India shares a magnificent history of knowledge in its cumulative evolution as a country. Be it the ancient philosophical wisdom, the literary geniuses, the bio-medical inventions, or crudely critical fundamental mathematics, and history has multiple accounts of India's contribution to the present progression of education. Although the history of education in India can be traced down to centuries, with the ancient scriptures, the Gurukul system and the universities dating as early between 600 BC to 500 AD, the country also fell into the hands of foreign invaders that drained down its riches and exploiting its people with utter governing negligence.
Under foreign rule, education was only accessible to a very small class of privileged individuals and was never regulated as a fundamental right within the Indian Population. As India released itself from the clutches of foreign rule in 1947, it had a long journey in front of it with a tumultuous onus of reinstating its age-old glory in education.
In 2009, the Indian parliament passed a landmark act for 'Right to Education' , which ensures free and compulsory education from the age of 6 to 14, which, in turn, stimulated a humongous rise in the access to quality education for all.
Today after 75 years of independence, the Indian education system is one of the largest in the worldcatering to over 250 million students, with over a million schools (private and government). As the sun rises on the horizon of a hopeful future for Indian education, the stakeholders behold a significant key in expanding access to quality education and revamping the efficacy of the educational pedagogy.
With this edition of 'The Efficacious Schools of the Year, 2022' , The Knowledge Review takes a moment to cherish the heroic schools in the country that have been progressing steadily to transform education in India.
Prepare for an indulging read! T R Vrushal
URL
billimoriahighschool.com
Candor International School hips.ac.in
Harsha International Public School
candorschool.edu.in
Aditi Education Society’s Billimoria High School was founded in 1908 by the Late Mr. Nowroji Billimoria. Sitting atop the Sahayadri Hills in the peaceful town of Panchgani, this century old heritage institute is the proud alma mater of many a successful alumni.
Candor International School offers an international education that prepares students for an ever-smaller world.
Harsha International Public School was formed by a getogether of a group professionals in different elds to expose a noble cause of providing quality education.
Meru International School
Neuron Labs
meruinternationalschool.com
neuronlabs.org
Meru International Schol aims to build a society of likeminded individuals who possess a progressive mindset along with values that bring about positive change in the world.
Neuron Labs School was established to provide a quality educational experience to children. The philosophy is to preserve and nurture the innate intellectual curiosity and tremendous joy of learning with which children begin life.
pinewoodsinternational.com
Pinewoods International High School & Junior College is a co-educational residential institution run by Mahatma Laxmanji Arya Educational Public Charitable Trust in Panchgani.
Ramagya School
ramagyaschool.com stjohnschandigarh.com
St. John’s High School steps.sd
Steps InternationalPrimary School
Pinewoods International School & Junior College upsooty.com
Unique Public School
Ramagya school, an amalgamation of knowledge and values, afliated to CBSE & CIE, spread in 3 acres of land, located in the heart of Noida , Sector – 50,within a span of 10+ years has emerged as one of the top 10 senior secondary school in Delhi- NCR for academics and co-curricular excellence.
St. John’s High School is a Christian Minority Educational Institution run by the CCB in India which is registered under the Society Registration act of 1860.
STEPS is a leading educational institution committed to prepare children and youth for being multi-lingual, competent professionals and leaders to the society, who see for themselves and their communities, lives of limitless potential.
Unique Public School is a Residential and a Coeducational school situated at Ooty with a tradition of providing quality education to all . It is an autonomous institution run under the aegis of trust MOISO (MEMBERS OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OOTY).
Raising Students to be Global Citizens
Candor International School offers an international education curriculum that prepares students for an ever-smaller world.
TThe environment children grow
up in largely defines the entire path ahead of them. In a highly competitive world and in a developing country like India, parents have a gargantuan task in front of them to choose the right school for their children. A lot of thought, spadework and weighing of pros and cons go into providing the right education and the right facilities for their children since parents will stop at nothing while preparing them for a secure future.
Young minds deserve an environment that helps them in learning the allimportant life skills. With curiosity growing in the budding minds, it is important for children to satisfy their thirst for academic excellence, creativity, and collaborative learning.
Finding the right fit for anything can be quite tricky. However, search or look closely around yourself. You will find the perfect place for your children to hone their skills and excel in academics with innovative teaching
methods and, importantly a happy space for them to grow.
Candor International School is one such school that has dedicated itself to providing a secure and safe future for children. The school has adopted an international syllabus and curriculum to prepare the children for a better future and shine in whatever they choose to do.
Setting the Cradle in Motion Bangalore, the heart of the IT industry
Dr. Suresh Reddy Founder, Candor International School
in India and being at the focal point for international companies all across the world, provides children with the ideal environment to grow while maintaining the international standards that have become the need of the hour.
Identifying this unique niche requirement of the education space, Dr. Suresh Reddy founded the Candor International School in August 2011. The school homes 25 acres of campus in one of the prime areas in Bangalore between Bannerghatta and Electronics City. Its prime location provides easy access to the popular residential areas and connects well with the city while maintaining a calm and suitable environment for student grooming and growth.
Mission - Preparing for Life Being one of the best international schools in Bangalore, India, the Candor International School has dedicated itself to preparing students for life. For accomplishing this mission, the school has gathered a team of dedicated and spirited learners, making the school a community that nurtures every child to develop into a knowledgeable, confident, caring, and responsible global citizen.
Vision – Guiding Lamp for the Country and the World Candor International School aims to be a guiding lamp for budding minds. The school aims to be the catalyst that triggers positive change for national and international students, taking responsibility for grooming students to become global citizens. With this value-added approach, the school strives to develop students who will protect the environment while reserving ethical and moral values in the ever-changing social, economic, environmental, and political shift paradigm.
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Love of learning through lifelong enquiry
Respect for diversity of people, faith, culture, and ideas
Ÿ Concern for the community at all levels
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Integrity of thought, speech, and action
for boys and girls above ten years of age.
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Openness to adopting the best models Ÿ
Transparency of standards and practices
Candor School campus is located at a prime location in Bangalore, spread over 25 acres, that includes a 6-acre organic farm to respect and honour farming, the primary occupation in India. The school has an Administrative, Kindergarten, Primary, Middle, and Secondary block that enables the school to communicate effectively and maintain the smooth functioning of day-to-day affairs.
Being an international campus, Candor School is also a WiFi-enabled campus, and its unique design is what makes the campus a complete one. For students who wish to study and live on the campus, the school provides boarding with top of the line facilities
Candor School campus consists of classrooms, a play and sports area, labs, libraries, music studios, dormitories, and a cafeteria. The school's infrastructure is curated and designed carefully to make it studentfriendly and age-appropriate.
The school offers a complete international program for its students, with Cambridge and IB being the academic curricula provided. Keeping the need for special attention to the students in mind, the school has a 1:6 Teacher-Student Ratio to give special attention to students' development.
Primary School (Pre-K – Grade 5) : Candor International School offers its students International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB-PYP).
Middle School (Grade 6-10): The curriculum for middle school is drawn under the Cambridge Syllabus. The Cambridge Lower Secondary Syllabus is followed from Grade 6 to 8, whereas for Grade 9 and 10, the syllabus followed is IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education).
High School (Grade 11&12): The IB or International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and The Cambridge CAIE AS and A levels are offered by the Candor International School.
The Candor International School is the brainchild of Dr. Suresh Reddy , who is the Founder and Chairperson of the school. Being an entrepreneur of a leading IT company in the United States and serving as a Director of the Small and Medium Enterprise Consortium, Dr. Suresh Reddy felt the need to provide quality international education facilities to young Indian students. He believes that the younger generation needs to be groomed in an internationally recognised education system for the development of community and environmental activism.
Dr. Suresh Reddy, an environmental activist, has been recognised by the Keisei University in South Korea to create an environment-friendly green school in 2017 and received an st honorary degree in 21 Century Building from the same university.
The vast syllabus of students has made it difficult to focus on the holistic development of students. There is not a single syllabus in the world that only focuses on theoretical knowledge. Even science has proved to us from time to time that things can be theoretically possible but might be very difficult to achieve in practice.
Candor International School has crafted the academic ecosystem from a well-curated syllabus in such a way that allows the students and teachers to find a perfect balance between theory and practical. The school has achieved that by engaging students in various activities based on real-life challenges and practical application of theoretical knowledge. One such initiative started at Candor International School is CAS – Creativity, Action, Service. The initiative encourages students to develop skills like critical thinking and hone their creative talents.
The school has understood the importance of arts and other activities that allows student to balance their academic challenges. Today, with
students' and teachers' collective efforts, the school has become a centre for Trinity Music, a certification exam that offers a performance-only alternative for various musicians. The school is also the official test centre for ACT exams, and over 15 exam slots with flexible timings are arranged according to the convenience of students.
Candor International School received offers from 250+ Universities with over $10 million in scholarships, and in addition to that, the school receives 100% placement every year and continues to do the same.
Career Guidance and Counselling Being a part of the international curriculum, the school understands the next all-important step for students in choosing their college. Therefore, the school grooms and prepares its students to recognise the students' potential and the fields that they can explore and have an excellent career in. The graduating students go through the College and Career Guidance Counsellor, who holds their hands in their search for colleges and universities both in India and abroad.
The counsellor appointed by the school is a resource person who caters to the students' niche space, needs, and requirements to help them with the complete process of admission to further studies - from college selection, admission, and funding processes as applicable.
Bridge U Platform : The school provides students with an Avant browser and application tool that helps them navigate their interests and shows results for best-fit universities. This unique platform helps them in the college counselling process by sending the transcripts, and other necessary documents to various universities and colleges the student apply for.
University Fairs : Candor International School is a globally recognised school, and over top of the line, 100 universities from all over the world visit the school to help students in their higher studies. During the University Fairs at Candor International, the students get to
experience course modules, explore scholarships, enhance the application process, etc., first-hand.
Counsellors : the school has appointed qualified Personal Counsellors who are trained and experienced in handling various issues such as environment and student mental health, and the counsellor is responsible for identifying the problem and providing
solutions. This is a student-oriented program where students get a chance to hone their skills academically, socially, and emotionally.
A Home Away from Home Growth lies beyond comfort, and for most youngsters, their comfort zone is often their home. For students' overall development and extensive growth, the school provides boarding facilities for
We are a community of dedicated and spirited learners, and we believe that every child can be nurtured to develop into a knowledgeable, caring, confident and responsible global citizen.
students from Grade 5, and it has a boarding capacity of around 200 students. Along with that, the school also gives a choice to students choose between regular full-time boarding or weekly boarding, where a student can go to their parents for the weekends.
With excellent hostel rooms and a special wing for dining, the school provides students with a home away from home with special rooms for entertainment purposes. In the academic year 2019-20, Education Today magazine ranked Candor International School at No. 7 under India's Top 20 Day-Cum-Boarding Schools.
The school recognises the importance of sports in students' life, and special training sessions for boarding students are arranged. Along with a 6-acre organic farm that the school takes pride in, it provides various sports facilities for its students. The sports facilities include a Synthetic Basketball court, Tennis Courts, Football fields, Cricket Pitch, half-size Olympic swimming pool, Archery arena, skating arena, Athletic track, and gymnasium. The facilities for indoor games like Throw Ball, Snooker, Air Hockey, Foosball, Carrom, Chess, Table Tennis tables, and play stations are immensely popular among the boarders.
Special Educational Needs program, which provides exceptional support to the needs of gifted students, and this program is a part of the school's Additional Learning Support. The school hires special educator who has a deep understanding of the student's unique learning needs, and they leave no stone unturned to enrich their learning experience.
•Candor International School has received multiple awards for its leadership in International Education, facilities, safety, and green infrastructure.
•Ranked #5 in India's Top 10 International Schools (2015)
•Ranked #1 in Leadership Management Quality (2015)
•Ranked #1 in Infrastructure Provision (2015)
•Ranked twice among the top three in Bengaluru's Top International Day Schools (2015 and 2017)
•Most Influential Brand in Education Award (2015-16)
•Ranked #1 in Safety and Hygiene (2016)
•Ranked among Bengaluru's top five International Day-CumBoarding Schools (2017-18)
•Ranked #5 Top International School in Bengaluru and #6 Top Residential School in Bengaluru (2018)
•Forbes Great Indian Schools (2018-19)
•India's Most Trusted International Residential School in the South Zone Region (2019-20)
•Awarded by 'Brainfeed' for the innovative approach in grooming young learners with skills for life. For being one of the top international schools, having the best infrastructure and technology, providing a healthy and serene atmosphere to ensure the happiness quotient index for the overall development in all children (2019-20)
•Excellence in Tech-Connect and Sports Infrastructure (2019-20)
•Outstanding Commitment and Exceptional Efforts in Promoting Curricular Education
•Ranked twice among the top three in Bengaluru's Top International Day Schools (2015 and 2017)
•Most Influential Brand in Education Award (2015-16)
•Candor International School ranked India's #9, Karnataka's #5, and Bengaluru's #5 International Day-cum-Boarding in the 'EducationWorld India School Rankings 2020-21'
•Candor International School is ranked No.7 in India, No.2 in Karnataka & Ranked No.2 in Bengaluru. Category- 'India`s Top 20 International Schools' in a survey conducted by education Today
•#4 in India | #1 in Karnataka & Bengaluru for Excellence In Blended Learning in the EducationWorld Grand Jury India School Rankings 2021-22.
•India's No. 1 for Academic Reputation ( Education Today 2020-21 )
•#5 in India | #2 in Karnataka & Bengaluru | Category- 'India's Top 20 Day-Cum-Boarding Schools' in a survey conducted by education Today
Education! a magic recipe that sprinkles knowledge, inculcates social discipline, and invigorates children with wisdom, has always been in the global spotlight. Understanding the significance of education in social development, Billimoria High School has sprouted the seeds of intellectual development while ushering in an era of childcentric education trend.
Spearheading this revolution is Ms. Aditi Goradia . As the Managing Director of the School, she leaves no stone unturned to revamp the 113 years
of school legacy and is the guiding light of the global education world.
Scouting the globe to know the efficient schools that made a mark in the education space, we crossed paths with Ms. Aditi and learned more about the inspiring story of the school.
Let's dive into Billimoria's inspiring story!
The Billimoria school, Owned and managed by the Goradia Family, was historically founded in 1908 by the
Late Mr. Nowroji Billimoria. Sitting atop the Sahayadri Hills in the peaceful town of Panchgani, this century-old heritage institute is the proud alma mater of many successful alumni. From Governors to writers, Corporate CEO's to DJs; from actors to Army Personnel, BHS has raised a diverse group of world citizens for the past 113 years!
While enlightening us about the school's innate methodology, Ms. Goradia asserts, "Our school's pedagogy is simple: keep things child-centric. For us, it is essential to
value every individual who learns with us. To encourage their individuality and independent thoughts. To raise healthy, confident global citizens." The school acknowledges the changing dynamics of education the world over, and is aware that children aspire to careers with their outright passion. The management believes that it is no more about the doctor-engineer-lawyer triad but beyond imagination and that the youth of today can make a successful career in any field. They can carve a niche for themselves doing what they love.
BHS strives for the children to realise their potential by providing a wholesome environment that facilitates all-round growth. The carefully curated curriculum is about much more than just academics. Learning at BHS includes a progressive Life Enrichment Program, which gives children a chance to explore a variety of activities in creative arts, specialised sports, information technology, and other life
skills. According to Ms. Goradia, this active approach encourages selfexpression, which is ably supported by a passionate and proficient team coming together.
With intentions to overhaul the monotony in the education system and revamping the legacy of the Billimoria High School, Ms. Aditi Goradia graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Anthropology and Asian Studies along with a certification from the UTeach program at the College of Education (UT Austin). An Alumna of Billimoria High School herself, she has been a youth athlete specialising in track & field and basketball.
While revisiting her intentions and methodology for advancement in education, she asserts, "Schools across the globe must center themselves around the needs of the
children, share ideas, and grow collectively." As she began her journey as a leader of the esteemed Billimoria High School, the school has stepped into the new, progressive age of experiential learning. She believes that learning is constant and universal, and it must always be a joyful process. She encourages collaboration, respect, and openness among the team and students at Billimoria High School.
Ms. Aditi Goradia's ceaseless, constant efforts and contribution to the education space have been acknowledged the world over. Below are some awards and accolades that she has received:
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Most Promising Influential Leader of 2019 -Silicon India Magazine
Ÿ Top Women Entrepreneurship Award in Education - World Education Summit 2019.
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Education Evangelist of IndiaGreat Place to Study (Forbes India) Ÿ Outstanding School Education Leader (Top 20 Women Educators Award) - ASMA Academia
She has also been a Panel Speaker at various Educational Conferences, including India Didac, World Education Summit, School Leadership Summit, APAC, and the Brainfeed Education Summit.
State-of-the-art Infrastructure at Billimoria
Billimoria High School sets a benchmark for residential schools in the country. With its 17-acre heritage campus, the British Era black stone Academic Buildings, the campus boasts sports fields and multiple cocurricular facilities.
Living Spaces : The airy dormitories provide the students with a sacred space where dorm mates become siblings. Together, triumphs are celebrated, and jokes are shared. Under the supervision of loving dorm parents, it is a home away from home. Here, the
children gain the life skills to become responsible, caring young men and women. And it is here that they make friends for life.
Audio-Visual Labs - The school supports alternative learning resources and believes in imparting holistic learning. Teachers personally create/curate digital lessons to enhance the learning experience of the children.
Laboratories - Apart from advanced Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Math labs, the school's computer lab is equipped with the latest systems, highly protected with firewalls, uninterrupted wi-fi connectivity, and powerful multimedia devices.
Library - One of the most expansive in the region, the school Library is a sanctuary of wisdom. It is spacious and airy - a place where children learn to love and respect the significance of words on paper.
Sports and Fitness - At BHS, sport is an integral part of the curriculum. The school has ample space, multiple
grounds, and excellent sports infrastructure. Students are given exposure to a variety of sports before being encouraged to pursue the specific sports of their choice.
Performing and Creative Arts - The school believes that art provides the perfect avenue for self-expression. Art inculcates confidence and self-love. With this in mind, the school has incorporated an extensive Performing and Creative Arts program that stays in effect throughout the year.
While speaking about the school's Character and Intent in extending its capabilities to ensure quality education through the years, Ms. Aditi explains, "Every child is different. Every child is unique."
Billimoria extends support to every child to help them realise their potential by providing a wholesome environment that facilitates all-around growth. The carefully curated curriculum hones learning in a progressive curriculum, which gives children a chance to explore concepts with the help of various activities such as creative arts, specialised sports, information technology, and other life skills. The school provides a nurturing space to encourage self-expression supported by a passionate and proficient student-centric team.
Billimoria High School recognises and enacts significant skills such as independence, self-confidence, compassion, and empathy. The management quotes, " Being a residential school, Billimoria High School offers experiences of life that are beyond academics lessons ." The school prioritises preparing students
for the world while simultaneously discovering their individual strengths and abilities. The school's Life Enrichment Program is one such initiative that plays a crucial role in helping students tap into their special interests and unique skill sets.
The school strives to create healthy future leaders by imparting strong values of ethics, courage, compassion, and proactivity. While speaking about leadership, Ms. Aditi says, "Successful leadership is the result of positive intent combined with hard work, openness, and collaboration. A position of leadership provides authority. A good leader will ensure that the responsibility and liability of the position are prioritised above recognition and power."
The Billimoria High School has a comprehensive Leadership program wherein they consolidate the spirit of true leadership.
The school has been affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Delhi, for the last three decades, and the team firmly believes in the Integrated Learning Outcome Based Curriculum, which is encouraged by the Board and NEP 2020.
Little Things, Big Difference Billimoria High School provides a well-developed nutrition plan that ensures optimum physical growth with a perfect blend of nutrition and flavour.
Ms. Aditi believes that food experience directly correlates to learning, for the brain and the body needs positive sustenance to function well. She says, "Let mealtimes be positive experiences because food tastes better when it is shared with family. Our children experience family as they share the table with their teachers."
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The School Leadership Forum of Captains & Prefects Ÿ The Debating Society Ÿ The School Magazine and Journalism Club
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The Interact Society (A Student Panel of Rotary International) Ÿ The Culture & Communications Team
Furthermore, when a student is injured or feels unwell, the Infirmary is where they go for some rest and recuperation. The school has a 24-hour on-call Doctor who visits daily and resident nurses who care for the little ones just as a mother would. In case of major injuries or emergencies, nearby medical facilities and specialists are available whenever required.
TThe formation of society has given the acceleration to the human race for development. Placing themselves in the context of a healthy lifestyle and making it an integral part of the system, education has been placed as the bridge between building a sustainable society.
Looking from a broader perspective, education is often seen as a phase of a person's life. Formal education is extremely important for a person's growth. Still, keeping the perspective on society, education is used as a tool that will help the system build a generation that would define the future.
The impact of education on a person's life is huge, it builds their character and personality, opens the door to employment opportunities, etc. Keeping the perspective of society in mind, the impact of education goes way deeper than the bracket of growth.
Let's explore in detail the impact of education on society:
Builds the Base of Democracy
"Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth."
- Abraham Lincoln
The system around the world is based on this quote given to the world by Abraham Lincoln. However, to develop a system of the people, by the people, and for the people, something has to connect with the people. This bracket of filling the space of connectivity is filled by education.
Education is not about the transfer of information, but one of its core factors also consists of equipping an individual to make a decision. This power of making a decision that would decide the future is given to the common people through education. People learn history, behaviour patterns, etc., with a collaboration on all this; education is used as a tool that helps society build the base of democracy.
Reducing Poverty
Statistically, more than 9.2 % of the people in the world live in poverty. Though the privileged class often ignore these millions of people, the government have taken initiatives to improve the condition of society.
Education not only helps the people to be specialised in one thing and also
teaches them how to make a living.
Education has been an effective factor in the rapid development of European thth countries in the 18 and 19 centuries. Helping many declining arcs showing countries to jump back from poverty. This is the impact education has on the uplifting of society.
After the second world war, every individual in the world was given rights on the basis of humanity. Though many countries brought these rights into action, spreading awareness about these rights is difficult. Education plays a crucial role in making the process easier and making every generation aware of these rights.
Fundamental rights like the right to live, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of thoughts, etc., are some of the many. Education over the years has become a gateway to spreading awareness about fundamental rights.
Improving Social Lifestyle People can now satisfy their cultural requirements with a better awareness of the industrialised world and a higher living standard. Going to the theatre, exhibitions, or concerts is enjoyable and enriches one's social life. Indeed, life is about more than just surviving, and education allows for a higher standard of living, more interpersonal understanding, and personal fulfilment through school, employment, and extracurricular activities.
th Modern life in the 20 century is all about lifestyle, and education is the reason behind it. With continuous improvement in making life easier and better, people are ready to satisfy all their needs and develop in this context.
To make a society geopolitically stable, education is required. Terrorists could exploit free education to radicalise individuals if there isn't a proper educational system available to everyone. In other words, one of education's most powerful effects on society is geopolitical stability.
When there is no formal education, the conflicts within a society increase. Though most of the ideologies revolve around the idea of freedom, if education is not perceived, then violence and crime are the tools used. With education, people get aware of their right to raise their voices and know the importance of a stable situation that puts society on the right track of growth.
One of the most profound benefits education has on a community is giving individuals hope that they may improve their situation in life. "Let us consider of education as the means of developing our greatest skills," urged John F. Kennedy, "because in every one of us there is a private hope and ambition that, if realised, may be converted into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation." JFK's statements regarding America are applicable to all societies on the planet.
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Tell me, and I forget, teach me, and I may remember, involve me, and I learn."
Benjamin FranklinHolding true to this quote from a distinguished polymath, Neuron Labs School , realises and enacts teaching with a fresh perspective, and predominantly through its dynamic philosophy of ' Learning by Doing'.
The Knowledge Review proudly shares the story of the school and its impeccable operations, as perceived through its visionary Co-Founder , Mrs. Lakshmi Santosh
To empower every learner with all the skills that she/he may need by kindling the natural instinct to learn and achieve.
Preschool / Play School catering to children in the Nursery, Lower KG & Upper KG sections. Since then Neuron Labs School has grown step by step over the years to become one of the best and most popular CBSE affiliated schools in the vicinity. Currently it has branches in Tingre Nagar and Dhanori, areas which is in Pune, Maharashtra. Neuron Labs School was established with an outright motto of 'Learning By Doing'. Mrs. Lakshmi Santosh explains the driving force of the institute as she points out, "When it comes to traditional education, a lot of focus is put on retention and repetition of information. This causes students to simply use rote-learning as a mechanism to pass exams and forget information as time goes by. In the pyramid of education, knowledge forms the base of the pyramid; hence there is a major emphasis given to it. However, above that, there is
Comprehension and Application, which are rarely focused on. Neuron Labs School prioritises skill development along with the deep understanding of concepts "
According to Mrs. Lakshmi, many of the concepts taught in traditional education do not have much practical application in the real world and are not implementable. Also, many of the skills required in the real world, like research, communication, and presentation, are missing in traditional education. Neuron Labs School acknowledges this niche and focuses on skill development, preparing students for the real world. The school assigns students various projects, making them do various presentations to improve their listening, communication, and presentation
skills. Mrs. Lakshmi asserts, "We believe that when students use practical examples of concepts and are involved in projects themselves, they figure out the root of the concept and learn it forever . "
The school believes that the concept of The Learning Pyramid validates this fact which shows that the retention of students from just listening to a lecture is far lower than the practical involvement by the student using 'Learning By Doing'. The school also believes in the co-integration of various subjects together, providing a holistic learning experience for the students.
Mrs. Lakshmi gives an example by mentioning a methodology initiated at the school, "For instance, we had
asked students to survey members of their society to see a correlation of diet and weight, which was a subject taught to them in science class. They then plotted the data they had gathered and made it into a graph which was taught to them in math class. By asking the students to speak to other people, it helped them overcome any shyness or fear of talking to strangers and developed their communication skills "
Driving Force of Neuron Labs Co-Founder of Neuron Labs School, Mrs. Lakshi Santosh, is a seasoned educator with a burning passion for advancements in education. She has contributed to setting up IB (International Baccalaureate ) schools and has interacted with many national and international students.
In her early years as an educator, Mrs. Lakshmi was influenced by the Montessori way of teaching younger children, which involved the use of physical objects to introduce math and counting concepts to younger children. She then began to develop a wholistic curriculum for students of all age groups, which inculcates the 'Learning by Doing' philosophy. She believes that co-curricular activities are an integral part of this philosophy and are also a part of the curriculum.
Learning by Doing Neuron Labs School includes two mental and two physical activities, from which students can
choose according to their preference.
Robotics is one such activity that helps students develop engineering, programming, mathematical, mechanical, and science skills at a young age. While performing arts or dance is used as a medium of expression to create an impact on the audience. It also improves their mobility, flexibility, and body coordination and is a form of exercise. Apart from other such activities, the school also conducts Abacus and Speed Writing to sharpen students with mental math, speed, and hand-eye co-ordination. While the school also teaches Karate, which develops strength, flexibility, and mobility.
While speaking about how the school overcame challenges presented post COVID-19 pandemic, she asserts, "Schools all over the world have had to transition from a physical model of education to an online one, and this was met with a lot of scepticism and fear as no one was prepared for this change. Neuron Labs School was quick to adapt with excellent use of technology, providing good quality teaching through the online medium and making students, parents, and staff embrace this new era of education."
The pandemic brought a lot of global economic problems, which impacted lots of people. The school proactively issued refunds to any parents who couldn't/ didn't want to continue and
When students have the skills and experience, the possibilities are endless.
provided parents who continued with fee relief. Despite the enormous economic drain the school had to face, it went ahead with this decision, keeping in mind the pandemic's financial crisis caused to various people. Neuron Labs School was one of the few schools to take such a decision and has been appreciated by all as a solid stance in the fight against covid.
As soon as the school understood that lockdowns would be imposed for long durations of time and that opening the physical school would be unlikely in the academic year, the focus shifted to providing the best platform for education online, which came in the
form of the Office 365 platform. One of the features of the Office 365 platform is Microsoft Teams. With Microsoft Teams, students could join live online classes from their mobiles/laptops. Since the sessions were conducted live, students were able to interact with the teachers and could ask questions or get their doubts solved. Teachers were also able to share either pre-made ppts or videos during the live classes to engage the student's attention and further increase
the quality of the live classes. If any student missed any class or wanted to revise a course previously taken, they were easily able to do so with Microsoft Stream.
In addition to the live classes, teachers at the school made pre-recorded videos and ppts of the syllabus topics to provide additional information and strengthen the concepts taught in the live classes. These videos were uploaded to OneDrive to provide full access to the students.
Students could be tested on the various syllabus topics or given homework in the Assignments Section, gauging the
Our purpose is to make a positive difference in every learner in our Universe by building an environment conducive for learning with an unwavering attitude that never gives up.
student's understanding of each and every topic, and providing them with practice when given as homework, or test them and push them to the next level in their educational journey. At Neuron Labs School, all FA and SA examinations for 2020-21 were conducted seamlessly with the Assignments feature.
With the Office 365 ID provided to students, they were also offered Office 365 Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. Students at the school were able to use these tools for various projects, assignments, and notes throughout the
year, greatly increasing their computer literacy and making them comfortable using these software.
With online learning, the Neuron Labs School had an opportunity to do some unique activities which were difficult to execute in a physical medium. 'Impressions and Interactions' was one such initiative undertaken by the school. Various people from different professions came to talk to students about their jobs, their importance, and the challenges they face in them. This exposed students to varied industry experiences and inspired many of them to think of different career paths like
While speaking about the school's outlook for the future, Mrs. Lakshmi says, "We believe the future of this country lies in the hands of our children. With the 'Learning by Doing' philosophy, we will continue to strive for advancements in teaching. By providing the student's a good education, making them develop skills, creating good human beings and great leaders of the future. The sky is the limit for our future Neuronites!"
In today's competitive age, it is essential that every student learns different concepts thoroughly. This would help them to enhance their skills, which would, in turn, transform them into able-bodied professionals. Accordingly, they intend to pursue their education in efficacious schools, which would nurture them, educate them thoroughly, and prepare them for the stiff competition of the professional world.
Here, the leading institutions such as Ramagya School come to their aid. The school trains the students thoroughly so that they can build a
bright future for themselves, while making a positive impact on the society and different industries.
Within a span of 15 years of its existence, Ramagya School has proved its mettle as an institute having the right amalgamation of knowledge and values for academics, escalation for cocurricular excellence, and attainment of brilliance in sports. It has been voted by TOI survey as one of the top 4 senior secondary schools in NCR and is also listed amongst the 30 great Indian schools by Forbes India magazine.
We educate students not just in mind but also in morals.
Ramagya School, affiliated with CBSE, is located in the heart of Noida, Sector – 50, within a sprawling campus area of more than 3 acres. The school's enviable scholastic and co-scholastic attainments are attributed to an eclectic mix of faculty having more than 15 years of academic teaching experience. As part of the management policies, teachers are regularly attending international and national seminars and conferences thus broadening their horizons of academic excellence both on national as well as international platforms.
Ramagya at a Glance
There are many salient features that which make Ramagya School the most sought-after place to pursue education. They are as follows:
Ÿ
CORE (Curriculum of Ramagyian Eminence) – Early Childhood Curriculum based on Australian and Finland teaching pedagogy
Ÿ Student-centric and adaptive teaching pedagogy based on CBSE curriculum
Ÿ Pedagogy facilitating flexi and blended learning Ÿ ‘No child left behind policy’ through differential learning with an ideal teacher-student ratio Ÿ
REFLECTION CORNER –Regulates actions, reactions and behaviour of students to promote social and emotional learning; helps in recalling and reinforcing the basic concepts
Ÿ Environmental sensitisation through TERI
Ÿ SPIC MACAY for Development of Creative skills – Dance, Music & Theatre
Ÿ Inspirational talks by the best TED speakers from across the globe Ÿ Up to 100% Scholarship for meritorious students
Ÿ Think of a number – Abacus and Vedic Math, enriching the retention power
Ÿ PBP (Psychological Boost Program) – Promoting positive mental health practices, counseling parent-student-school
Ÿ Sangeet 4 All – Music education program that instils a strong foundation and a lifelong love for classical Indian music Ÿ Raz Plus ‘Read program’ for language development
Litwits! Reading Program – The school reading program that develops linguistic skills through relevant and informative books and digital books, teacher support, and community engagement activity to improve the education of students and encourage reading both inside and outside of school.
Ÿ Word Wall
Ÿ Open doors
Ÿ Customised ‘flexi-learn technology’ at the secondary and senior secondary level
Ramagya School's mission is to establish a world-class centre of learning by delivering an educational experience that engages students intellectually, creatively, physically, spiritually, and socially to transcend all barriers and work in unison to bring about a positive change in society. The school has changed the pedagogy into practicum to continually improve the educational experience of learners. It has transformed classrooms into learning workshops and promotes co-teaching practices. Blended learning is implemented - innovative strategies and modern learning technologies that help integrate cognitive and social skills with content knowledge as well as increase student participation in the learning environment in order to promote skills.
Ÿ
Continuous Professional Development by Quality Education Asia
Ÿ
Enhancing analytically and preparing the students for the future competitive exam through NSTSE, IMO, NSO, IEO, SOF, ASSET and ACER
The curriculum followed at Ramagya can boast of its global lineage with wide-ranging core subjects, students, and teacher’s exchange programme for global exposure. It has an ideal student-teacher ratio of 25:1. Ramagya is one of the trendsetting schools in India due to its contemporary teaching pedagogies which incorporate best practices of:
Ÿ Maria Montessori
Ÿ Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence
Ÿ
Well qualified, trained, experienced and UCLA certified teachers
Ÿ Montessori Learning Corridors Ÿ Reflective Corners
We offer an international platform with a technology, modern pedagogy, culture, and innovation.
The management believes that collaboration and a collective approach are the need of the hour. Hence, the school provides its students with various opportunities to engage in activities like projects, problems, design, and research-based learning. This allows students to contribute different degrees of prior knowledge, abilities, and aptitudes. Moreover, they feel inspired and take up more challenges in the learning process.
The personality responsible for the tremendous success of Ramagya School is its Principal Ms. Aparna Magee , She is a highly accomplished and dedicated educationist with experience spanning over 28 years.
Recently, she has been honoured with the Principal of the year award by Global Gurus and Chinmay Foundation. Ms. Aparna is a proud recipient of the 'Distinguished Teacher Award – SAMMAAN 2018' conferred by the Rotary Club of Capital City New Delhi for her exemplary
commitment and contribution to the teaching profession and her research topics of several National Academic Interests.
She has also been honoured with the 'Certificate of Excellence – Leaders Award 2018' by Education Today and 'Certificate of Appreciation 2018' by Academic Heights Public School for making a difference in the field of education and society through her leadership, hard work and contribution.
Ms. Aparna has worked in various capacities as Director, Principal, Academic Advisor, Administrator, Master Trainer in Convents and reputed Schools across India.
Ramagya School is known for its dedication to nurturing the students and providing them with the best educational and career development opportunities. Owing to its dedication and innovative efforts, it has been decorated with many laurels.
The management at Ramagya School believes that the true sign of learning is not knowledge but imagination. Each child is unique; hence the school focuses on the holistic development of the students. Students are taught life skills to meet the challenges of everyday life in a healthy, acceptable, and responsible way. They are taught core subjects for a strong foundation. Additionally, their competence is also developed in problem-solving, decision making, and many more skills. "Marks are not our only criterion to judge students. Our curriculum sensitizes students towards global problems like stress, scarcity of food, rise in crimes, depression, terrorism, and their solutions," expresses the management. Students are taught the 6 Ps: Plan, Practice, Perform, Patience, Presence of Mind, and Positive Thinking. They are advised to avoid one P: Panic.
The school educates students not just in mind but also in morals. The management believes that in today's
We believe in collaboration and collective approach for better academic outcomes.
world where corruption, violence, and unrest have become so prevalent, the schools have an added responsibility to ensure that value education as a subject is taken seriously. It should be included in the curriculum to produce not just educated but also responsible citizens with insightful minds who believe in giving back to the society.
The management states, "Our educators approach the teaching-learning process to address the whole ambit of education-skills acquisition, cognitive development, capacity building, character formation, mental and emotional wellbeing along with spiritual orientation."
Ramagya School has tie-ups with various institutions such as Univariety, The Princeton Review, The Chopras, and Studies Overseas Global. This provides umpteen opportunities to students through access to free academic counselling and offers innovative and interesting programs which help them in choosing the best career for themselves.
•Ranked Top 5 the Best School in Noida By Class Fever
•Ranked Top 20 CBSE schools in Uttar Pradesh by Times Education icons
•Ranked Top 10 in school (2017) by Education world
•Ranked No.1 in India under the top CBSE school – parameter wise for 'Individual' Attention to Students' in a survey conducted by educationtoday.co
•Awarded for extraordinary contribution in educationConferred by CM (UP) Mr. Yogi Adityanath and Chairman of Zee News, Ms. Subhash Chandra.
•Awarded as the 'Reformers of Indian Education' by India Today Conclave.
•Awarded as 'Best Quality Education School in North India' by India's Education Excellence Awards
•Awarded in Global Collaborative Learning by Think Unique Leadership Awards 2018 - Education and Skill India Summit 2018
•Awarded as 'Best School in category of Excellence in Inclusive Education' by IUEF
•Awarded as 'Icon of Indigenous Excellence' by Economic Times 2018
HHumans have made massive changes by transforming the world from the stone age to the technological era. Primitive human used to stay in jungles and hunt animals for their survival. But, as time changed, they learned about farming and cattle raising for their survival.
Today, humans have learned more innovative and advanced technology to do the same activities and live a luxurious lifestyle.
Humans educate themselves and their newer generation to adopt and make more technological changes for the ease life. Education also plays an essential role in human development. Without education, humans couldn't have made such significant changes in the world. Education is the key to every creation and innovation.
In the modern scenario of education, many advanced resources are introduced every now and then. The Edtech companies such as BYJUS, Vedantu, Unacademy and many more organizations made education more accessible for the students.
The education sector is in the hearts of the Indian People. However, the field is a bit unusual for the aspirants,
especially from the K-12 level. On this level, the person buying the services is not the same person to use their services, which means the parents are the service buyers and the children are the users. Which also means that the organization is catering their services to these two groups, and it might be having different demands from the education sector.
India has massive potential in education sector, and many entrepreneurs are grabbing the opportunities and making education more accessible for the students. Even the Indian government is encouraging aspirants who can develop the education sector, and organizations like BYJUS, Vedantu, and many more to meet all the needs of the students through various digital learning experiences.
India is in the top three countries globally after China and USA to get the utmost venture capitals funding in the Ed-tech sector. Similarly, we will discuss the few factors that are helping the Indian education sector to upscale the quality of their education.
Have you observed that many schools, colleges, and universities have established in India in the recent past? Since the education sector started using artificial intelligence and online learning in the schools, many aspirants are coming up with new ideas in the Indian market and making learning easy and exciting.
Apart from schools, colleges, and universities, more than 6950 Edtech start-ups are operating in the country,
according to the Tracxn, which is a platform to track the start-ups and companies. These organizations leverage the technology to offer intelligent classroom solutions, collaborative platforms, learning management systems, and video graphics for the students.
Online education has been a trendier thing worldwide since Covid-19 has hit the world. Many institutions provide online distance learning; for instance, international institutes conduct online lectures and deliver online content to international students.
The course fees for the term have been reduced in digital education because colleges and Edtech companies conduct online classes without using the school property.
The Indian government is also promoting the E-learning concept to develop the country's education sector. They are also making various policies such as SWAYAM Programme and DIKSHA to encourage the new initiatives in the industry. SWAYAM is a programme designed to meet the three primary principles of education policy, i.e., Quality, Equity, and Access.
Whereas DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) is an initiative of the NCERT (National Council for Education Research and Training) and Ministry of Education. It is a national platform for school education that can be accessible to students and teachers across the nation. It also supports more than 18 languages and different curricula of NCERT, CBSE, and SCERTs all over India.
The Indian government motivates the higher educational institutes to adopt online education methods and ensures that the sessions should not be interrupted.
Increasing the Internet Userbase
Since the pandemic hit the world, there has been a significant increase in internet users. As per 2021 reports, there were 624 million active internet users in India, which has increased to 658 million in 2022.
The figure encourages the young entrepreneurs to come up with more solutions and establish start-ups in the Edtech sector. Many aspirants have started providing online tuition for school students and online classes for the competitive exam aspirants.
Due to technological advancement, there are ample opportunities for students to learn new aspects and entrepreneurs and business icons to start their ventures in the sector.
The education sector has been expanding vastly, given to public gathering restrictions since the pandemic had hit the world.
Due to this scenario, students started facing many difficulties while learning; as we know, the home can't be the effective place for learning.
Accordingly, the education sector is adopting AI systems and technologically advanced learning systems, which help students gather more transparent information about the concepts and visual graphics in their minds. Every school and the Ed-tech companies focus on providing the best quality education to their students.
Every popular city in India has a few schools that have a special place in the hearts of both students and parents for the effectiveness it provides in the overall development of the youngsters. Those schools are often not new but have been established a long time ago. Since their inception, such schools have been making constant progress in their academic eco-system and other facilities that they provide.
One such school located in Chandigarh; the capital city of Punjab is St. John’s High School . It was established in 1959 by the Capital Project, and the Christian Brothers were invited to take charge of the school. The school opened on
February 1, 1960, with its first batch consisting of 41 students.
Today, St. John’s High School provides more than just formal education from Kinder Garten to Class 12. Before switching to CBSE in 1993, the school was affiliated with the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination. The first batch to appear for the ISC examinations was in December 1963.
Mrs Kavita Chatterjee Das took charge of the school as Principal in April 2007. Under her able guidance, the school has improved its ranking and made a place for itself among the top schools in India. Under her supervision, CCE was introduced, and later the school went on to become a Senior Secondary School. As of today,
the school is responsible for educating over 2000 students at a time, which is a huge achievement considering its first batch had only 41 students in the year 1961.
The best part about St. John’s High School’s infrastructure is that it is 100 % solar-energised. The school is spread over an area of 30 acres with the perfect infrastructure for the overall growth of its students. The campus houses three major academic buildings, namely - the Junior Wing for Primary students, the Middle Wind for Upper Primary students and the Senior Wing for High School students.
For students to get an actual laboratory experience, the schools also built various labs for Chemistry, Biology,
Physics, Computer, Mathematics. A Special lab for Multi-Skill Foundation Course and a Geology Museum is also present to help students explore different vocational fields. This provides the young, growing minds with a perfect space to grow and be practically ready for the future, even before pursuing higher education.
Apart from the classrooms and labs, St. John’s High School has also provided its students with excellent sports facilities on its campus such as an International Standard Skating rink, Pistol Range, Science Park, Open Gymnasium, Indoor Gymnasium, Adventure Park, two Basketball Courts, two Cricket Fields, three Football Fields, Squash Courts, a Hockey Field, two Lawn Tennis Courts, a Volleyball court and a KhoKho area for the overall growth of its student.
The school has embedded four core values as its foundation, and those values act as a stepping stone for the school’s vision and mission. Also known as the four cornerstones of St. John’s, the school's core values are Spirituality, Inclusion, Justice and Advocacy, and Compassion.
The school is on a mission with a vision task to bring out the best in every individual, along with helping them in recognising their dignity. The school aims to form a community of students, teachers, parents, management, and other staff, living by the precepts and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Prioritising RTE- Right to Education
St. John’s is relentlessly working towards the holistic development of children. It has created an environment on its campus that stimulates and encourages students to develop important life skills like critical thinking. The school has planned its education policies based on the National Education Policy introduced in 2020. However, the school had already embedded a majority of the policies in its eco-system, like Sustainable Development Goals, even before the introduction of the NEP.
The school is generating a lot of educational material for children to enhance their Critical and Creative Thinking and reasoning based skills in the languages, Sciences and Mathematics.
St. John’s High School believes in providing education to every student. That is why for the last 25 years, the school has been actively incorporating Indradhanush Children—children under the Economically Disadvantaged Group (EDG)—as equal shareholders in the school, which allows them to enjoy all the rights and privileges as a member of St. John’s family.
The schools have also started a Foster Parent Programme, a unique initiative that helps establish a good rapport between teachers and students. Under this program, every teacher adopts three EDG students as their children in school and looks after their overall performance.
An Ingenious Leader
"I see children as a blank canvas; unique beings, ready to explore the different facets of the world. I, as a teacher, have merely mediated in the learning process of my children as a facilitator, and helped them to explore the unbound potential hidden in each one of them so that they are able to
St. John High School has gained a prestigious status not only because of its education facilities but also because of its extracurricular and co-curricular activities.
paint the canvas of their lives thoughtfully and ultimately reach a level of self-actualization," says Mrs Kavita Chatterjee Das.
Being the Principal of the school, she is responsible for taking St. John’s High School to new heights. Shedding some light on her teaching style, she says, "The purpose of my existence is rooted in my spiritual journey of teaching and learning. I believe a teacher is a facilitator who nurtures the talents and inherent skills of the children by providing them with the right kind of environment. I draw from the educational philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore."
St. John’s High School organises activities like Unique May Day Celebrations, Class Canteens, and community involvement activities. Every class from KG to 12th is
Mrs. Kavita Chatterjee Das
Principal, St. John's
High Schoolassociated with one organisation that helps in the growth of the community. E.g. Class 1 will be associated with an animal adoption program, whereas Class 10 will collaborate with GRIID (Government Rehabilitation Institute for the Intelectually Disabled) and Class 12 with the Transgender community, to make society a better place.
Apart from that, despite being an all-boys school, St. John’s High School was one of the first schools to support the cause of girl children. In fact, the theme when celebrating the school’s golden jubilee was ‘Empower the Girl Child’.
The school arranges activities throughout the year like club activities, Just Fair – a free fair organised for special guests and students from NGOs, A Fistful of Rice – donating food for the needy, Sports Academies, an Annual Athletic Meet, SJOBA Debates, etc.
Once a Johnian, Always a Johnian St. John High School prepares its students for a bright future, and the students’ relation with the school stays intact even after they pass out from the school. The school prepares its pupils for the future by adding industry experience to its curriculum. Special guest lectures, field trips, mentoring programs, internships, and vocational training are arranged for the students so that they can get real-time experience to help them get an edge over the competition in the future.
For the last 25 years (well before the RTE was even conceived), the school has been actively incorporating EDG Children, as they are very much a part of the school and are given every right and privilege they deserve as members of the St. John’s family.
Frontline Warriors in Educational Sector During COVID-19 Pandemic One of the most devastating effects of COVID-19 was on the education space
St. John’s is relentlessly working towards the holistic development of children.
across the world. The closing of schools and colleges worldwide restricted the development and growth of young minds. However, St. John’s High school courageously took up this opportunity to grow and become frontline warriors in the education space. It ensured that even the EWS children were able to join the Online classes thanks to its alumni who gifted the school with enough mobiles to ensure that every child could attend class online.
Launching various programs like उ ान , जाग कता , आशीवा द , आनंद , सं ह , that focused on spreading awareness through various mediums, providing rations to the needy and helping people who had lost their jobs during the pandemic with placements.
The school initiated a program with teachers and students to spread happiness by reaching out and taking care of the senior citizens and others.
A Multi-Skill Foundation Course was launched for children on online and offline platforms, which focused on developing essential life skills like learning, carpentry, cooking, etc. On the eve of Christmas, the students donate food grains to the needy under the traditional Johnians program, A Fist Full of Rice.
Continuing the Miracle Saga '2021 has been a year of never-ending miracles,' said the principal, scanning the year and looking forward to the future of the school. 'An extraordinary year with the steepest learning curve I
have ever seen! We leapfrogged from reluctant traditionalists dragging our feet, straight into a set of professionally competent, digital avant gardes' added Mrs Kavita Chatterjee Das.
Being a teacher and principal, she emphasised learning by saying, 'We learnt that the human spirit is indomitable and that we are better than we think we are. We learnt that "impossible" is just a word. And, most of all, we learnt that compassion, kindness, and sacrifice are written into our very DNA'.
With these words, she focuses on continuing the miracle saga that started in 2021.
•1st prize in SWACHH SCHOOL under SWACHH SURVEKSHAN 2022.
•Ranked among the top 10 overall national schools by KVSInfo.
•Solar School Award by the UT administration’s Technology Promotion Society (2021).
•TOP 3 Best CBSE schools in Chandigarh by the ThreeBestRated organisation (2021).
•Recognized and awarded as an Earth Day school, ONE of the six in the country by earthday.org (2020-21).
•Ranked no. 1 in India by the Education World School Rankings in 2020.
•Award of Appreciation from the Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights for the KINDNESS TREE for being a child-friendly initiative.
•St. John’s was declared the top school in India in the Boys Day school category by the Education World Rankings 2020.
•Ranked 2nd in the country under the Boys Day School category by the EW India School Rankings for three consecutive years (2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20).
•St. John's bagged the TOP School award (2nd in India, 1st in Punjab and Chandigarh) presented by the Education World India School Rankings, 2019-20.
•St. John’s was awarded a Platinum rating under the School Health Accreditation Project of the Education Department, Deptt. of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGIMER Chandigarh.
Education! The word itself gives us the liberty to imagine something beautiful and essential for the community's growth. Being such a noble profession of shaping the beautiful lives of people, teachers are responsible for imbibing the qualities that will help the younger generation lead a fulfilling life.
The world is structured in a very organised way. From the finances, lifestyle to profession and creativity, education sets the bedrock for everything for the youth. As Dr. Ivan Fitzwater, a prominent educator in his poem narrates, "…Several future presidents are learning from me todaySo are the great writers of the next decades, And so are the so-called ordinary people
Who make the decisions in a democracy..."
It tells us the importance of education and teacher in one's life.
Unlike the specialised education that caters specific niche of the learning curve in a student's life, the early formal education is responsible for developing important values like punctuality, honesty, creativity, kindness, independence, empathy,
trust, humour, and tolerance. These values add meaning to life and bring the required discipline that paves the way for the holistic development of the younger generation.
With a vision to imbibe these qualities in the younger generation, Unique Public School was incepted in 2016, the hardwork of the Managemnet, Principal, Staff and the Students took the school to new heights and created a strong foothold of quality education in the Queen of Hills Ooty, The Nilgiris.
Eminent Academicians Dream of Creating a Unique School
Unique Public School is a residential and co-educational school with a tradition of providing quality education
to residents of Ooty. Being an autonomous institution run under the aegis of trust MOISO (Member of International School Ooty), the school holds eminent academicians in its governing body that enriches the learning experience at the school.
The school has established global quality education standards rooted in traditional values and culture, with a perspective of holistic development. Well qualified and dedicated Teachers were the root for the success of Unique. Their Commitment and love for each and every students were remarkable. Special programs to bridge the Fast learners and slow bloomers was a successful one which is a need of the hour. Unique Public School also
Her sheer confidence in Demonstration and Distributive Leadership has helped students and teachers develop interesting personalities. As a new management committee, she had an additional responsibility to create brand awareness about the school and enhance the declining education quality. Special emphasis was given in the quality of Education and in Extra Curricular Activities to help children develop an Holistic approach to face the Global Challenges . Further , with the use of Technologies and new methodologies she maintained the consistency which took the school to new heights of laurels in Ooty.
has a unique campus with a beautiful ambience, set amidst the beauty of nature that adds to the enhancement of education facilities at the school. The school has a beautiful Football pitch, Cricket Nets for practicing, Basketball Court, Indoor Table Tennis Court, Science laboratories, Maths Lab, smart classrooms, and a homely residential block for the residential students.
Mission : The school is on a mission to impart an education not restricted to formal schooling only. The school aims to empower an individual to be achievers through experience. The school inspires, educates, challenges, and supports the students to reach their highest learning and personal development level.
Vision : To materialise the dreams of blossoming minds of the young generation with innate zeal for learning and explore the joy of learning in a holistic environment. Unique Public School has envisaged a system that
aims at a multifaceted development of the child's physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual personality by nurturing their unexplored potential and encouraging liberty to be creative, expressive, and free.
Wings that took UPS to New Heights
The person that is to be credited for taking the school to new heights is the Principal of Unique Public School, Mrs. Gayathri Raman . She has a rich experience of 23 years as an eminent educator. Accumulating an incredible team with the backing of the Management committee Dr. K. R. Rangaraj, Mr. R. Ravi Rao and Mr. J. Nandeeshwaran , Mrs. Gayathri, with her innovative and creative ideas, has given wings to the school. Understanding and catering to the special needs of the school, it was her dedication that boosted admissions in the school. Under the guidance of the eminent academicians and her Leadership, the school has increased immensely in its strength which went up from 90 in 2016 to 640 students in 2022.
Due to her dedication, persistence, and effective leadership, the school was upgraded to Higher Secondary School in 2018. Mrs. Gayathri Raman has also introduced the idea of carnivals, which was a great success to pull admissions. Along with that, she has started various initiatives to discipline the students.
Our endeavour is to impart education that goes beyond the formal schooling and empowers individuals to be achievers in their chosen fields through experience.
Moreover, she also recognises the need to understand safety for the younger generation; that is why she has introduced lessons to ensure safety at the school, especially for girl children. Moreover, she has won awards which include the Best Teacher Award, Best Principal Award, Best National Builder Award in 2019, National Leadership Award from School Stars in 2020, and Best Principal Award in 2021 and 2022. Under her Guidance the school has received National award for promoting Co-Curricular activities in 2020, Best School Award for 100 % results in Board Examination for Consecutive 6 years, Best School of the Year Award in 2022 from Asian Education Awards.
Exploring the Joy of Learning Unique Public School is really unique because it adds that fun element to the learning process that makes it joyous. It also gives the students liberty to explore learning through various curricular and extra-curricular activities. Emphasising of the learning endeavour that encourages engagement
Principal, Public Schoolat the school, Mrs. Gayathri says, "We celebrate all the days without fail with a concept, and this has not stopped for nearly 6 years. As a part of our extracurricular activities, we have Karate, Yoga, singing, instrumental and Dance. These Extra-curricular activities are given to all free of cost within the fees. All the students participate in all the activities from Grade 1 to Grade 5, and then in Grade 6, they take the privilege of showing their interest in what they are passionate about. Then they are given special training according to their interest."
"As a part of the Co-Curricular activities, we have various clubs like Go Green Club, Mothers Club, Adore Club, Literary Club, Interact Club, Sports Club, Abdul Kalam Club, and Ramanujam Club. Students can choose two clubs according to their interests
and participate in the events. As our school is placed in a beautiful Place, children can easily meagre with the nature and happily participate in all the events. We give special emphasis on sports; we have a beautiful football ground which is the talk of the town. Our Cricket nets attract our students. We do have a table tennis court and basketball court. We do have good district level players. All students in our school know to play chess and solve cubes. We don't restrict children from playing; the chess boards are available all time during the break and lunch. This has attracted the students where they don't spend time in other activities," she adds.
Unique Public School's Unique Values and Learning Objective
Unique Public School is a community for effective teaching and learning;
Mrs. Gayathri Raman
Unique
UPS seeks to develop self-esteem and pleasure in learning through a stimulating, supportive and happy environment that provides all members with opportunities to achieve their potential in the intellectual, physical, moral and social domains.
they see to develop self-esteem and derive pleasure in learning through a stimulating, supportive and happy environment. The school being set in calm and scenic nature, the school values grooming students in a happy environment, which will help all the school members reach their potential in intellect, physique, morality, and social domains.
Highlighting some of the major values of the school, Mrs. Gayathri explains, "UPS recognises the importance of communication. We encourage and support effective communication between all members of the school community. We use positive behaviour management, model good behaviour, use a reward system, use sanctions sparingly, support each other and are kind and polite."
Moreover, the school's main learning objective is to give liberty to students to explore the joy of learning. Explaining some of the highlights of the learning objective Mrs. Gayathri says, "The Learning outcome is always Child Centred on learning. We personally believe that learning should be fun and not a burden. We prioritise strengthening the children in the basics of all the subjects, communication skills, interpersonal skills, intrapersonal skills, and soft skills. We feel that developing a child into a good citizen is the first thing that should be given priority. They should be ready to face all the challenges that this world gives them."
Modern technology was flourishing in the education sector for a while when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the education sector hard. Though the need of educating the younger generation was held on high priority, the Unique Public School effectively adapted to
modern technology to keep the process ongoing. Moreover, the head of the institute's experience with an online company made the process sophisticated and sorted for the school.
Explaining how the process digital transition process evolved at the school, Mrs. Gayathri explains, " We initially started with the WhatsApp classes and then slowly went on with Zoom, Google Meet, Google Classroom, and Microsoft Teams, but in all these aspects, we were very particular about the safety measures for our students both physically and mentally. Our sessions were worked such that there were only 2 to 3 sessions and a break between the sessions. The students were taught eye exercises which they had to do after each session. We made the parents to participate in all the activities online so that they took the responsibility of monitoring the child."
"Once the session is over every day, we informed the parents about taking the phone, and we freeze the group so that there is no need for the child to have the mobile. In the evening, the teachers would come for one hour to help with the reviews and homework. We had special counselling sessions for all the
children where they were briefed about the safety measures to be followed while using social media. They were given numbers where they could complain if they face any issues while being online. This made them feel that they had someone to safeguard them. Soon the children adapted to our system, and handling them online was easy, and we did not face any big issues as such. Now when the offline classes have been started, we could see a big change in both the students and the teachers where they have bounced back very strong technically," Mrs. Gayathri adds.
Envisioning the future of the school, Mrs. Gayathri shares, "We personally believe that from now for five years, Unique will have its special place among the students and the parents. Unique will be Unique in shaping the students and transforming them into the right citizen with values who will, in turn, contribute to society. Rather than just making them get their certificate, we will place ourselves as a school imparting the skill-based learning according to the interest of each and every child."
