Begum Anees Khan
Chairperson, NASR Education Society, Hyderabad
Where would you place education on your national list of priorities?
I would place education after food and shelter on my list.
How best to upgrade government schools?
Retaining qualified and experienced teachers after giving them thorough training with strict accountability.
Thinker/philosopher you admire the most.
Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon Him).
Your favourite Nobel laureate.
Mother Teresa
Your leadership style.
To be considerate and empathetic to the needs of the people reporting to me and also towards my students.
Your favourite book on education.
Can you Teach a Zebra some Algebra? by Debashis Chatterjee.
For or against the RTE Act’s 25 percent reservation for underprivileged children in private schools?
In favour if there is vacant capacity in private schools. I already educate underprivileged children in a literacy centre for young girls. Besides, I provide free education to children of my non-teaching staff.
Should the education outlay be doubled by cutting defence expenditure?
No. Defence of the country is equally important. However, education outlay misuse, rather than adequacy of funding, is the big problem.
How satisfied are you with the growth and development of the NASR Group of Schools?
I am quite satisfied. In particular, I’m proud of our own NTT — NASR Teaching Technology — for teachers.
Pessimistic or optimistic about the future of education in India?
Very optimistic. I see great development, especially in education of the girl child. But although much has been done, much also is left to be done.