‘The bridge between parent and teacher is strong in this school’

Born in Qatar, Ahmed (7) and Maryam (10) relished their foundational years. Soon, they had to move back to India with their mother, Dr Zainab Malik. The switch happened due to Dr Malik’s job preference. She is a dentist who is currently practising at Sudha Rustagi College of Dental Sciences & Research in Faridabad.

After returning to the country, Dr Malik began to search up some schools to continue the educational pursuit of her children. In no time, she stumbled upon Apeejay School International (ASI) in South Delhi and chose it. They both were enrolled last year. “Prior to this, my children were studying in a British curriculum school in Qatar. Now, Ahmed is in PYP 2 and Maryam is in grade 5 at ASI. Both are independent and self-driven,” says Dr Malik. In the following interview, she shares further. Read on. Edited excerpts.

Is ASI meeting your expectations?

Yes. I am quite satisfied. Both my children are happy!

What was your criteria while choosing Apeejay for your children?

The school is centrally located, my residence is close by too. It is very convenient and approachable. Along with this, I heard good things about the school and read some online reviews too. Overall, it seemed like the place for my kids.

Tell us about your first visit to the school.

I met Ms Aabhini Singh, Head-Admissions at Apeejay School International. It was great interacting with her. She gave me a tour of the school and enlightened me about the curriculum and good practices followed in the institution. Then, I met Ms Shalini Fate, the Primary-Years-Programme Coordinator. She was also good.   

Any features of the school that stood out for you during the visit?

Firstly, the curriculum. Secondly, the facilities that are made available for students. Lastly, all of this is supplemented by a splendid set of educators. So, it was a no-brainer.

Was the changeover of schools difficult for your kids?  

Not really. The British and International Baccalaureate curriculum have some similarities. So, they both picked it up soon.

Please share some developmental milestones of your children.

Prior to his enrolment in the school, Ahmed faced some difficulty while reading. Now he is improving steadily. In fact, he loves reading now. His mathematics skills have become better. He has improved in Science and is taking active interest to know more.

Maryam has enhanced her creative skills at Apeejay. She loves to paint. She was doing okay in other subjects before but now she is acing it. Besides, her interest towards sports has boosted. She is keen to learn basketball, taekwondo and much more.

Do you think holistic development is the need of the hour for children?

Yes. I believe in a balanced approach. Both my children must know and practice sports, music and arts but academic excellence must go hand-in-hand. Since they aspire to become doctors, I would advise them to focus on their studies more. The profession is not easy.

Would they be attending any foreign universities in the future?

Yes. I have plans to relocate back to Qatar. They can pursue their medical degree there. For a Masters qualification, they can target The United States or The United Kingdom.

Are they learning a foreign language in school?

They are learning French in school and Arabic at home. Besides, they are proficient in English and are picking up on Hindi now. I hope the knowledge of these four languages helps them in their future endeavours.

Would you recommend the school to others?

Apeejay is a great institution and its teachers are very dedicated. The environment of the school is ideal for a child’s growth. Also, the bridge between a teacher and a parent is strong here due to regular interactions and feedback. As a parent, I feel connected even if I am not able to visit the school often.