Drained by 2 schools in Hyderabad Part II

Part II
Here is my check list for what we as parents should consider in the process of selecting a school for our children.
Lessons learnt:
a) Make a thorough study of the founders.
b) Know the set of parents that the management takes input from.
c) Understand all the powerful connections of the school – open or close your mouth accordingly.
d) If it’s the only branch than be aware of the syndrome of milking the cow dry.
e) Check on faculty/teachers/principal qualifications – demand to see the qualifications of the teachers as they demand ours during admissions. Find out why a school requires counselors for children as young as 10-11 years.
f) And a bit personal here – if you are a globally aware parent and bought up to respect only education & bringing up a globally conscious citizen then take a school that you feel comfortable walking in your pajamas and still get some respect.
g) In this rush to give our children a better schooling, let’s not overlook if the school & the eco-system around it (includes parents too) can instill fundamentals like openness, integrity, culture, honesty and simplicity.

Importantly, list out basic & a little more than basic amenities that you as a parent think your child requires. I have put an estimate for the fee structure in brackets, its a ball park figure. For example, under basic(~30K):
1) Good teachers, that is teachers with B Ed,M Ed or MS (for higher classes).
2) Well designed labs for sciences
3) Clean classrooms with practical benches & chairs.
4) Clean toilets
5) Simple lunch & Drinking water
6) Large Sports area for athletics & team games
7) Extra activities like painting & art.
8) One annual excursion.
9) A doctor/nurse and access to medical care
10) Decent buses for transport


Under mid-level luxury amenities(in addition to above)(~50k):

1) Special sports like tennis, skating, karate, swimming pool
2) Teachers with PhD’s for plus 2.
3) 2 long distance excursions in a year
4) Restrooms with lockers (for girls)
5) Audio-video class room for global conferencing with other schools
6) Participation in at least 2 international competitions.
7) Sculpture, piano, violin, guitar, sitar classes

Amenities that are a luxury(>1 lakh ):
1) Air-conditioned class rooms
2) Air conditioned buses
3) Designer furniture in class rooms
4) A maid for every class (after class 3)
5) Biometric attendance register for teachers/students
6) Audio-visual systems in every class room.
7) Dedicated computer for every child or e-notebook.
8) One or two international excursions from class 5
9) Special Tutors for children willing to pay extra.
10) Swanky buildings with mosaic flooring
11) Huge disco or musicals troops for events

make an educated choice, one that makes you comfortable not your neighborhood.