Eyeing long-term goals: Governor Gandhi

The heads of more than 140 Anglo-Indian schools in the country will discuss over the next three days ways to tackle challenges in the contemporary education system.

Among the most pressing issues that will keep the principals busy at their 87th annual conference are the increasing anxiety among students for a better future, lack of proper guidance and growing competition.

“We need to address these issues urgently as they are causing tension among teachers, students and parents.... The suggestions of the principals will be conveyed to the school managements, education boards and governments,” said a principal.

Terence Ireland, the general secretary of the state chapter of the Association of Heads of Anglo-Indian Schools, said the inputs of the participants will help make the education system followed by these institutions more relevant following the changes in every sphere of life.

The principals will also discuss the impact of the Right to Education Bill.

“The bill puts a lot of responsibility on all schools. We will discuss its impact on Anglo-Indian schools,” said Gilian Rosemary Hart, the principal of Welland Gouldsmith School and vice-president of the association’s state chapter.

Inaugurating the four-day conference at La Martiniere for Boys, governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi urged the principals to encourage students to achieve “long-term goals” instead of only preparing them to score high marks in board exams or crack competitive tests.

“I understand you have to prepare students for exams.... Yet, the biggest challenge is that we do not know what are we really preparing them for,” the governor said.