‘Apeejay has a proven track record in Noida’

Mr. Vikram Pratap Singh is an IT professional with Tata Consultancy Services. His children Rajeshwari Singh and Arnav Pratap Singh are kindergarten and class 7 students at Apeejay School, Noida. In an informal interview, Mr. Singh lists his reasons for choosing the school, speaks about the progress of his children and highlights how the school overcame the challenge of the online classes with panache. Edited excerpts:

Why did you choose Apeejay Noida ahead of other schools for the admission of your children?

We wanted a school which has a proven track record in Noida. A school which has all the modern facilities yet also keeps faith on the traditional values. Apeejay Noida started in the 1980s and has always lived up to the basic principles of education which include good teacher-student bonding, coordination between support staff, facilities for students ranging from school buses to play areas and guidance from professional coaches. Keeping all these points in mind, we found Apeejay Noida as the best choice and went ahead with the school.

Please tell us a bit about Arnav and Rajeshwari and take us through their progress at school?

Rajeshwari is my younger daughter. Besides academics, she is highly interested in the various co-curricular activities. She likes storytelling and is also very fond of dancing. She was initially a bit hesitant during the online classes. However, after a few classes, she overcame her reticence and hesitation. The school provides a lot of opportunities to the students in various activities. Rajeshwari participated in a skit with her classmates during her convocation event.

Arnav is in class 7. He likes History and Civics. However, Science is his favorite subject. He is also good at Maths. Arnav likes to play basketball and is also very fond of reading Science books and encyclopaedias.

Are the teachers engaging well with the students?

We are very happy with the guidance provided to the students. In the online classes, the teachers struggled initially in the new medium. However, they quickly overcame the obstacle and established a very important relationship with the students despite not being physically present in the class. Their success is evident in the response of the students. Both my children actively participate in the classroom discussions. Sometimes, I feel they are inside a physical classroom discussing their ideas and responding to the questions posed by the teacher.

I would like to thank Ms. Ritu Khera and Ms. Sandhya Mehta, teachers in the Nursery class. Both the teachers are highly experienced. The students never feel afraid, or shy in front of the teachers. The students were open with the teachers and heartily laughed, giggled and discussed ideas in their presence.

What is the best thing about Apeejay School, Noida?

Apeejay Noida has developed a holistic culture in the school premises. The teachers, students and parents, all three, are involved in the development process. The school makes a conscious effort in including the parents. Their feedback is highly appreciated by the school. The teachers reach out to all students and ensure the overall development of a student, whether it’s in sports or academics. The school is doing a fantastic job.

How has the experience of the online classes been for Arnav and Rajeswari?

Ofcourse, nothing can replace the physical classes but the switch from the physical to the online mode was handled and coordinated very well at Apeejay Noida. It resulted in restoring the confidence of a student in his/her teacher and keeping them interested in their studies. The school has lived up to our expectations. We are very happy that the school handled the challenge of the online classes very well.