New Schools Offer Hope

“Then, the whining schoolboy with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school.”- The Seven Ages of Man, William Shakespeare

School has always been synonymous with a lot of academic pressure. The past few years here in this part of India I see this going through a sea-change. The focus is now on the child more than it ever was.

While there has been a mushrooming of a new breed of schools that speak of progressive methodologies and an international curriculum, one tends to wonder as a parent…are the conventional schools lagging behind in any way? Why do we need to pamper our children to such an extent that they are unable to cope with competition at a later stage?

On the other hand it would seem simplistic and defensive to overlook the advantages these upcoming schools have in store.

Finally, it boils down to an individual’s priorities. Is your child not getting enough attention,opportunities and encouragement in the 40:1 teacher student ratio scenario…or is this very fact proving to be a boon for you, giving your child the competitive environment he requires, to excel?

These new schools have many takers. What’s going for them is the fact that they have managed to identify the needs of the majority of today’s parents and give them a customised solution.

Most families today are double-income where child-care is a major issue. If the school provides day-care for the child, it gives many parents reason enough to leave their child here for the day rather than trusting a creche or maid to take care of the child after school. The added advantage is that at the school, the child’s homework is also taken care of.
Schools that provide breakfast and lunch are also an instant hit with working parents. No racking brains to think of what to pack for lunch, sandwiches today, paranthas tomorrow, even in the midst of a hectic schedule at work and home. What a relief!
The next segment these schools have focused their eyes on is the child with learning or behavioural difficulties. There are many children from a vast cross-section of families who suffer silently, grossly misunderstood not only by their teachers but also by their parents as their physiological or psychological challenges are not dealt with effectively. By allowing each child to compete with himself or herself , taking up new challenges and learning new skills , working on weaknesses and achieving new milestones , such children are given the right kind of atmosphere required to blossom into confident young individuals eager to learn and do well. For parents of children who require special attention and extra time, these new schools which boast of a healthy student:teacher ratio of 20:1 are godsent. Most schools also have a psychology cell which takes care of students’ emotional and learning needs.

Nuclear families and the rise in the middle-class man’s spending power means that parents are willing to spend a good amount of money on their child’s education. Child education is surely the topmost priority for most parents.

Other factors in favour of these schools are that they also stress on extra-curricular to a great extent and give the students an opportunity to choose which board he would like to follow. Most of these schools offer both CBSE and IGCSE and IB.

No wonder then that there is a steady procession of parents entrusting their precious little ones to the care of these schools even though they haven’t yet proved whether they can keep up the tall promises.

Fingers crossed for those parents as well as the schools themselves! With the Indian educational system going through a phase of path-breaking reforms, it only seems appropriate to encourage the new school of thought that brings our children some hope.