Kolkata’s top preschools

Despite political turmoil for over half a century, West Bengal’s famous private schools have managed to maintain their reputation, and Kolkata’s top preschools providing quality education have impacted themselves on the city’s bhadralok  Right until the 1970s, Calcutta (transformed into Kolkata in 2001) was the education (and industry and business) epicentre of newly independent India. But the rise of the anarchist Naxalite movement and Left students unions on Calcutta’s university campuses culminated in the CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist)-led Left Front government being voted to power in Writers Building, the administrative headquarters of West Bengal (pop.91 million) in 1977. The Left Front government ruled West Bengal uninterruptedly for 34 years during which it decimated the state’s academy (and industry). In 2011, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Mamata Banerjee broke the communist stranglehold on West Bengal with a sweeping victory in the legislative election held that year, and replicated the feat in early 2016. But during the past quinquennium, the TMC has not had much success in reforming the state’s moribund primary-secondary or higher education systems.  Nevertheless despite continuous political turmoil in the state for over half a century, West Bengal’s famous private schools have managed to maintain their reputation, and in Kolkata, preschools providing quality early childhood care and education (ECCE) have managed to impact themselves on the city’s bhadralok (refined middle class). Proprietary/owned Promoted way back in 1964 as one of Kolkata’s first Montessori-inspired pre-primaries, Mongrace Montessori House, Short Street (MMH), has firmly established itself as the city’s pre-eminent preschool.  In the EW Kolkata Preschool Rankings 2016, MMH is voted Kolkata’s #1 proprietary pre-primary for the fourth consecutive year. Top-ranked on nine of the ten parameters of ECCE excellence, MMH offers its 350 children (mentored by 50 teachers), a 6,000 sq. ft play area, 16 classrooms fully equipped with Montessori equipment, a well-stocked library and computer rooms. Its affiliated Mongrace Montessori, New Town, has also retained its #3 position in this year’s proprietary preschools league table. “To be ranked #1 four years in a row is highly satisfying and motivating. It’s very encouraging that our efforts to improve teaching-learning are being acknowledged and appreciated by Kolkata’s parents and educators. Although we are ranked #1 on almost all parameters, we derive the greatest satisfaction from our high ratings on teacher competency and professional development because our teachers are continuously upgrading their skills through workshops and seminars, and collaboration with peers in preschools around the world through the British Council’s International School Award programme. Encouraged by public support, we have drawn up a plan to promote greenfield preschools in other cities. We recently inaugurated an MMH preschool in IIT-Kharagpur and another in Shantiniketan will be inaugurated soon,” says Suman Sood, a graduate of Panjab and Calcutta universities who took charge as principal of MMH, Short Street in 2011. The biggest surprise in this year’s proprietary pre-primaries league table has been sprung by Prarambh Preschool, BT Road, which has leapfrogged from #12 in 2015 to #2. Top-ranked on the parameter of…