The key to good education delivery is in the hands of the teachers. Thus the first and foremost need of a good school is to have a Teacher Development Program. It is imperative the schools invest in teacher training as their number one priority. We need heart and soul, and not just brick and mortar to make a great school. Teachers are the most important asset of any good school, and there is need to help them, empower them and give them the best for their career development. When the teachers enter a school their first goal is their career, today this is an important need a management with vision must fulfill. A school that offers good training, will have lower attrition rate and this in turn will help offer better education. Please note there is enough evidence to show that it is 'not money alone' that makes people happy.
Need for good systems and effective use of technology is another way to help schools build quality. Teaching and learning is fun with audio, video and digital delivery. We can make the classroom an exciting and fun place, in addition we must use IT (Information Technology) to help deliver better processes. When we put in place good processes and and systems, the work environment will improve, there will be more accountability and better time management. The schools have a lot of administrative work and this makes the life of the teacher, the management, the parents and more so the students difficult. Reports, record keeping, accounting, transport management all make running the school a complex exercise. We have today reasonably priced solutions and school management software makes life easy for all at school. Find the best solution and deliver better with good systems.
The third and another very important element is the Scholarship Program in a school. Education is only complete if it is inclusive, secular and affordable. We can only build a nation by having good schools that bring together children and young people from all communities and groups aboard one ship. When in uniform all children may look the same, but it is imperative that a school accepts children not only on the ability to pay the fee but with a larger motive of laying the foundation of a good nation. The success of institutions the world over rests on the ability to find the best talent. To build the brand of the school there is the solid need for having a good Scholarship Program. The awarding of scholarships must be done by partnering with the community and should be need as well as merit based. First need and then merit, as often the challenge of going to school comes before the challenge of building a meritocracy.
Training, having good systems and scholarships are the three key elements for quality delivery in a good school. From high end modern city schools to rural schools, all need to move from 'good to great' and this will only happen when we embed the three winning elements in the vision and mission of the school.
Sandeep Dutt
Chairman and Executive Director Bhadrajun Artisans Trust
