NEW DELHI: There is a never-ending struggle of the parents to get the right school for their child. In the last few years, there has been a tremendous spike in the number of admissions in the schools of the NCR region and parents are going an extra mile to get admissions in schools in Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad. Some are even buying properties in these areas so that their kids can easily travel a few kilometres and get the best education.
"The reason for the rising popularity of the schools in NCR region is because the private schools in Delhi are in very poor financial health, given that most of them have had no fees increase in the last six years and with the pay commission revision, the salaries have almost doubled over this period. The quality across Delhi schools is consistently and continuously deteriorating. On the other hand, there are several schools in Gurugram and Noida offering a more progressive and relevant curriculum with much better facilities and infrastructure. For any Delhi parent, these schools offer a much better option," says Manit Jain, Co-founder, The Heritage School.
He further added, "Greater autonomy to schools and lesser interference by the government in NCR schools are some other reasons that lead to providing a better quality of instruction, better infrastructure, 21st-century skills-focused curriculum, to the students. Delhi has always been in an over-regulation mess which is why we do not see good school operators, wanting to open schools in Delhi."
According to Harish Sanduja, Director, Schools, Seth, Anandram Jaipuria Group of Educational Institutions, "The classroom experience of a child is a very important aspect of education. So, if the school is good and students get to learn critical aspects, then distance is not a hurdle for children and their parents."
As far as parents are concerned, they are leaving no stone unturned to ensure their child gets the best education even if that requires them to travel a little more. With the advent of the fourth Industrial Revolution and the NEP clearly acknowledging that the traditional education system will not be very effective in the coming times, parents are no longer satisfied with the conventional/traditional ways of schools in imparting education. Some parents also feel that if the school offers exceptional facilities and practical learning atmosphere/experiential learning, they wouldn't mind an extra travel time for their children.
"I strongly believe that education is not expenditure but an investment. So, distance is not a major concern if our children can go to a good school that offers great infrastructure and learning experience," said one of the parents whose child goes to Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Ghaziabad.
Another parent said, "The schools in Delhi have become very congested and the playgrounds are shrinking. As my children are sports enthusiasts, I prefer sending them to NCR schools as they offer large playgrounds and playing areas."