The Jaipuria group forayed into education in 1974 and runs some prestigious colleges and schools in Kanpur, Ghaziabad, Lucknow and other cities. How has been the journey in the education spectrum so far?
The journey so far has been progressive and indeed enjoyable. I believe that education is the strongest basis of empowerment which provides an opportunity to give back to society.
We started our journey with Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Kanpur in 1974 which was followed by schools in Ghaziabad, Lucknow and various other cities in UP &Uttarakhand. The experience has been extremely fulfilling and enriching. I am making all endeavors to realize the vision of my forefathers to create a suitable environment consistent with the ever changing paradigm of education.
With technology making our lives easier and replacing old teaching methods, in what ways has it shaped the teachers at your Institution?
Teachers at our institution are leading the change in using technology in the information delivery process.Seth Anandram Jaipuria School Lucknow hasbecome a Microsoft Showcase School and a Microsoft Aspire School with 39 teachers as Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts. It is the only school in Lucknow and amongst 200 schools in the country with this unique distinction.
The teachers at most of our institutions are enhancing their skill sets and enthusiastic to use technology as a part of everyday lessons. In many of our institutions, the teachers have been using Sway, Kahoot, One Note and Google Sheets to engage students and make learning fun.
We have virtual classrooms, Microsoft Certification, International knowledge exchange programs through Skype sessions, audio-visual teaching methodology and research based learning that allow students to participate in the learning process and explore out of the box solutions to every problem.
We believe that technology can be used as a tool to augment the conventional teaching practices, thereby making the learning process more interesting and engaging for students. Advanced technology is integrated in our classes through teaching aids such as Robotics and Collaboration with Khan Academy. The online resources of the Academy in different subject areas such as Chemistry, Biology and Physics are being used to complement classroom teaching, which in turn can help students to grasp the concepts better.
How far you have been successful in integrating it in the teaching-learning practices being followed at your institution?
I believe we have been quite successful. In many of our schools, technology is a part of everyday lessons. We have virtual classrooms, Microsoft Certification, International knowledge exchange programs through Skype sessions, audio-visual teaching methodology and research based learning that allow students to participate in the learning process and explore out of the box solutions to every problem.
Atal Tinkering Labs is operating in two of our schools where students can learn innovation skills and work on creative ideas for groundbreaking developments in different spheres.
What are the factors to look after while choosing the right partners in case of franchisee’s and getting the right faculty?
We believe in connecting with like-minded individuals having a vision towards nation building through education. Moreover, they need to have the infrastructural capabilities to open a school in specific cities.
The faculty at our schools is chosen based on their positive attitude towards education. Our faculty members also need to be technology friendly and experts in their specific subject areas.
People are moving towards private schools as government run schools are not able to provide quality education. How is Seth Anandram Jaipuria making a mark in this regard?
We are focusing all our efforts in providing high quality education to young learners to empower them so that they can contribute positively to the world around in different fields. This is reflected in our alumni who are placed all around the world in high-profile jobs.
We ensure that the teachers serving at our schools are the best in their fields in terms of experience as well as expertise. These mentors can make the teaching/learning process interactive and fun. We also provide the necessary independence to students from early on so that they are able to develop their personalities and know their inner strengths. In addition, we keep abreast of latest technological innovations and include the same in our teaching/learning format.
What is your take on Draft National Education Policy? In your opinion, what reforms are necessary to transform the school education system in the country?
I believe that the Draft National Education Policy has quite a few salient features to its credit. The focus on online learning as a substitute to regular classroom interaction between learners and teachers can reduce costs as well as make education more accessible.
I welcome the initiatives in the Draft National Education Policy for better engagement of the private sector. The proposed national research fund which aims to ensure provisioning for government funding for R&D work is another great initiative.
