‘I always recommend this school to young parents’

Looking for a school that will be a perfect fit for your child can be a daunting task. To achieve this feat, parents leave no stone unturned. From looking for recommendations to researching on the Internet themselves, the task is long and drawn out. But it is a journey that parents willingly undertake to ensure that their children get a good start in life for a bright future.

For parents like Dr Sazina Muzammil, a Professor and Head, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Dentistry at Jamia Millia Islamia, and her husband Dr Khalid Umer Khayyam, choosing Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park for her son, Salik Umer Khayyam, who is in the first year of MBBS came after much deliberations.

“Back in 2008, I explored all the schools in South Delhi. I came to know that Apeejay had a brand value and was considered to be one of the top schools. I applied at both the Saket and the Panchseel Park branches. Luckily he got through to both. But I chose the latter since the campus impressed me. Also, I had heard that the teachers at this school were excellent. Nothing has changed since then. The school is just as good as it was back then,” Dr Muzammil said.

Excerpts from the interview.

What tipped the balance in favour of the Panchsheel Park branch?

It was not as if the Saket branch didn’t measure up. But I was mighty impressed with the Panchseel Park campus, its lush green lawns, and the auditorium to name a few. Besides, this I was told that the teachers here are excellent. Hence, when it was time for my younger child – Nubi Umer Khayyam, now in class IX – to start formal education, I decided to go with this branch.

How is your daughter’s progress to date?

I would say that she is doing well in her class. I am happy that her results are at par. This means that the teachers are also happy with her academic progress. My son, passed out last year and did very well in the Board exams; in class X Board he was the topper!

What is the teaching methodology at this school?

I would say it is excellent. Over the years, teachers have been adept at adopting the changing teaching methodology. They have adopted the latest innovative methods of teaching. The school has also adopted technology to impart learning skills to the students. The good part is that the school is well aware of the changing needs of the students and the changes that CBSE has adopted in the Boards.

The teachers regularly give students worksheets for practice so that they are well-versed with the changed exam pattern of the Boards.

How are your daughter’s teachers?

It would be wrong of me to pick one teacher’s name since all of them are good. Her class teacher is Parnika ma’am. Upasana ma’am and Pranjal sir teach Science; then there is the Hindi teacher – they are all very good at what they do.

Are the parent-teacher meetings held regularly?

Yes. The teachers are very supportive. After every assessment, parent-teacher meeting is held and we get detailed progress for our daughter. The teachers ask us to share our feedback on how the teaching methodology is and if there is anything that we would like to add about the progress of our child.

Does your daughter participate in extracurricular activities?

My daughter is a bit of an introvert. However, the teachers push her boundaries and encourage her to take part in school events. Recently she took part in nukkad-natak that the school had organised. For now, Nubi is following in her brother’s footsteps and loves Science, especially Biology.

Apeejay believes in the holistic development of the child. How evident is this?

Extremely so. This has been the benchmark of the school right from the start. If I had to rate this school I would give 9 out of 10. When young parents ask me which school to choose, I tell them to blindly pick Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park.