You have gained a long experience in education sector and are currently leading Kautilya Global School that advocates progressive education for the 21st century. Mass of the people has not understood about progressive education. Could you share with us what progressive education is?
Progressive education is an activity-based learning approach. An appropriate learning environment is a must to acquire real learning. Only bookish knowledge is not the benchmark for the evaluation of overall learning achievement. So, in progressive education, learning environment is created by identifying inborn aptitude of learners. It is a continuous learning and assessment process that focuses on the learners’ multiple capabilities and unique aptitude. In this approach, co-curricular and extracurricular activities and conducts are the part of study. The inborn prodigy, capability and performance of the learners are measured to reach a conclusion of actual achievement. The learning achievement is reflected through the overall performance of the students.
In the recent days, a widespread discussion has been made on progressive education in Nepal that best suits in the 21st century. In this regard, what progressive approaches have you adopted for this kind of program?
We have prepared all pre-requisites for progressive education, such as physical infrastructure, curriculum and human resource development and management. Our goal is to make our school completely progressive by the end of academic session 2080BS. The school has prepared all sorts of requisites to run class from Play Group to Grade Five in a progressive model by the start of this academic year. Similarly, the syllabi of Grades 6 and 7 are almost ready. We are working on accomplishing our mission which adheres to the development of syllabi for Grades 8, 9 and 10 gradually.
The curriculum of Kautilya is designed in such a way that explores multiple intelligences of our children. We focus on both co-curricular and extracurricular activities as part of learning and have managed to recruit renowned national figures from different genres, such as games, sports, dance and music, arts, Scouts and so on with a view to explore the hidden capabilities of our learners. Additionally, power point presentation, field visit, problem-solving sessions, virtual way of sharing ideas etc. are some activities carried out involving students in the classroom and beyond. We transfer knowledge and focus on implementing it in real practice. For an instance, if we are to teach about the Bagmati River, we take them to the origin place of the Bagmati River across Chovar and inform them that pollution is created due to human activities. Hence, such type of practical orientation enables our students to explore possible ways to make the river pollution free. Regarding teaching culture, we teach core value and make them able to reflect through behavior. So, knowledge, skill, culture and technology are incorporated in the progressive education syllabus of Kautilya.
What suggestions would you like to convey to the parents and the students and readers of this magazine as the Principal of Kautilya School?
Kautilya School is the centre for progressive education. We are spearheading the mission of preparing independent learners who will later become responsible citizens. To corroborate our mission, we offer education that incorporates knowledge, skills, technology and culture. Similarly, education is fully technofriendly. Progressive education is relatively expensive but it is life-changing. Our mission is to produce the 21st century’s techno-savvy, which is only possible through progressive education. Our mission can be successful only when we establish a cordial relationship among the parents, students and well-wishers. So, I would like to convey a message to our valued parents, students and well-wishers as the Principal that Kautilya is always committed to accomplishing its mission together.
