‘This school strives to make one a good human being’

A good school and education provide a foundation for acquiring knowledge, critical thinking skills, and personal development. While education empowers people to make informed decisions, pursue meaningful careers, and become active, responsible members of society, expresses Mushtaq Patel whose daughters Alisha and Alina study in class I and IX respectively at Apeejay School, Nerul. 

Excerpts from the interview 

Why did you select Apeejay as an admission choice for your children? 

I recall that we did some research and took recommendations from friends and family and came to know that this school is one of the best in Navi Mumbai. Based on this, we shortlisted this for our children. Besides that, the school infrastructure is superb and extremely student-friendly. 

How are the teachers here?

As everyone knows Apeejay is known for the high-quality education it provides. So far my experience has been great with all the teachers at this school. Since my youngest daughter is at the primary level and the elder one is at the senior elementary level, we have communicated with a different set of teachers during regularly held PTMs. I must say the interaction is very satisfying. Apart from that, the teachers also communicate through WhatsApp groups where they share progress reports of the child.

How has the school journey been so far for your kids?

So far, it’s quite enjoyable for the younger one since she is just in I standard. There is a lot of learning for her through various activities that are organised at the school. Moreover, she loves all her teachers. The elder one is also well taken care of by her teachers here.

How are the extracurricular activities here?

So Alina has been avidly into archery since she was in class IV which she is continuing and enjoys a lot. The younger one, Alisha is enrolled in Taekwondo and she loves it. I am glad that both of them have picked their respective interests. Studies-wise, Alisha enjoys all the subjects and Alina has developed a strong inclination for science. 

Is there any tension already building up for upcoming Boards? 

Not really. My daughter has excelled in all her subjects so far and is a bright child so as of now we have not seen any stress building up. She has also cleared the first round of the Homi Bhabha examination held in Mumbai.

Describe your parenting style. 

We, as parents, don’t like to force too much and always strive to make studies enjoyable for them. Both my wife and I are PhD holders, so we aspire to inculcate studious values in our children. Apart from that, we believe in providing all kinds of resources they ask for related to academics without any undue pressure on them. 

How has Apeejay influenced your children positively?

Definitely yes. In the younger one, we have noticed that she has become outspoken and her social interaction skills have expanded which weren’t there before going to the school. The elder one is anyway quite talkative and is active socially. 

How much do you agree with the adage – that school is the second home for a child?

Absolutely. A child spends most of the time of their day in school, hence it has a lot of impacts not only study wise but also in helping to build a strong character – personally, socially, and emotionally. In Apeejay particularly, they teach students a lot of moral values to make them good citizens and this I can already see in both my daughters.