Page 40 - Education World Dec 2021

Cover Story EW CO ED BOARDING SCHOOLS RANKINGS 2021 22

INDIA’S TOP-RANKED CO-ED BOARDING SCHOOLS

The incremental promotion of co-ed schools is a socially class VI-XII, CBSE-affiliated board-
positive development because as boys and girl children learn ing schools promoted by the Central
government for meritorious rural
together in inclusive classrooms, they develop mutually children.
respectful relationships and male children in particular, Against this backdrop, it is also a
learn to respect girls positive development that ab initio
since the annual EWISR survey was
initiated 14 years ago, the co-ed i h i
R
s
V a l l e y S c h ool , C h ittoor, A n dh ra
P ra de s h ( V S , estb.1926), promot-
R
ed by the indigenous philosopher,
educationist and visionary far ahead
of his times, . K ri h n a m u rti (1895-
J
s
1986), which has been practising his
teachings centred around respect for
nature, the environment and ecology,
has continuously topped the EWISR
co-ed boarding schools league table.
While the overwhelming number
of legacy boarding schools derive
their inspiration from Raj era pub-
lic schools in the UK and India, the
CISCE (Delhi)-affiliated RVS has
been dispensing uniquely different
life skills and co-curricular education
respectful of nature, and local com-
Rishi Valley’s Dr. Anantha Jyothi (centre): uniquely different education munities.
In comparison with traditional
urely it is a marker of posi- gender egalitarianism and become boarding — and especially new genre
tive socio-economic prog- empathetic towards girl children who private international — schools, RVS’
ress that the number of suf- have historically suffered discrimina- infrastructure is modest. There’s no
Sficiently well-reputed co-ed tion and less than equal opportuni- dress code and only vegetarian meals
boarding schools included in the ties for learning and career advance- are served. Despite this, RVS has
league tables of the annual Education- ment. This is especially true of co-ed captured the imagination of the SEC
World India School Rankings (EW- boarding schools where male and girl (socio-economic category) ‘A’ sample
ISR) survey, far outnumber gender children are educated in close proxim- respondents polled annually for EW-
segregated all-boys and girls boarding ity, and learn to practice equality and ISR which over the past 14 years since
schools. The number of sufficiently re- mutual understanding and acceptance it was instituted, has evolved into the
puted co-ed boarding schools (institu- from young age. largest, most comprehensive and so-
tions assessed by less than 25 sample Inevitably, the onus of teaching phisticated schools ranking survey
respondents are eliminated from the students social and life skills beyond worldwide. Post-independence India’s
EW league tables) countrywide is over the academic curriculum is greater elite (SEC-A) sample respondents
60 against barely a few dozen gender- for principals and teachers of co-ed need to be commended for being pre-
segregated all-boys and girl boarding boarding schools than for their coun- scient in respecting J. Krishnamurti’s
schools. terparts in day and gender segregated education philosophy which has re-
The incremental promotion of institutions. Fortunately, awareness ceived a new lease of life in the Covid
co-ed schools is a socially positive that co-ed education is more progres- era when respect for mother nature
development because as boys and sive has spread to the Central and and protection of our diverse and
girl children learn together in inclu- state governments. Most government complex environment and ecology is
sive classrooms, they develop mutu- schools are co-educational, including making a strong comeback.
ally respectful relationships and male the show-piece 636 Jawaharlal Navo- “RVS is a small school of 346 stu-
children in particular, learn to respect daya Vidyalayas — free-of-charge dents and 60 teachers which is now

40 EDUCATIONWORLD DECEMBER 2021