‘A life dedicated to serving our country should be my children’s goal in life’

Hutchings ran the school for sometime but lack of funds brought matters to a standstill. Then the Bishop of the Methodist Church,Bishop William Taylor,came to her aid and provided her with the much needed funds. Thereafter,the church became the main support for this cause. Hutchings died on April 15,1942. These passing years have seen many principals and administrators who have contributed enormously in making the school what it is at present.

Tell us about the academic performance of the school last year.

We had students for both ICSE and ISC (science) exams and we got a 100 per cent result last academic year. Our ICSE topper was Aditya Wadaskar who scored 97.4 per cent. Thirty one per cent of our students who sat for ICSE exam secured above 90 per cent. Forty per cent of the total students secured between 80 and 90 per cent.

Parents are always confused as to which board to select for their ward. What is your take on the various boards and their syllabi?

I think ICSE syllabus is very good. It puts a lot of emphasis on the English language and hence students become fluent in English. It also emphasises on overall development of the students. The entire teaching and assessment process is very innovative. The ICSE syllabus is very stable,it keeps intact its original characteristics and yet adapts to the changing times. The students are not just studying for exams but there are various other things like projects,internal assessments,assignments etc. Then there is a notion that CBSE syllabus is better suited for national competitions. But I think ICSE is at par with CBSE syllabus at every level.

How much importance does your school give to physical development of the students?

A lot of importance is given to physical fitness of the children. Starting from their diet to regular sports,the school thinks about everything. The teachers continuously ask the students to eat nutritious food and they also ask the parents to give the students balanced food in tiffin. We coach the students in various kinds of games from the time they are in primary classes. We have athletics,Scout and Guides,Road Safety Patrol,football and basketball teams. We do not let the space constraint in the school affect the coaching of students. Our school provides facilities for students to use other grounds in the vicinity. We also take help from Army personnel for monitoring the fitness and stamina in the students. There are two coaches for basketball and football and three teachers conduct physical training of the students.

Tell us about the cultural activities of the school.

We have a cultural calendar for the entire academic year. We conduct inter-house and inter-class competitions like drawing,creative writing,handwriting etc. We have a cultural day that is celebrated in a grand way. Last time our students performed a wonderful skit on the famous play Christmas Carol. We have a school choir and even have pre-primary students in the group. We have a dance teacher who comes regularly to teach students. Every Friday,we have the last one hour of the school dedicated to extra-curricular activities for all students. Apart from all this,we have various clubs like science club,maths club,enviro-social club. These clubs organise a lot of debates,dramas etc. These children also help collect clothes etc for orphanages,learning compassion for all human beings. Our children also participate in Olympiads and have won various national and international prizes.

Do you see a growing trend of aggression in students? What do you think is the reason for this? How do you handle this?

There are two reasons for the growing aggression in the children. One is the evolution of nuclear families and other that both parents are working. Nowadays parents have no time for their children. Life has become very busy. Hence,the moral responsibility of the child falls upon the school. The school has trained counsellors to handle the aggressiveness in students. We have a ‘0’ period for every class where the counsellor interacts with the children and take classes on soft skills,mannerism etc. The children now are actually overburdened by parental expectations. The parents should accept their children as they are. Academics is not everything. Parents need to understand this and help the children set an aim in their life as per their potential.

The students have a lot of energy which needs to get out. This time we are planning to take them to a jungle camp. There they will learn to be independent,take responsibility and adjust to living with their friends. Easy access to Internet and gadgets are another reason for their aggressiveness. All that these video games teach the students is to be violent. Hence,good parental monitoring is required.

What kind of career guidance does your school provide?

We conduct special career guidance sessions for students of Class XII. We also have orientation classes for students in Class XI. At that point of time,the students are very confused as to what to do in future. We see to it that they are helped in selecting an aim that realises their full potential. We see that nowadays more and more students are taking up unconventional jobs. The concept of a well paid conventional job is losing ground. But parents are still stuck in a different age. Hence,it is the parents who require orientation now. Material gains are not everything. Students should choose a job that they enjoy doing and not just something that pays well but they do not like.

What will be that one quality in your students that makes them stand apart from the crowd?

My student will be a complete person. That means his/her personality will make him/her stand apart from the rest of the crowd. He/she will be confident,always morally correct,compassionate and a true leader.

As a principal,what do you want your children to do in future or what’s your dream for the children?

I want my children to lead the country in the right perspective. I want them to hold powerful positions and yet not let power get into their head. They should have a vision for the country and strive to make it come true. I want them to get into government jobs and make a difference. I want them to join politics and become an invaluable asset to the country and society. A life dedicated to serving our country should be their goal in life.