Choosing the right school for your child
H.S. Malhi
IT is the most difficult task for parents to choose a school for the admission of their child, mainly because there is no fixed criteria to evaluate a school. Parents must be wary of schools opened from the commercial point of view alone with no "school-based management". 

123 million kids left out of school, says UNICEF
S.C. Dhall
Some 123 million children will be left out as classrooms around the world open their doors for the start of the new school year, according to a report released by the UNICEF on September 16, 2003.

ADMISSION DEADLINE

Choosing the right school for your child
H.S. Malhi

IT is the most difficult task for parents to choose a school for the admission of their child, mainly because there is no fixed criteria to evaluate a school.

Parents must be wary of schools opened from the commercial point of view alone with no "school-based management". There are schools with one-man management and their sole aim is to use the profit for personal interests. They made big promises but on the ground there is hardly benefit given to the children and the staff of the school.

Now is the time when the parents must examine carefully the educational programme of a school before sending their ward there. They may apply the following criteria while evaluating a school for admission of their children.

Know your child first: The parents must know child thoroughly.

• Is your child in reasonably good health?
  
  

• How well does your child communicate through writing and speaking compared with other children of the same age?
  
  

• How much general knowledge does your child have?
  
  

• What moral values does your child have?
  
  

• The parents may ask the following questions with regard to the organisation of the school.
  
  

• How many principals has the school had in the past 10 years?
  
  

• Does the school ensure that student "learning" remains the key variable when making changes."

• What is the school’s home work policy?
  
  

• What is the policy with regard to physically challenged and gifted children?
  
  

• What special services does the school offer? Parents may like to know the special services or programmes given as under:-
  
  

1. Before school or after-school tutoring.

2. After-school childcare.

3. Healthcare-counselling.

• What is the policy regarding who may contact your child during school hours and after.
  
  

• Age — minimum and maximum.
  
  

• Entrance test.
  
  

• Health certification.
  
  

• Interview.
  
  

Curriculum:- What knowledge and skills should a student be learning in the school?:-

• How is the curriculum decided?
  
  

• How often are the curriculum and textbooks reviewed and updated?
  
  

• Does the school have a well-equipped library?
  
  

• How are the computers used for instruction?
  
  

• Does the school teach values?
  
  

Discipline:- Discipline is the basis of all receptivity. It is equally applicable to students, staff, parents and the management.

Maintenance:- Does the school budget allow for regular maintenance service and prompt repairs?

Parents Teachers Association (PTA):- To what degree does the school invites parents to help decide the budget, curriculum and other policies of the school.

• How well does the school communicate with parents through publications and media?
  
  

• How often are parents-teachers conferences scheduled?
  
  

• Is it possible to meet teachers at times other than scheduled conferences?
  
  

• Can you observe your child’s class in session? Some schools are reluctant to allow parents to observe their child’s class, other schools welcome an occasional classroom visit by parents. The parents have a right to visit their child’s classroom during school hours if they first notify the school office.
  
  

Security:- What is the school policy on security of students?

Classification of students:- How are students classified for instructional purpose based on IQ.

• How are students diagnosed as emotionally disturbed or learning disabled? What remedial measures are taken?
  
  

• Has the school the services of a trained counseller?

Teachers:- What is the school’s programme for staff development and continuing education for teachers.

• To be trained to use new teaching methods.
  
  

• To deal with problems that interfere with effective teaching and learning.
  
  

• To improve teachers ability to communicate effectively with students, parents and administrators.
  
  

• Are such subjects as music, art physical education, and health taught by specialists?
  
  

• Does the school have regular access to such professionals as librarian, psychologist, counsellor and nursing assistant.
  
  

• Are teachers aides available?
  
  

Transportation:- Transportation of children should be clear to parents with regard to charges and pick up points.

Finally, the parents must make their children understand that the money spent on their education is an investment and they have to ensure the return in terms of good results in academics.

123 million kids left out of school, says UNICEF
S.C. Dhall

Some 123 million children will be left out as classrooms around the world open their doors for the start of the new school year, according to a report released by the UNICEF on September 16, 2003.

The programme will enable students to examine the impact that communication technologies have on their right to give and receive information and on their right to education.

ADMISSION DEADLINE

Travel

Nov 7 Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GoI Undertkg), 5, Dr RN Tagore Rd, Near Dunlop Bridge, Kolkata 700056

www.grse.nic.in

Marine Engg Pre-Sea Trng (1-yr)Elig: BE (Mech, 50%)

Appln F: Send appln on plain paper with biodata of academic details, attested copies of mark-sheets and AICTE cert of college approval with rs 100/- by DD favouring "Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd", payable at Kolkata to Chief Manager (TTC) at above add.

Details: Employment News (Oct 11 - 17)/ website.

Oct 31 Madurai Kamaraj University, Directorate of Distance Education, Palkalainagar, Madurai 625021 (TN)

www.mkuniversity.org

IT Courses

1) MCA

2) MCA (Lat Ent, yr 2)

3) BCA

4) BCA (Lat Ent, yr 2)

5) PG Dip (Comp Appln, e-Com; 1-yr)

Professional Courses

MBA, Master of (Bank Mgt, Labour Mgt, Tourism Mgt; 2-yr), MA (Advt & PR; Journ & Mass Com; 2-yr), MLISc, BLISc (1-yr), BGL, B Hotel & Tour Mgt, MCom (Co-op Mgt) (2-yr).

UG Courses

BA (Hist, Eco, Pol Sc, Soc Sc, Eng Litt, Tam Litt); BSc (Maths); BCom; BBA.

PG Courses

MA (Hist, Eco, Pol Sc, Pub Admin, Eng Litt, Tam Litt, Gandhian Thought, Philo & Relig, Sociol); MSc (Maths, Phys, Chem); MCom.

MPhil

Tamil, Eng, Hist, Eco, Commerce, Pol Sc, Pub Admin, Labour Studies, Public Admin (Eng & Tam Med), Entrepreneurship, Educn, Maths, Gandhian Thought, Sociol, Tourism, Telugu, Comp Sc, Mgt, Hindi.

OUS

Introductory, Pre-Foundation, Deg, PG Courses.

PG Dip (Mgt, Journ & Mass Com, Mktg Mgt; 1-yr);

PM & IR (2-yr), Hosp Mgt, NGO Mgt, PR Mgt, Entrepreneurship.

Dip (Labour Law & Admin Law, Astrol, Saiva Siddh, 1-yr)

Cert in Lib Sc (3-mth); French (6-mnth).

Details: Web.

Nov 17 Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, New Delhi 110069

www.upsc.gov.in

National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Exam (I) 2004

Elig: Unmarried males. Age: Born bet Jan 2, ‘86 - Jul 1, ‘88.

For Army Wing: 10+2.

For Air Force, Naval Wing & 10+2 (Exec Br) Course at Naval Acad: 10+2 (Phys & Maths).

Selectn: Written Test (Apr 4 ‘04).

Appln F: At HPOs/POs: Rs 20/- (cash).

Details: Employment News (Oct 18 - 24)/ website.

Nov 28 Indian Army, Additional DG of Recruiting, Rtg TGC Entry, AG’s Br, Army Hqrs, West Block-III, R K Puram, New Delhi 110066

www.joinindianarmy.nic.in

1) Technical Graduates Course (TGC)

(a) Engg Grads for Corps of: i) Engineers, ii) Signals,

iii) Electron & Mech Engineers; iv) Armoured Corps; v) Artillery; vi) AD Arty; vii) Infantry; viii) Intelligence Corps

(b) PG (Non-Engg) for Army Educn Corps (AEC)

2) SSC (Tech) Course

For Corps of: a) Engineers, b) Signals, c) Electron & Mech Engineers

Selectn: Group Tests, Psychol Tests, Interview & Medical Exam

Details: Employment News (Oct 18 - 24).

Nov 12 University of Rajasthan, Faculty of Fine Arts, Gandhi Nagar, Jaipur - 302004 (Raj)

Dip in Theatre, Film & TV Tech (DTFTT)

Elig: 10+2.

Selectn: Entr Test (Nov 16)

Appln F: Send Rs 350/- by DD fvg the "Coordinator, Entrance Test, DTFTT, Jaipur" with self-add env to above add.

Details: E-mail: seedlingacademy@hotmail.com.

Nov 30 Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD), B-41, Institutional Area, New Mehrauli Rd, New Delhi 110016

www.istddiploma.org

Dip in Training & Development (18-mth).

Elig: Bachelor’s Deg+2-yr wk ex in Trng/ HRD or PG Deg/ Dip.

Appln F: Send Rs 200/- by MO/ DD fvg "ISTD (Diploma Programme)" payable at New Delhi to above add.

Nov 30 Indira Gandhi National Open University, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi 110068

www.ignou.ac.in

OPENMAT-XV

For admission to MBA; Dip in Mgt; PG Dip (Mgt/ HRM/ Fin Mgt/ OP Mgt/ Mktg Mgt)

Elig: UG Deg+3-yr wk ex or BE/ BTech/ MBBS/ BArch/ LLB or CA/ CS/ CWA or PG Deg. Non-grads with 6-yr ex elig for DIM. No age bar.

Test: Feb 1, ‘04 (at 160 centres).

Appln F: Send Rs 550/- by DD fvg "IGNOU" payable at your city by Nov 10.

Details: Website.

Jan 5 ‘04 Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research, L. Napoo Road, Matunga, C. Rly, Mumbai 400019

www.welingkars.org

PGDBA; PGPeB (2-yr, FT)

Elig: Bachelor’s Deg (50%).

Selectn: Scores in: WAT/ XAT/ MAT, GD, Interview, Mgt Games, Psychomet Tests.

Appln F: At desig Central Bank of India branches or apply online.

Details: Website.

Nov 30 The Director General, Bureau of Police Research & Development, M/o Home Affairs, Block No 11, 4th Fl, CGO Complex, Lodhi Rd, New Delhi-110003

www.bprd.org

Fellowship for Doctoral Wk in Criminol & Police Sc

Elig: Regd/ registering for PhD with Master’s Degree (Criminol/ Sociol/ Soc Wk/ Psychol/ Soc Anthropol/ Public Admin/ Pol Sc/ Law, 55% agg) and Bachelor’s Degree (II div) in the above subj.

Appln F: Send self-add unstamped envelope (28 cm x 12 cm) to above add or download from website.

Oct 28 Panjab Univ, Chandigarh, D/o Correspondence Studies

(0172) 2534302

BA/ BCom/ MA (Eng, Hin, Punj, Pol Sc, Hist, Eco, Public Admin, Sociol)

PG Dip (Health, Family Welfare & Populn Educn; Mass Comm)

Dip (Stats)

BLib & Info Sc

MCom

MFC

MEd

Oct 30 Cert (Vivekananda Studies)

Appln F: Send Rs 260/- by DD fvg "Registrar, Panjab University, Chandigarh", payable at Ch’garh.

Nov 29 Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani 333031 (Raj)

www.bits-pilani.ac.in

A) Off-Campus Distance Learning & Collab Progs (2nd Sem 2003-’04):

Integrated First Degree Progs: BS 1) Engg Tech;

2) Info Sys

Hr Degree Progs :MS 3) Software Sys;

4) Mfg Mgt

B) Regular Progs (2nd Sem 2003-’04):

Integrated First Degree Progs: BE, BPharm, MSc, MMS, MSc (Tech)

Hr Degree Progs: ME (Chem, Civil, Comm Engg, Comp Sc, Mech, Software Sys), MPharm.

Appln F: Send Rs 500/- (for Regd parcel post)/ Rs 600/- (for Regd letter/ Speed Post) by DD fvg "Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), PiIani", payable at State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, Pilani (Code: 1398)/ UCO Bank, Vidya Vihar, Pilani (Code: 0150), to the ‘Admissions Officer’ (for A)/ ‘Dean, DLPD’ (for B) at above add. Mention name & code of prog, your name & add with Pin Code, desired despatch mode & details of DD.

Details: Website.