07-10-2008, 02:28 AM
Deccan Chronicle, 10 July 2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Convent schools lose their sheen
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<b>The once-sought after convent schools of the city are losing out to high-profile "international" schools which offer everything from e-learning and skating to entrance coaching and air-conditioned classrooms. There was a time when everyone wanted to send their children to well-run convent schools, which were considered the perfect grooming arena for children. That is no longer the case.</b>
<b>This year, several convent schools of the city have experienced a drastic fall in the number of students seeking admissions.</b>Â "When I passed out from St Annâs High School in 2001, there were people rushing to get their children in," says Kavya Reddy, a former student. <b>"But when I recently visited the school I realised that the craze is gone. Convents are no more dream schools for many in the city."</b>
<b>In the past five years, several international schools have mushroomed in the city. Though these schools charge an astronomical annual fee, affluent families prefer to send their children there. Earlier, children from elite families were a fixture at convent schools. Now they troop to international schools, which promise a "corporate teaching pattern". This means easy transport, air conditioned classrooms, e-learning, swimming and more</b>. <b>Convents are facing tough competition </b>not just from international schools <b>but also from concept schools.</b>
There are many parents who dream of their kids making it to the IIT and these schools are feeding on this by offering IIT coaching from early days. <b>"There is much competition for IIT and other entrance exams these days and so I have put my daughter in a concept school,"</b> says Mr Ramesh Chandra, a parent.
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Maybe an end of an era! Finally the Raj is getting over.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Convent schools lose their sheen
Â
<b>The once-sought after convent schools of the city are losing out to high-profile "international" schools which offer everything from e-learning and skating to entrance coaching and air-conditioned classrooms. There was a time when everyone wanted to send their children to well-run convent schools, which were considered the perfect grooming arena for children. That is no longer the case.</b>
<b>This year, several convent schools of the city have experienced a drastic fall in the number of students seeking admissions.</b>Â "When I passed out from St Annâs High School in 2001, there were people rushing to get their children in," says Kavya Reddy, a former student. <b>"But when I recently visited the school I realised that the craze is gone. Convents are no more dream schools for many in the city."</b>
<b>In the past five years, several international schools have mushroomed in the city. Though these schools charge an astronomical annual fee, affluent families prefer to send their children there. Earlier, children from elite families were a fixture at convent schools. Now they troop to international schools, which promise a "corporate teaching pattern". This means easy transport, air conditioned classrooms, e-learning, swimming and more</b>. <b>Convents are facing tough competition </b>not just from international schools <b>but also from concept schools.</b>
There are many parents who dream of their kids making it to the IIT and these schools are feeding on this by offering IIT coaching from early days. <b>"There is much competition for IIT and other entrance exams these days and so I have put my daughter in a concept school,"</b> says Mr Ramesh Chandra, a parent.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Maybe an end of an era! Finally the Raj is getting over.