Congratulations for your 12th anniversary issue (EW November). EW is the only magazine I read in the education category.
Re your education news report ‘Sky-high hopes’ filed from Delhi, the world’s cheapest tablet computer —Aakash — is mainly for students. It speaks of the brilliance of the Indian brain now well recognised worldwide.
But only a small percentage of the Indian population uses the internet, with the metros being the possible excep-tion. Even in big urban agglomerations, there is very low penetration because people cannot afford internet rentals. Therefore in schools and colleges, especially in small towns and villages, free connectivity for students is vital. Public sector enterprises such as MTNL and BSNL must provide internet connections at nominal charges and at the highest download speed.
Unfortunately, it is reliably learnt that internet usage is unofficially blocked/minimised by MTNL on its unlimited download plan. Once a user crosses an unspecified download limit arbitrarily fixed, the computer shows limited internet available, thus discouraging use of the internet.
Mahesh Kapasi on e-mail
Job well done
Thank you for profiling Indus International School, Pune in the institution profile section of your 12th anniversary issue. It was done comprehensively, with clarity and precision.
I look forward to a long and healthy association with EW.
Shouquot Hussain
Principal, Indus International School
Pune
Commendable focus
On your 12th anniversary, I would like to congratulate EducationWorld on its continuous effort to present well-researched reporting on new and sust-ained initiatives in quality education in India. In particular, your focus on early childhood education (ECE), which will make people more aware of its importance, is commendable.
Re your cover story ‘India’s Most Admired Preschools’ (EW October), we were enthused to learn that Globe Toters — our first franchisee preschool — is the second most admired preschool in Hyderabad in the EducationWorld-C fore league table. This ranking reinforces our belief that responsible and fair reporting does exist.
We would also like to draw your attention to our Mumbai (Andheri-Lokhandwala) preschool. It offers a dynamic learning environment and quality care and learning, of which we are equally proud.
Monisha Singh Diwan
Head-Academics (Preschool and Primary Years), Birla Edutech Ltd
Mumbai
Bachpan assurance
Thank you for the news that Bachpan Play School, Rd. No. 2, Banjara Hills, has been ranked No. 4 in Hyderabad in the EducationWorld-C fore India’s Most Admired Preschools Survey 2011 (EW October). We believe in nurturing the social and emotional stability of children and work towards their progressive development.
I appreciate your team’s efforts in conducting the survey across six cities and assure you that in the coming years, we will continue to do our best to brighten the bachpan of our future generations.
Afroz Jahan, Headmistress
Bachpan Play School, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad
Beautiful presentation
Thank you for rating Step by Step, Panchsheel, the second most admired preschool in Delhi (EW October). It is indeed an honour for us to be featured in your magazine, especially since we have retained our second position this year.
Congratulations also, for the well written and beautifully presented writeup on India’s most admired preschools.
Looking forward to having you with us and wishing you all the best on your 12th anniversary.
Ramani Chopra
Principal, Step by Step Nursery School
Panchsheel Park, New Delhi
Preschool survey queries
I recently came across your cover story ‘India’s Most Admired Pre-schools’ (EW October). I agree with the parameters used but am not sure whether the survey is comprehensive enough.
Since the league tables were for 2011, I am curious to know (i) when did this survey happen? (ii) who conducted it? (iii) did any surveyors visit Glendale Edufun?
There are a couple of schools included in the list which were launched during this academic year i.e in June 2011. My question is how within the first academic term can you conclude that they are among the sought after schools? It is very important to present the right and clear picture as it can mislead young parents looking for the right preschool for their wards.
Looking forward to some clarification on the subject.
Supriya Rao
Head, Glendale Edufun, Hyderabad
The methodology of the survey conducted by the Delhi-based market research agency C fore is elaborately detailed on p. 39 of our cover story. Please read it — Editor
Intemperate criticism
In your editorial ‘The agnosticism of the Supreme Court’ (EW October) you suggest that the Supreme Court should have itself tried the case relating to the riots of 2002 against the Gujarat chief minister and others.
Not only is there no provision in law for such direct trial by the Supreme Court, but also, any such trial would deny both sides the precious right of appeal to the high court and ultimately to the Supreme Court. The need for speedy disposal of cases cannot override the substantive rights of the parties, one of which is the right to appeal. Denial thereof perpetrates injustice, rather than preventing it.
Your intemperate criticism of the Supreme Court does a great disservice to the institution.
Aditya Sondhi
Advocate, Bangalore
What about “justice delayed is justice denied”? — Editor
School rankings queries
I refer to your annual survey of India’s Most Respected Schools (EW September) which has placed our school in the second position in the day schools league table as against the top position awarded to us last year.
A perusal of page 54 of the cover story indicates that the total scores of the top-ranked four schools range from 1,291 to 1,293. This difference between the top four schools is very narrow. But the parameter assessments tell a different story. For example, although under the parameter of ‘academic reputation’, Cathedral & John Connon School ranked far higher than the Shri Ram School, we lag behind significantly under the parameters of ‘individual attention to students’ and ‘infrastructure provision’.
I would be interested to learn how you made these inferences, especially as we started our Learning Resource Centre as far back as 1997 to cater to differently-abled children, and have sent up such youngsters for both the ICSE and ISC exams year after year.
What exactly is covered under the umbrella of ‘infrastructure provision?’ I also believe that we do pretty well by our students on the academic, cultural, ethical and sports fronts.
I am writing to you not out of a sense of pique, but to understand how the assessments were made and to work towards raising our students standards in the above-mentioned segments.
Mrs. M. Isaacs, Principal
Cathedral & John Connon School, Mumbai
As explained in detail on p 45 of our cover story, the EW-C fore survey is based on the perceptions of 2,044 carefully selected respondents countrywide. The assessment methodology adopted for the survey doesn’t entirely eliminate variance between perception and facts — Editor
Inclusive education demand
Re your cover story ‘India’s Most Respected Schools’ (EW September), I am proud that Vidya Niketan School, Bangalore is ranked India’s seventh most respected day school and No.3 in South India. I am especially pleased to learn that Vidya Niketan is ranked high on the parameter of ‘value for money’. Our promoter-director Ms. Vithani is a great visionary. Her main interest is welfare of our students and growth and development of the school.
In particular, I am glad you have rated schools on the parameter of ‘disabled friendliness’ this year. In this connection, I have written to Union HRD minister, Kapil Sibal requesting him to take the initiative of introducing legislation for inclusion of physically challenged children on the US model. Nobody seems to take the lead in this matter. If you can take this issue up with the minister, I am sure we can also have legislation as in the US.
Srijaya Char, joint director (academy and administration),
Vidya Niketan School, Bangalore
ABL apprehensions
In your special report feature ‘Velvet revolution in primary education’ (EW August), you have articulated my personal experience and feelings about ABL (activity based learning), officially adopted in Tamil Nadu. Rightfully said, there is no learning outcome in ABL. Instead, most students enjoy it because they want to escape any serious effort to learn. Moreover, teachers find it relaxed teaching.
Our political masters have the prerogative to play with the future of India’s children by cavalierly changing, chopping and modifying the decisions of their predecessors. But serious consideration needs to be given to new pedagogies before they are introduced.
As remarked by Dr. Farida Lambay of Nirmala Niketan, Mumbai, teachers have to be thoroughly prepared to change their mindsets and display “extra-ordinary commitment” which has not been done. I fear for the future of Tamil Nadu’s primary school children.
Baldev Chaudhary
Aadharshila School, CBSE Section, Ahmedabad