It was with great excitement that I read the recently released rankings of Indian schools. Having been part of a organization that listed and ranked employers across the country, I am a bit sceptical of such exercises. On the one hand, publishing such lists does encourage healthy competition and an improvement in standards. On the other, to find themselves in such lists, participants sometimes adopt not so desirable behaviour. Besides, no study can claim to be so comprehensive as to cover all factors that make for the definition of "the best".
As a mother, I have suffered a lot of angst with regards to present day schooling in India and Chennai, in particular. Torn as we were between what can be called a "real education" and the need to excel academically (the truth appears to be that they have some difficulty co-existing!), any assessment of what makes for a good school was a challenge. And, everything considered, we were left with a few schools to choose from and the applicants seemed far too many.
With these apprehensions and experiences, I went on to study the list in some detail. I am no expert on matters concerning education and my observations are merely as a lay person.
1) A good number of the schools that are in the Top 10 of Day Schools list have existed only for the last 20 years or so. Five schools in the Top 10 boarding schools are new schools in comparison with the others on that list. So, does that mean the Padma Seshadris and the DPS's of the world have lost the plot?
2) Although we have hubs for school education like Dehradun and some small towns like Jamshedpur and Vellore have fabulous schools, all the top 10 Day Schools are large city schools. So, what happens to our town and village folks?
2) Although we have hubs for school education like Dehradun and some small towns like Jamshedpur and Vellore have fabulous schools, all the top 10 Day Schools are large city schools. So, what happens to our town and village folks?
3) All schools in the three Top 10 lists are privately managed - there is no public or government school in the list. In fact, if you go through the city lists, you can identify one Kendriya Vidyalaya and a couple of government schools in Chandigarh. How is the government going to get its act in order, given its onerous responsibility?
4) A good number of schools in the Top 10 Day Schools list are considered to provide an "alternate" education - which in the Indian context means, a schooling that is not focussed on preparing you for the competitive medical or engineering entrance exams. What do we want from an education? Are our expectations changing?
5) Boarding schools and international schools would naturally fall under this label but it is important to note that a majority of schools in these lists would be considered "elitist" - catering to only a few. So, is good education for everyone? Or, only for a few?
6) The fact that we have list for International Schools is worth noting - and, a majority of them have come up in the last 10 years - a sign of growing globalization. Watch this space.......I am sure there will be a lot happening here.
And, as I go through the lists I am thinking of all the people that I know who studied in schools on these lists and feel proud to have crossed paths or made friends with them.....and, I am most happy to find Rishi Valley School at the top!
For more details on the lists, go to http://www.educationworldonline.net/index.php/page-article-choice-more-id-3320
And, as I go through the lists I am thinking of all the people that I know who studied in schools on these lists and feel proud to have crossed paths or made friends with them.....and, I am most happy to find Rishi Valley School at the top!
For more details on the lists, go to http://www.educationworldonline.net/index.php/page-article-choice-more-id-3320
