Taking the lead

WHEN everyone is rolling up their sleeves to take on the competitive world, the Marathi medium schools in the city are ensuring they stay in the reckoning.

The prizes their students win in national and international competition stand testimony to the efforts. "Each child has a potential. We try and provide enough opportunity and environment so that they can find their area of interest. Once we identify his interest, he is exposed to every aspect of it, he is allowed to pursue his interest and participate in competitions," opines Suman Shenoy, principal of Dynan Prabodhini School, Nigdi.

At SNDT Kanyashala, Kothrud, students are even given a feel of the functioning of the State assembly. "We have an election where the students elect a Chief Minister and a deputy. Several students are good at sports and cultural activities and we do encourage them to participate in competitions. They are also told stories as a part of imparting values,’’ says Madhuri Gosavi, principal of Kanyashala.

Following an education pattern that helps their students remain at par with students of English medium schools, a medium of instruction which is semi-English (standard V to VIII) and from standard VIII to X, in Hindi makes students well-versed in languages, she adds.

In project-based curriculum Marathi medium schools are not an inch behind their English counterparts. "We emphasise on projects here so that a student who lags behind in academics can prove his mettle in fields like sports and culture. Our ‘special sports project’ has been formed mostly keeping this in mind. We believe through excelling in sports, a student will feel confident to prove himself in studies too. And this has proven true with so many of our students," says Shenoy taking pride in her three students who were selected for international yoga competition. Students here are regular participants in science and cyber olympiads. "You never know where a child’s talent lie. So we have sports, technical department and computer department for a child to fit himself suitably.

"There is a general belief that students of Marathi medium are not as good as those of English medium schools. But there is absolutely no base to it. Our students are equally talented and have proven themselves bright in different capacities," observes Alka Jadhav, principal of St Andrews High School, Camp. "Our students have won several prizes in drawing and music contests. We also have environmental studies, story-telling sessions, and value education through songs and drama. They are encouraged to pursue their areas of interest by participating in inter-school competitions," she adds.