Mailbox

Online schooling advice plea

Though schools have reopened, I am hesitant about sending my children to in-person classes as news of a third pandemic wave triggered by the Omicron variant looms. But on the other hand, the children are frustrated attending online school for almost two years. It is also adversely affecting my children’s eye sight […]

Mailbox: Timely changes

Timely changes

Congratulations to Team EW for bringing out a mammoth 280-page 22nd anniversary issue! The EducationWorld India School Rankings are undisputedly the most comprehensive school rankings in the country, perhaps worldwide.

Special thanks for adding two new parameters — online education effectiveness and mental & emotional well-being services — to assess schools in these changed times. […]

Mailbox

Interesting & enjoyable

Thanks for the Kidzone section — it’s interesting and enjoyable. My children love solving the puzzles and DIY creative activity. Also your selection of reference books was very useful. Moreover, I enjoy reading the Ask the Doctor column every month. The October column by Dr. Gita Mathai about urinary tract infection in […]

Mailbox: Extraordinary Dr. Kumar

Extraordinary Dr. Kumar
Congratulations for the inspirational success story ‘The very extraordinary Prof. Raj Kumar’ (EW October), a welcome departure from routine EW cover features. This visionary educator dared to dream of establishing India’s first global university, and how! I applaud his grit, determination and extraordinary project conceptualisation and management capabilities.
It’s amazing to read […]

School reopening happiness

Thank you for your informative cover story ‘Readying children for on-campus school’ (PW September). I am pleased that schools have finally reopened in Bengaluru.

The past 18 months of lockdown and online schooling have turned my once energetic and sporty teenage son into a couch potato. Pre-pandemic he used to love playing games and actively participated […]

Well-intended saviour

I am a regular reader of EducationWorld. After reading your cover story (EW September), I am surprised you are in such a hurry to pass judgement about an education minister who has just taken charge.

Rather than question his abilities a month after being appointed Union education minister, we must extend all support to the man […]

Prioritise character building

Welcome parenting apps
Thanks for your informative cover story ‘Best parenting apps 2021’ (PW August). There are literally hundreds of parenting apps and it’s very difficult to choose the best. Your curated list of the Top 10 was helpful and refreshing.
In today’s pandemic routine of work from home and online schooling parents are swamped […]

Exemplary teachers

Exemplary teachers
Congratulations on your unique cover story ‘30 Eduleaders Weathering Covid Tsunami’ (EW August). It was comforting to read about several principals’ creative responses to the pandemic disruption of education and the world’s longest schools lockdown.
In particular, it was distressing to learn about Ganesh Prasad, the dedicated principal of the government-aided Sadguru High […]

Prioritise character building

Prioritise character building
Thanks for your wonderful cover story ‘Character building in the Covid-19 era’ (PW July). It reminded me of my schooldays when values education classes were an integral part of the school timetable and the fundamental values of honesty, respect, self-discipline and empathy were constantly emphasised as the building blocks of good character. […]

Crime against children

Crime against children
I read your cover story demanding reopening of schools right away, online. I am an educator who had only six years of uninterrupted schooling. My father was an Indian Army officer and we were transferred to non-family stations every few months. I can avow, with deep regret that broken education, especially in […]

Beneficial rankings

Welcome innovation

I am a regular reader of EducationWorld and have been following the annual EW India Higher Education Rankings for the past three years. Congratulations to C fore and EW for conducting and publishing a comprehensive higher education institutions rankings survey, despite the huge disruption caused by the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.
The newly introduced rankings […]

Excellent swaddling suggestions

I’m pregnant with my second child and loved reading your Early Childhood advisory on swaddling. I didn’t swaddle my first born as there are many myths and superstitions about swaddling infants. Thanks to paediatrician Dr. Yogesh Kumar Gupta for setting the record straight.

After reading his excellent suggestions on the right way to swaddle infants and […]

Beneficial rankings

Beneficial rankings

THANKS FOR publishing the comprehensive EW India Higher Education Rankings 2021-22 (EW May). With the raging Covid-19 pandemic forcing shutdown of all education institutions nationwide, your rankings are a timely celebration of the country’s best colleges and universities which are making every effort to ensure learning continuity of students during this difficult time. Academic […]

Disgraceful indifference

Thanks for your hard-hitting cover story ‘3-prong assault on private schools’ (EW April). India’s high-performance private schools are indeed under siege! The indifference of the Central and state governments to the financial crisis confronting private — especially budget private school — promoters and managements is shocking and disgraceful. The Centre should have included private schools […]

Creative podcasting activity

The cover story ‘Positive podcasting fever sweeping India’ was an enjoyable read (PW March). During the lockdown, I began listening to podcasts on health and fitness. I was amazed at the variety of podcasts available on subjects ranging from entertainment, books, education, business investments, to relationships and current affairs. And the best thing about podcasts […]

Scandalous neglect

Congratulations for presenting a well-researched analysis of the Union Budget 2020-21 (‘Bare cupboard for world’s most high potential children’, EW March). Slashing the Centre’s allocation for public education by 6 percent in the pandemic year, during which all education institutions were shut down for almost ten months, is a telling indicator of the low priority […]

Balanced suggestions

Your cover story listing ways and means to boost child immunity was well-researched (PW February). Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic out of the blue hit humankind last year, prescriptions to build bodily immunity have suddenly become aplenty and trendy. Nevertheless, your suggestions from child health experts were very balanced and holistic.

Also fortunately, traditional Indian cuisine […]

Reopen preschools now!

Congratulations for your detailed cover story ‘Pandemic Thunderbolt Endangers Early Years Education’ (EW February). It sends out a strong message to the Central and state governments to walk the talk — the National Education Policy 2020 accords high importance to early childhood care and education (ECCE) — and provide a pandemic relief package to India’s […]

FRESH start hopes

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the cover story ‘FRESH (Fitness, Return to minimalist living, Education, Slowing Down and Home Life) 2021’ (PW January). Life as we know it, halted last year. Schools, colleges, universities, businesses, hotels, restaurants, all shut down to check the spread of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. Millions of people lost jobs, livelihoods and […]

Widening digital divide

Congratulations for your well-researched cover story ‘Future of learning in post-pandemic era’ (EW January). Your views resonated with me. The closure of education institutions for over nine months has certainly forced change-averse schools to adopt new tech-driven teaching-learning systems. But it has also highlighted and exacerbated prevailing inequalities in Indian education.

While a few hundred top-ranked […]

Fulfilling experience

More than two decades ago, when the idea of a gap year was unknown in India, I took a one-year break after class XII. My parents disapproved of my decision but gave in on my insistence. During the gap year, I was a volunteer teacher in a NGO school as well as at an animal […]

Graceful disappointment

Heritage Girls School, Udaipur is ranked #9 in the country among girls boarding schools in the EW India School Rankings 2020-21 (EW December). Needless to say, I’m extremely disappointed.

We take these rankings very seriously and had worked extremely hard to ensure we smoothen out the wrinkles in our performance to move up a notch or […]

Entrepreneurship vital skill

I loved the November cover story on nurturing entrepreneurship skills within children. I run a fashion boutique in Chennai and wish that I was exposed to entrepreneurship education early on in my life. As I learn on the job navigating the ups and downs of starting and running my own business, I have realised that […]

United in purpose

We are elated that DPS, Greater Faridabad is ranked #48 nationally, #27 in Haryana and #1 in Greater Faridabad in the co-ed day schools category in the latest EducationWorld India School Rankings 2020-21 (EW November).

We are thankful to EducationWorld for recognising our verve and grit as an ambitious and student-centric school. This is the first […]

Protecting our children from drugs

While we are facing an addiction to all things electronic, there are other serious addictions to which teenagers could succumb. One of them is drugs. Your October cover story touched upon this issue that is wreaking havoc with the lives of young people across the country.

Parents believe that their own child is exempt but the […]

Truly shocking neglect

Thank you for the cover story ‘Prime Minister: Indian education needs pandemic aid package’ (EW October). It’s truly shocking that the prime minister didn’t allocate even Re.1 to the education sector in the government’s Rs.20.97 lakh crore economic aid/stimulus package announced in May.

This despite several education activists pleading with the PM to […]

Family bonding benefit

Thank you for the enjoyable list of DIY activities and projects featured in the September cover story. During the lockdown my daughter and I tried quilting and together made a beautiful wall piece for our home.

This activity helped us bond emotionally and also develop teamwork skills. Our next joint DIY activity will be PW’s step-by-step […]

Implementing NEP 2020

Your special report ‘Implementing NEP 2020 — Expert advice for Central government’ (EW September) is well-timed as the public debate has now moved to translating this lofty document into reality.

Even as the newly renamed Union education ministry has rather belatedly invited suggestions from school teachers and principals for ways and means to implement NEP 2020, […]

Resilience is the answer

I read your cover story on how lockdown anger is disrupting family harmony (PW August). I agree with you that parents must develop coping strategies to manage lockdown anger and create happy and conducive environments for children. However, in your advice on anger management, you have missed including the importance of parents developing resilience — […]

Dr. KR’s high hopes

Thank you for the August issue of EducationWorld. Your own take on NEP 2020 deserves compliments for its balanced assessment and objectivity.

The concern over implementation, which many people have views on, is to some extent a challenge, but not impossible for a country of our capability. A big breakthrough in education is a must. We […]

Vaccine hope

Your cover story ‘Coping with the online learning revolution’ (PW July) highlighted the stress that families are experiencing in the transition to online learning. In our case, both my children hate online learning; miss interacting with their friends and teachers, and playing sports and games.

School managements are also adding to the stress by constantly changing […]

Disastrous consequences

Your cover story ‘Neta-babu brotherhood destroying private education’ (EW July) is overdue and timely. Although government animosity towards private schools — which provide education to half of India’s school-going children — is several decades old, it has become more blatant in the Covid-19 era.

Several state governments are making the most of this unprecedented crisis to […]

Informative & relevant

The feature on developing computational thinking within children was interesting, relevant and informative (PW June). The ability to think logically and problem-solve is a 21st century skill which all children must develop to succeed in this new tech-intensive AI age. The story shared some very useful insights and strategies to develop computational […]

Comforting cover story

I’m sure your brilliant cover story ‘50 leaders who can revive Indian education’ (EW June) has brought considerable cheer to many parents like me who are disillusioned with the quality of the education system. Now with the Covid-19 pandemic forcing closure of all education institutions, the future of our children and youth is uncertain.

I was […]

Encourage leisure reading

I look forward to reading the ‘Fun with Words’ column by Roopa Banerjee every month. It’s an enjoyable way for children to learn about the nuances of the English language.

As a retired English teacher I am appalled by the poor English grammar and limited vocabulary of the new generation, for which I blame their addiction […]

Single parents acceptance growing

I salute ParentsWorld for publishing a powerful cover story ‘Don’t judge. Enable single parents!’ (PW February). As a single parent in the early years of the new millennium, I experienced social prejudice and disdain, and had to move to three different cities with my daughter.

In small town India especially, single moms are harshly judged and […]

Morale booster

I am very happy to learn that Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University (KKSU) is ranked #60 all-India and #6 in Maharashtra in the EducationWorld Government University Rankings 2020-21. KKSU is a Sanskrit university. This recognition has boosted the morale of our faculty and students and we look forward to your support in achieving excellence in higher […]

Baffling paradox

Congratulations for your pioneer initiative of ranking the country’s autonomous and non autonomous colleges separately (EW April). As you rightly argue, autonomous colleges are a class apart and need to be ranked separately.

Nevertheless, I’m baffled that some of India’s routinely top-ranked colleges sited in the national capital — St. Stephen’s, Miranda, Sri […]

Inventive calculus

The cover story ‘Union Budget 2020-21: Small change for human capital development’ (EW March) highlights the step-motherly treatment of Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to education. While defence, corporate and middle-class subsidies enjoy undeserved priority, human resource development is an unwanted orphan.

The Draft National Education Policy (NEP) 2019 provides a visionary blueprint that sets out the template for liberal education and holistic development of […]

Single parents acceptance growing

In small town India especially, single moms are harshly judged and […]