Page 46 - EW Oct 2023

Cover Story EW CO-ED BOARDING SCHOOLS RANKINGS 2023-24

Sharfuddin: informed public endorsement Dr. DC Sharma: balanced joyful education

#7 (5), Rajghat Besant School, College of Materials Management, and the University of Bath (UK) who
Varanasi #8 (10), Isha Home Jabalpur, Captain (Retd.) Singh is acquired best teaching and admin
School, Coimbatore #9 (9) and the promoter-principal of Pinegrove experience in the top-ranked Doon
the New Era High, Panchgani School (estb.1991), sited on two sce- School, Dehradun (2003-14) prior
(Maharashtra) #10 (11). nic campuses aggregating 50 acres to his appointment as headmaster at
“All of us in Pinegrove are elated in Dharampur in the Himalayan Selaqui International.
and thank the Almighty that we are foothills. Euphoria generated by EWISR
ranked India’s #1 co-ed boarding Rashid Sharfuddin, the 2023-24 and about the co-ed board-
school. It has been a long haul of 32 youthful headmaster of SelaQui ing school league table in particular,
years during which we have worked International School Dehradun is not confined to the Himalayan
assiduously to improve under every (estb.2000), promoted to #2 this foothills. It is shared in the low-pro-
parameter of the annual EWISR, year (#4 in 2022-23) jointly with the file Punjab Public School, Nabha
and finally our sustained efforts have Assam Valley School, Balipara (2), is (estb. 1961), which has 728 students
paid off. I attribute our promotion also chuffed that this year’s sample and 85 teachers on its sprawling
to top spot to our focus on teacher respondents have taken note of the 108-acre sports facilities-intensive
training and development pro- “nine years of hard work” invested campus. Dr. D.C. Sharma is elated
grammes with the emphasis on en- by him and his team to upgrade this by the promotion of the school from
suring that our students are mentally globally benchmarked co-ed board- #9 in 2022-23 to #6 this year. A
and emotionally secure, and high ing school which has 360 students polymath (M.Sc, M.Phil, in plant
quality pastoral care is provided to mentored by 45 teachers on its physiology and microbiology from
them. Therefore, I am very pleased muster rolls. Meerut University, Ph D from Devi
that your sample respondents have “I am thrilled by the high scores Vishwavidyalaya University, Indore
awarded us highest scores on two of awarded to us on the parameters of and post-doctoral alum of the Na-
these three parameters. The mental teacher competence, individual at- tional Institute of Advanced Studies,
and emotional well-being of our tention to students and pastoral care Bangalore) former deputy headmas-
children is top priority in Pinegrove because these parameters are deeply ter of the top-ranked Daly College,
School and we have a dedicated, inter-connected, and are the essence Indore and principal of the Vidya
well-trained 15-strong team for of boarding school education. I Sagar School, Indore (2015-22),
pastoral care. I am also pleased with am also happy with the high score he was appointed principal of PPS,
the top score awarded to us under awarded to us under the parameter Nabha in 2022.
the curriculum and pedagogy includ- of mental and emotional well-being “It’s not well-known that PPS,
ing hybrid readiness, parameter. services, and our highest score under Nabha was the first Sainik School es-
All these high scores are indicators the value for money parameter. This tablished in India and that it has over
that we are progressing in the right is endorsement by an informed pub- 62 very distinguished alumni who
direction,” says Capt. A.J. Singh. lic of the excellent education we are have served in the highest positions
An alum of the National Defence providing at a reasonable price,” says of the Indian Army and the defence
Academy, Khadakvasla, Indian Sharfuddin, a history and education services. The high scores awarded to
Military Academy, Dehradun and alum of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi us under the parameters of teacher

46 EDUCATIONWORLD OCTOBER 2023