What has the school got to offer
I have spent over four decades in
Education, and they have been the best years of my life – figuratively and
metaphorically speaking. Probably, and
by a rough estimate, I have met thousands of parents and interacted with a few
thousand pupils since I became a teacher.
I have also visited quite a few schools,
in different parts of the world. Many provide excellent education, some are good,
while some are just about okay.
Here’s a thought that came to me.
Whenever parents visit a school, prior
to admission, one sees them walking around and looking excitedly at the
building.
They ask some generic questions, but
by and large, they seem most concerned and visibly impressed with what the
school has to offer by way of facilities. So, it usually starts with: -
What Board is the school affiliated
with?
What is the fee structure?
What is the testing and promotion procedure?
And then quickly moves to: -
Is there a swimming pool and/or a
gymnasium?
What about an auditorium? How many
does it seat?
Can I see the kindergarten playroom?
What are the sizes of the classrooms?
How many laboratories and Libraries
are there in the school?
Is there school transport?
Are there canteen facilities?
Is there a playing field?
These are all very pertinent questions
that must be asked. However, the conversation is always about facilities first
and then the core subjects – English, Mathematics, and Science. Surprisingly, the
arts which include Dramatics, Dance, and Music are rarely talked about. I
wonder why! Does it not strike you as odd?
If you think about it, aren’t those
the periods that kids enjoy the most? Are we not killing creativity and taking
the fun out of schooling?
Just let a pupil tell their parents
that they want to become an actor, dancer, musician, singer, or writer and
watch the colour drain from the parents’ faces- professions such as these are anathema to them – it’s almost as if
they believe that their wards will be accursed or consigned to damnation or
destruction if they even think of any of the above.
Another point of concern - Very rarely
have I heard parents enquiring pointedly about the philosophy, vision, and experiences
their child will have in school. Doesn't that count for something?
Shouldn’t
all parents investigate a school’s approach to measuring student progress?
Since it’s crucial to know how your child is doing, this is something you’ll
want to keep your eye on- won't you? What about personalized learning, the
disciplinary policy, community service, approach to Special education, and
scope for gifted and talented pupils?
Then there are other
elements like life skills, respect, diversity, academic integrity, honesty,
innovation, and career counseling that are taken for granted and rarely form
part of the actual admission conversation. Now some may debate that these
should form part of any good school, and so we do not need to ask about them.
However, one must only look
around to see how many schools, the world over, put all their energies into advertising
their infrastructure first, to get top billing!
Surprisingly that’s what
attracts the bulk of parents. There are exceptions to the rule and by that, I
mean not all schools use facilities as their trump card, and not all parents are
gullible but that’s a minuscule number – I am talking about the majority here.
As I write this piece, I
am reminded of my twenty years spent, at one of the premier educational
institutions in India- The Bishop’s School, Pune.
When I think of the campus
it makes me smile. It was not flashy by any standards. It was not posh either.
However, it had an old-world charm about it – basic yet functional. The
education provided was well above the expected standards, and the board results
were proof of the same. The games and co-curricular programme were the icing on
the cake. Over the years the school has produced men (and now even women) of
integrity, who are driven, determined, and confident of holding their own in
society. They are Gentlemen/ ladies in every sense of the word.
There are so many
schools, all over the world, like Bishops, that deliver world-class education
from very ordinary campuses.
It's a mindset that
needs to change.
