‘This school teaches important moral values to the students’

For some parents choosing the perfect school for their child is not such an arduous task. All they have to do is to send their toddler to the school where they passed out from. More so, if the said school has a brand name, is in the centre of the city, and has great teachers. So, when it was time for Yatharth Puri to start his formal education his parents – Payal and Hemant Puri – sent him to the school from where they passed out – Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg.

“So, why and how did I choose Apeejay for my son? The answer is simple. Both my husband and I are alumni of Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg. Add to that, I went to Apeejay College of Fine Arts to pursue my graduation in BCom. I would say we are a family of Apeejayites. We live in a joint family, and two children from my in-laws’ side of the family were already studying at this school. There was no reason for us to look at any other school,” Payal said.

In an exclusive interview, this homemaker talks about how things have only got better at Apeejay since she passed out among other things.

You live in a joint family. How do you teach your son to share?

It is a tough lesson to teach. Toddlers these days are very smart. They have their comeback when you tell them that they must share – ‘You must share your things with me then’. Of course, as parents, we always tell Yatharth the need and importance of sharing things and the pleasure one derives when you share things. But the best thing is that the school also does the same. Sharing is caring are some things that the teachers inculcate in the students right from the start. They even teach other moral values.

How is your son doing now that classes are offline?

 I would say that he is doing very well in class. I am very satisfied with the progress that he has made now that he has started going to school. Parents play a role here but all the hard work comes from the teachers of this school. He participates in competitions and also wins many of them. His reading has improved drastically.

Did you have apprehension about putting your son in your school lest he gets an undue advantage?

That was always on the cards. And yes, he does have a slight edge over the other students since most of the teachers in the pre-primary section know me but not my husband — only senior teachers know him. But you have to see what is best for your child. The school has an excellent academic record and a brand name. I would want all the children to study at this school and take advantage of the excellent teachers here.

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I am very satisfied with the progress that he has made now that he has started going to school. Parents play a role here but all the hard work comes from the teachers of this school

–Payal Puri, Alumna of Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg & Apeejay College of Fine Arts and Mother of Student at Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg

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What are some of the activities that Yatharth participates in?

Almost all of them. Also, in the evening he goes to an extra language class. However, I was told that the school is soon going to introduce the concept for three compulsory languages – English, Hindi and Sanskrit/French. I would want this for my son. It is always an added benefit if you know an extra language.

What are some of the things that have changed from your time?

There are so many things. During our time, there was no concept of parent-teacher interaction. Today, if I have any queries, I have the teachers’ number which I can call. Also, the teachers themselves send updates regularly. I have better access to teachers as compared to my parents.

Is your perception of Apeejay different now that you are a parent?

Definitely. As a student you don’t notice a lot of things nor do they matter too much. But there were a few things that we got to hear. People thought that just because I was from Apeejay my nose was in the air and that the students of this school were snooty. But as a parent, I know that this is not correct. The school has students from all strata of society. This is good because it ensures that my son has no airs and understands that at the end of the day, we are all human beings.

Would you recommend Apeejay to other parents?

Yes, absolutely. The teachers here are so good. As first-time parents, we don’t know what techniques to use to teach our children at home. But the teachers send us guidelines and even demonstrate how we can make learning fun at home as well. Also, the school follows the Central Board of Secondary Education pattern. I know a few schools that are not doing this and the parents are very unhappy. I tell them, change your kids’ school to Apeejay and all will be good.