‘This school has laid a strong academic foundation for my daughter’

Parents have an uphill task when it comes to looking for the perfect school for their children. They make a checklist and ensure that the school they choose makes a tick mark against all their wants. But two things that parents never compromise on are the reputation of the school and proximity to where they live. The same was true for Anuj Gupta who works with an MNC bank – Royal Bank of Scotland – which is in Gurugram.

“When I was looking for a school for my daughter, Avnika, who has now gone to class 1 at Apeejay School, Saket everyone told me that this school had the best teachers. The fact that this school was near to where we live clinched the deal for us,” Gupta said.

Excerpts from an interview.

Why is it so important for parents that the school be near their homes?

Gone are the times when the city was a safe place. Today, anything can happen at any time. As parents, it is our priority that we can reach our child in the shortest possible time in case there is an emergency. Having a school nearby ensures that we can reach them quickly. Not knowing what the situation will be while one is driving a distance can be nerve-wracking.

I would say that a lot of credit has to be given to them, especially Avnika’s nursery teacher – Lakshmi ma’am. She is fantastic. She is the reason why my daughter is so good with whatever she does academically today

–Anuj Gupta, Father of Student at Apeejay School, Saket

How is your daughter doing with schools going offline?

My daughter is extremely intelligent and loves to learn new things. This was even when she was in the nursery. When she was in KG she wanted to know what ‘capital city’ means. When I explained it to her, she learnt all the state capitals of India. Besides the things that are taught in class, she loves to read and learn new things. She can recognise the make of the car by just looking at its logo. There are so many similar things that she has learnt in the last couple of years.

How much credit can be given to the Apeejay teachers?

I would say that a lot of credit has to be given to them, especially Avnika’s nursery teacher – Lakshmi ma’am. She is fantastic. She is the reason why my daughter is so good with whatever she does academically today. This teacher made sure that each student’s foundation was crystal clear.

To give an example. When she was in the nursery, I was trying to teach her and told Avnika that she had done the question incorrectly. But she explained to me very clearly why she was right. And when I cross-checked I found that she was correct.

Would you recommend Apeejay to other parents?

Absolutely. There is no way that I won’t tell others how good this school is. It has the perfect blend of academics and extracurricular activities. But the one thing that no school I think can compete with is the excellent teachers this school has; they are amazing. They respond to our queries immediately. There have been times when I have sent a text late at night and I have received an immediate reply.

What are some of the activities in which your daughter loves to participate in?

She loves to speak. Give her any topic and she can talk about it for hours on end. She loves to debate. Even her teachers say that the minute you put her on the stage and she can speak with lots of confidence.

You have a nuclear family. How do you teach your child to respect the elders?

Right from the start, we told her that she has grandparents and she must give them due respect. She ensured that she developed a bond with them. They speak with each other at least two-three times via video call. She knows that dada-dadi se baat karni hai. With love comes respect. Since she is so fond of speaking she has no issues there.

Do you think parents are more hands-on today?

I would not agree, at least not in my case. My father was very strict and brought us up with a lot of discipline. He made sure that we studied well so that we could do well in our professional careers. I think that is why I am so particular when it comes to Avnika.