There’s a need to highlight schools as thought leaders!

Certification generally helps in increased credibility for school and furnishes information about what steps are being taken by other schools for child’s development. Here, Nidhi Bansal, Pro-Vice Chairperson, Pacific World School, shares her views on school certifications by government bodies and ministries.

TPS: A number of organizations have engaged themselves in certifying the quality of a school through some standardized systems. Do you think it is necessary for a school to get certified for quality through an external agency? How does it help the school in real terms?

Nidhi: The schools are institutions of not only providing knowledge to the students but also teaching them its right application. While external agencies are engaged in making standardized systems to set out some common parameters for comparison of different schools, the important aspect to be taken into consideration is each child’s willingness. Every school has its own set of methods to develop and nurture this willingness. Certification by government bodies and ministries is deemed to be mandatory, however getting certified by external agencies is an option for schools. Certification generally helps in increased credibility for school and furnishes information about what steps are being taken by other schools for child’s development.

TPS: Do you think that procedures established through quality audit of the schools are just time-specific for a given period and do not get reflected in real terms in the school activity profile?

Nidhi: A lot depends on the interval at which quality audits are taking place. The school evaluation frameworks are necessary to monitor the developments in school as per changing society and technological standards. The procedures do get reflected in the school activity profile if proper assessment and evaluation is carried out.

TPS: Many institutions seek awards and certifications through certain commercial modes. Such references to quality of a school normally appear to be fake. Do you think such brandings last long? Do you think a school needs branding for growth?

Nidhi: The effect of these brandings cannot be completely declared null and void for school’s image, as they have short-term effects. Schools do need support from branding as the parents today are advanced in their search for schools through digital medium. These branding opportunities help us to some extent in gaining attention and trust from the parents. Although, the school’s reputation majorly depends on the nature of bond developed between students and teacher and the students’ increased learning capabilities.

TPS: Advertising and Branding exercises are being done by a number of schools just like a commercial enterprise. It also draws a sizable investment. Do you think branding and advertising interventions either for promotion of a school or to increase its strength necessary?

Nidhi: In the present scenario of cluttered and abundant information, advertising and promoting schools is necessary. It not only helps the school in standing out from the rest, but is also helpful in spreading the word about different initiatives being taken by school for the students, parents and teachers. Highlighting these efforts is important for the schools presentation as thought leaders in the welfare of all members involved.

TPS: What are the key initiatives of a school to ensure their quality and to spread the message of quality through their own students and teachers?

Nidhi: The key initiatives of a school to ensure their quality through the audits we conduct by the various teacher trainings, internal and external. Also, we have associated ourselves with a few external institutions to enrich and expand the curriculum in academic and non-academic subjects.

The key initiatives of a school to ensure their quality through the audits we conduct by the various teacher trainings, internal and external. Also, we have associated ourselves with a few external institutions to enrich and expand the curriculum in academic and non-academic subjects.

Nidhi Bansal is Pro-Vice Chairperson, Pacific World School. Learn to adapt, adapt to learn, that’s the motto Nidhi lives by. She has been exposed to various cultures that enables her to offer diverse ideas, posses openness to new perspectives, helps her link disparate ideas to generate new ones. Various forms of multicultural exposure have strengthened her creativity and enabled her to identify the strengths and flaws of our education system.

She has graduated as a psychology honours student from Delhi University and MBA in human resources from Central Queensland University, Australia.

Nidhi brings with her years of rich corporate experience in international firms in India and abroad.