MTI honours Principal Simson Kochan with the “MTI Excellence Award 2021 – 2022” in the field of education.

MTI Honour for Excellence in Teaching and School Leadership 2021-22: MTI has started honoring outstanding teachers and principals of their affiliated schools every year to recognize their exemplary contribution to enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. This is done to motivate and encourage the teaching fraternity One such Principal identified for his exemplary work is Principal Simson Kochan .

The journey of a penniless man with a passion to educate children and developing successful students was the goal of the Principal of Holy Angel High school in Malvani Malad, Mumbai

Success Story: The “success stories” — of the year. Principal Simson Kochan has been honored with “MTI Excellence Award 2021- 2022” in the field of education. The School is Getting almost 100% passing results over the past 32 Years Meet Mr. Simson Kochan, Principal of Holy Angel  school in Malvani Malad, Mumbai, the man behind the success of countless students, his sheer passion to educate and impart knowledge has led to the shaping of careers of so many students that he has lost count now. The courageous principal, backed up by the best teachers he had in school, took several initiatives to redecorate the school, make it clean, well-lit, safe, and above all fun to be in. In Malwani where 45 % of the people live in poverty, Principal Simson dedicated his career and his life to ending the injustice poor students are treated with and to helping them succeed in school and beyond. “As a result, his school got so many awards and his students achieved success in various fields. He has faced a lot of challenges on this journey but God was on my side and he sent me an angel Mrs. Prescilla Simson to help me. My wife plays a very important role in my success.
This year the school has created a history and broken all its earlier records. This year the school has sent the maximum number of the student for the SSC examination which was 247 and all of them were passed with a good percentage.90 % and above 11 students scored,80 % and above 110 students scored and 164 students are in the distinction and 83 students are in first class and there is no second class at all.

In a candid interview with our Editor in Chief Mr. Riyaz, Principal Simson Kochan became emotional as he went back in time and remembered those days when he had no money and lived in a single room for rent.
Q – Sir what are your qualifications and how did you think of setting up a school?

Principal – I am from Kerela and a mechanical engineer by profession. I have a deep-rooted passion to share knowledge and I derive pleasure in the success of others. I remember in 1980 I used to live in a one-room accommodation and I used to teach the underprivileged children living nearby, slowly the students increased and I was finding it difficult to accommodate them in the small room, their parents encouraged me to take up some more space and I was having no money.

Then my landlord offered me the room for Rs. 19000/- and I did not have even 19 paise in my pocket, however when I asked some parents they became ready to support me and 19 parents shelled out Rs. 1000/- each and I in return offered their children a full year of tuition in lieu of the money and I purchased the room and thus began my journey which would take me to become a Principal of a reputed school.
My dedication and hard work paid off, my students were doing well academically and the parents were impressed, and the number of students grew. The parents again encouraged me to start a school. I started a school with few students and again started growing.

I purchased 5 more rooms and as my business grew, I faced a lot of challenges from antisocial elements and many other people, My classes were demolished due to BMC action, however parents and students were on my side and they supported me. On this journey God was on my side and he sent me an angel to help me. He was DMC Khairnar.

Mr. Khairnar fully supported me and gave me all permissions and helped me rebuild my little school.

Question: Mr. Kochan, what do you consider your greatest achievement in life?

My achievement in life is the success of my students. That is my greatest driver and pleasure. I get immense pleasure when I get to hear the success stories of my students from their parents who are ever grateful to me for making the life of their children. Every week about four to five old parents of engineers and doctors come and thank me. We created the policy by getting teachers, parents, and students all on the same page. We did it with a lot of hard work that all the SSC students should pass with a very good percentage. We don’t give any vacation holidays to them, we keep extra classes for them on a regular basis. We take a maximum number of prelims exams in our school.

Question: What is your succession plan, who will take care of Holy Angel school after you retire. Are your children ready to take up this responsibility?

God is great and after me, there will be someone better than me who will take charge of this school and make it even better.

Both of my children have passed MBBS and are on their way to becoming good doctors. My son Sheldon Simson is now doing a master of Surgery and my daughter Sherline Simson is doing her internship.

Question: Do you have a plan to start another school in Charkop Kandivali

After the struggle of 34 years, the Honourable Government of Maharashtra allotted a piece of plot of 2000 square meters for the construction of a school building during the year 2008.But an insult to injury the allotted plot was not having a proper approach road . Because of this reason the building plan was rejected by BMC many times afterwards in 2021, the Honourable BMC Commissioner has given the speaking order to develop the particular plot . Accordingly we have paid Rs 24300000 /- for various charges and the building plan is approved . Again on 23rd December 2021, the BMC informed us the particular plot is reserved for market and vending zones. I am very unhappy with the concerned authorities. If they will support me we will get a very good school in our locality.

Question: How much support do you have from your wife?

I have the full support of my wife, she has even more responsibilities than me in day to day running of the school.


Question: What are your future plans?

My future plans are to build a complete campus with a school, college and a professional course training institute, and maybe even a hospital considering that my children are doctors, I have the full support of my students, their parents as well as the local people in the neighborhood, however, without the support of the government. I am handicapped.