memorial sits in the middle-not flashy, not cheap-but steady. It doesn’t advertise on billboards. It doesn’t promise 100% results. It just shows up, every day, with clean classrooms, working computers, and teachers who remember every student’s name. It’s a reminder that quality education doesn’t need luxury. It needs commitment. And for over four decades, that’s exactly what this school has given to rural Kerala.What’s Next?
There’s no public roadmap for big changes. No announcement of new buildings or digital classrooms. But the school’s history tells you what’s coming. If they added a computer lab in the 2010s, they’ll likely add something else now-maybe science labs with better equipment, or more support for students preparing for competitive exams. One thing’s certain: they won’t stop serving the community. Not now. Not ever.Is Mar Athanasius Memorial Higher Secondary School a government school?
No, it’s a private unaided school. It doesn’t receive government funding for operations and relies on tuition fees. However, it follows the Kerala State Education Board curriculum and is recognized by SCERT, ensuring its syllabus and exams meet state standards.
What medium of instruction does the school use?
English is the sole medium of instruction for all subjects, from Lower Kindergarten through Class 12. This is one of the main reasons families choose the school, especially in a region where access to strong English education in rural areas is limited.
Does the school have computer facilities?
Yes. The school has 15 functional computers and a dedicated computer-aided learning lab. Students use these for basic digital literacy, typing, and educational software. This is notable for a rural school in Kerala, where tech access isn’t always guaranteed.
Is the school affiliated with CBSE?
No, Mar Athanasius Memorial Higher Secondary School follows the Kerala State Board. However, its sister institution, Baselious Thomas Ist Catholicose Public School, established in 2004, offers the CBSE curriculum. Families can choose between the two based on their educational goals.
Are there facilities for children with disabilities?
According to the latest official data from schools.org.in, the school does not currently have ramp facilities or specialized infrastructure for children with physical disabilities. This is an area where improvement may be needed, though no public updates on accessibility upgrades have been released as of 2025.
What’s the student enrollment like today?
The school serves approximately 1,500 students across all grades, from Lower Kindergarten to Class 12. Enrollment has grown steadily since its founding in 1979, when it started with just 84 students. This growth reflects strong community trust and consistent academic standards.
Does the school provide mid-day meals?
No, the school does not offer a mid-day meal program. Students are expected to bring their own lunch from home. This is common among private unaided schools in Kerala, unlike government schools which are mandated to provide meals.
How can I visit or contact the school?
The school is located at Puthencruz Church Road, Puthencruz, Ernakulam - 682308, Kerala, India. It’s accessible via an all-weather road. For official inquiries, contact the school office during administrative hours (typically 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM on school days). No public phone number or email is listed in official sources, so visiting in person is the most reliable method.
Patrick De Leon
28 10 25 / 14:41 PMThis school is exactly what India needs more of. No handouts. No politics. Just clean classrooms, real English, and teachers who show up. Compare that to the government schools where kids learn nothing but corruption and caste politics.
Stop pretending equality means lowering standards. This school raises them.
MANGESH NEEL
29 10 25 / 14:26 PMLet me break this down for you. 15 computers in a school with 1500 students? That’s not progress, that’s a PR stunt. And don’t get me started on the ‘clean toilets’-that’s not a feature, it’s a baseline. You call this ‘quality education’? This is what happens when you confuse scarcity with virtue.
Jonathan Tanguay
31 10 25 / 05:14 AMOkay so let me get this straight-this school is proud of having 15 computers and a 2500 book library? In 2025? That’s like bragging about owning a fax machine because you don’t have a rotary phone. And no midday meals? In a country where 30% of kids go hungry? You call that ‘steady’? I call it neglect dressed up as tradition. And the sister school with CBSE? Classic. They’re playing both sides. One for the locals, one for the elites. Pathetic.
Ayanda Ndoni
31 10 25 / 21:16 PMI just want to say… I’m so touched. This is the kind of place I wish I grew up near. The fact that teachers stay for decades? That’s rare. I cried reading about the student council. Real leadership starts here. Not in boardrooms. Not in politics. Here. In this school.
Elliott Algarin
2 11 25 / 15:15 PMThere’s something quiet powerful about a school that doesn’t need to scream to be heard. No billboards. No viral videos. Just 43 teachers who know every student’s name. That’s not luck. That’s discipline. That’s love. And yeah, maybe the computers are old and the ramps aren’t there yet-but they showed up. And that’s the first step.
John Murphy
4 11 25 / 11:28 AMI’ve seen schools like this in rural Alabama. Same story. Same struggles. Same pride. No fancy tech, but the kids learn. The teachers care. The parents trust them. It’s not about money. It’s about consistency. And that’s harder than any curriculum.
Zach Crandall
5 11 25 / 04:54 AMYou know what’s interesting? They didn’t build a new wing. They didn’t chase grants. They just kept doing the same thing, year after year. That’s not innovation. That’s stubbornness. And maybe that’s exactly what this world needs right now-people who refuse to chase trends and just do the work.
Akinyemi Akindele Winner
7 11 25 / 04:14 AMThis school is basically a cult wrapped in a syllabus. 1500 kids, zero Hindi? That’s linguistic imperialism disguised as ‘English advantage’. And don’t act like the church isn’t pulling strings. They’re not educating kids-they’re indoctrinating them with colonial values and calling it ‘progress’. Wake up.
Sean Huang
7 11 25 / 19:59 PMThe computer lab? 15 machines? That’s a decoy. They’re using it to mask the real agenda: data harvesting. Every keystroke logged. Every search tracked. The church runs this. The church runs everything. And now they’re feeding student behavior to some global ed-tech conglomerate. You think they care about your kid’s future? They care about your kid’s digital footprint. The ramps? They’re not missing-they’re intentionally excluded. To keep the ‘unworthy’ out. This isn’t education. It’s eugenics with a library card.