We will be featuring a regular column by Nalini Parthiban, former principal of Vana Vani Matriculation Higher Secondary School, one of the few heads of institutions who placed integrity, decorum, compassion and love for students before anything else. No wonder, she was invited by the Hon’ble President of India along with her students for the swearing-in-ceremony.

‘There was a time when a school was identified as qualitative if the head of the institution was strict and domineering-but learned, wise and venerable and governed the school with an iron hand, enforcing discipline under the threat of stringent punishments. Though the head is still expected to be learned and wise, thankfully, the other grim prerequisites have gone into oblivion. Now schools are rated on different criteria. Heads of institutions have to play various roles depending on the Management, the Board, the parent clientele and the locality of the school,” she says. Indeed times are changing. Are the heads of institutions willing to go for a makeover?

Schools in fact exist due to the patronage of the citizens of the society and not vice versa. This is true even for private schools that thrive due to the benefaction of the elite and the rich.  It is an era of communication, networking and friendship that we are living in. While in western countries, the teachers are evaluated on the basis of feedbacks from the students, in our city; we are still living in fear of principals and teachers. Eve’s Times urges parents to write about their experiences with heads of institutions as well as teachers who are insensitive. After all, if the school ambience is one of friendliness and camaraderie, most of the stresses and strains that afflict our student community can be mitigated, given the fact that we are already saddled with a befuddled generation straddling western and Indian cultures!

We also urge parents to write about how the course of their child’s life was changed due to the influence of a good teacher, or other experiences that can be a lesson to the teaching fraternity. Such an interactive column will definitely make the heads of institutions sit up and introspect. After all, we are only extending our hands of friendship. Let every child experience and cherish an unforgettable childhood. Indeed, we owe it to our children!
We will be featuring a regular column by Nalini Parthiban, former principal of Vana Vani Matriculation Higher Secondary School,