It is important for the parents to look for certain fundamental things that a school should provide to the students
Shafat and his wife have turned anxious as it is time to get their ward admitted in a school. There are too many schools, so which one to choose. Shafat along with his wife had visited number of schools, however, they failed to make up their mind. For Shafat the process of education has changed and underwent a radical shift from what it used to be during his time. ‘A lot has changed from the time I used to go to school,’ says Shafat. ‘Our parents weren’t as concerned about our education as we are about our children’.
Shafat, a medical graduate and now businessman, believes that it is not only the child who has to be educated, it is the parents who have to learn things anew. In our society parents have become increasingly involved in defining the character and focus of their children which is a good sign as per educationists and experts.
Prof Madhosh, an eminent educationist, believes that it is not only education of child but of the parents also that counts. ‘If parents want to see their child excel, they have to involve themselves with him’, says Professor Madhosh. However, the process of education shouldn’t be made cumbersome.
Like Shafat, there are a number of parents who are in search of better schools for their wards.  While it is a dream for every parent to see their child excel, it is equally important for the parents to look for certain fundamental things which school should provide to its students.
As per experts, before parents settle for any school for their child it is very important to have a look at the curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.
‘It is essential that a child besides getting formal education should become a good individual, a good performer, and be imaginative and creative in his outlook,’ Prof Madhosh says.
To inculcate these virtues in a student the school should stress on extra-curricular activities, which include excursions, camping and other such activities. Another important thing that the parent should look for is: whether the school is realistic in its demand or not. Many children find it difficult to cope with the standards set by the school. If a student fails to come up to the expectations of the school what procedures are adopted and how it will help a student to cope or withstand the pressure.
‘It is important the school and parents are pragmatic in their outlook and demands. The parents should never push their ward too far which consequently increases their anxiety level,’ Prof Madhosh warns.  Another essential feature which a parent should look for is: whether there are regular parent-teachers meets or not. To monitor the pace of the child, it is important that teacher and parents should stay in constant touch.
‘What parents should look for in a school is whether parents-teachers meets are held regularly or not. It is important as it is through this connection a school can remain in touch with society and social community. In return parents have to monitor the development of their wards; it can only be done through teacher-parents meeting,’ the eminent educationist recommends.
We have many schools in Srinagar which produce these features, like Convent, Biscoe, DPS and one emerging School Kashmir Harvard Educational Institute. These schools not only stress on formal education but try to make child a good performer, imaginative and creative in his outlook. These schools lay stress on extra-curricular activities, which include excursions, camping and other such activities. One important thing to mention here is that Kashmir Harvard Educational Institute is the only school among them using Educomp Smart classes to impart knowledge to the students. It includes learning with the help of LCDs and monitor sets installed in all the rooms (Smart Classes) to support the classroom teaching; it also offers an extensive use of audio-visual supporting material to make the learning process more effective. The school is equipped with modern teaching charts, models, cassettes, CDs and a host of play-way equipment.
The healthy school environment is the key to a high performance educational institution.  Research increasingly shows that there is a clear link between environmental quality of schools and educational performance. Student and teacher comfort is indicated as the most important aspect of any school environment.  If students are comfortable, then learning becomes easier.  Being comfortable is a combination of several factors; adequate usable space, noise control, lighting, temperature and climate control, and sanitation.  The classroom is the most important area of a school because it is where students and teachers spend most of their time and where the learning process takes place.  Research to date indicates productive, high performance schools manifest common traits. Following are some of the points which parents should keep in mind while admitting their child in any school.

• It should provide adequate space and opportunities for students and teachers to spread out, reflect, interact, exchange information, examine and test ideas.
• It should have adequate natural lighting that enhances productivity.
• It should strive for student-friendly conditions throughout the building.  
• It should be designed to reduce stress, has a consistent temperature, and manage noise.
• It should be clean and sanitized.
• The risk of an adverse health effect should be very small.

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