“We do not want her to go to the No.1 school.” I reacted back to my friend at a recent dinner as he remarked about why we are not putting our daughter in the best school in Gurugram. The remark did add to the confusion for me and my wife on our journey to provide a good education for our daughter even though we have spent a year analyzing and discussing our thoughts and feelings on school admission process. Different boards like CBSE, ICSE and IB; choice of teaching styles from traditional to modern to experiential; brand names, rankings, fee and facilities provided by various schools adds to the many choices one has to make the decision. Education today starts as a holistic learning, yet as one goes to higher classes, it tends to follow the rigid pattern of yester years of emphasizing competition and to be the best. What is compromised is the individual expression. If one does not emphasize the need to excel in life, there is a fear and tendency for one to sit and not achieve one’s true potential. The same schools which teach students not to get into a rat race are in some ways in a race themselves trying to market them at the No.1 position. The same parents, who want their children to be happy, keep pushing them to established society norms through set expectations. There are reforms needed both at the school and family level to allow a child to grow in a nurturing environment. In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court of India commented that education is not a business to earn profit and tuition fees shall always be affordable. The Centre in past years has tried to bring uniformity in the standard of education through the National Education Policy. There is further a court battle going on in the Madras high court on whether education is a state subject and who get to decide the curriculum and what children learn. The future of the work environment requires the skill set of an individual to be adaptable to the demands of the occasion and not only focus on acquiring subject knowledge through a set curriculum. Schools, thus become an essential foundation for developing life skills in children so that they can help themselves to be robust adults. Is any school perfect? What will then enable parents to make the best decision for their child’s education? The right school is a place which allows one to express authentically, both in terms of thoughts and feelings. As we enable teachers, students, administrators and extended community to create spaces where one can be heard without judgment, we move towards authenticity. After all perfection, being No.1 or the best is mirage or an illusion. For now, me and my wife are at peace with a school and home environment that allows her to express fully. Would love to know your tryst with the education system. Share in the comments. #education #educationforlife #learning #nationaleducationday#backtoschool #school #leadership #coaching
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