Page 46 - EW Oct 2023
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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

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