‘The teachers are excellent at this school’

For the parents of Nihan Jaiswal, who is in the nursery at Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park, the priority was to look for a school that was close to home. Since they live in South Delhi, it was a no-brainer for them to choose Apeejay – the school is within walking distance.

“As parents, you want the best for your child and go out of your way to provide the same to him/her. Of course, you don’t always get what you want but you make sure that at least he/she gets the best education. When it came to looking for a school for Nihan, we wanted a school that provided holistic development of the child and we heard that Apeejay does this the best,” Ram Kumar said. And after working for 15 years in the corporate sector ventured on his own and has a start-up consultancy of his own.

Had you heard of Apeejay?

Living in South Delhi it is difficult to not have heard the names of the top schools in the area. We did a bit of research and found that the school has good teachers, the infrastructure is excellent, and offers co-curricular activities. Most importantly, we could be in the school, if need be, in a matter of minutes.

What is the teaching methodology?

I think it is very good. I was not looking for a school that would stress out the kid from the nursery itself. I didn’t want a school that would burden Nihan with schoolwork, leaving very little time for him to pursue other activities. So far, things have been going good and I hope it will continue to remain so.

Some parents insist on putting pressure on kids from the word go. Is that correct?

It depends on the parents. Each parent wants different things for their kids. As I said, I was not looking for a school that would burden my child. Slow and steady wins the race. A student in the nursery is just learning the ropes. Burdening him can put him off school. I don’t want that to happen to my child.

There will come a time when we may have to tell him to get serious about his studies but at present, it is too early and we are happy with whatever he has learnt so far.

You have a start-up that keeps you busy; how do you develop a bond with your son?

Yes, some days are challenging and leave me with little time to spend with Nihan. But there are a few things that I make sure of. The weekends are his; this is the time that we spend together. On weekdays, even if I get an hour, I spend that time listening to what he is saying. This is also the time that I tell him the importance of good manners and how to behave in public.

Parents need to spend time with their children to understand what he/she is trying to communicate. It is necessary to participate in whatever they are doing. This is the easiest way to develop a rapport and connect with them. Don’t spend time talking to the child; it is important that you get to know him rather than he gets to know you.

What are some of the values that you would want your son to learn?

The most important lesson for him to learn would be how to behave socially. He should learn how to be a good human being. He must also learn how to respect people – be it school, or any other place. Knowing and practicing basic hygiene is just as important.  

What are some of the things that he has picked up since going to school?

We did send Nihan to a play school and he was there for over a year; he did pick up a few things there. And since then he has only improved. He is intelligent and picks up things fast. I have received good feedback regarding his progress and I am happy with that.