There was a time when the ‘existence of a school building’ was only an option, a concern matter and far enough for millennial parents to admit their children no matter whether the school had enough teachers and a good curriculum or not. But the mushrooming schools, along with their competitive facilities, amenities, and curricula, have created multiple options for parents in a way they have to think and consult with others in the education field.
‘Choosing Right School’ to admit children has been the talk of the town for today’s parents especially at the beginning of an academic year. And the topic is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a parent. “Decision making for sending your child-who you cared, loved, nurtured, fed for 24 hours by you, to school is not a simple job,” opines Durga Lamichhane, a mother of 4-year-old Sujata Upreti residing at White Gumba, Kathmandu. Since Lamichhane was influenced with the pedagogy of Bodhi Brikshya Shikshyalaya while taking an online course about Nepal’s education system, she was certain to admit her child in the school located at Sano bharyang, Kathmandu.
But it is not straightforward for every parent like Lamichhane. To help you make an informed choice, here’s a guide on how to choose the best school for your kids in Nepal.
Understand Your Child’s Needs:
Understanding your child’s needs, interests, and learning style is crucial in selecting the best school as every child is different. Parents are the first people who know well about how they can be trained, what they are more inclined in like arts, sports, or academics, whether their children can thrive in a structured traditional learning environment, or whether they flourish in a more creative, hands-on approach. Knowing these preferences will help narrow down schools that offer programs that align with your child's strengths and passions.
“It’s better to be late than enrolling your child in an inappropriate school ,” shares Lamichhane adding, “Although my daughter could speak, she couldn't make others understand about her need for being a toddler in the academic session in 2024. I was worried about how my child will communicate when she gets hungry, how she will react when she needs to urinate in school at first. After knowing that Bodhi Brikshya Shikshyalaya could meet her needs. I decided to proceed with her admission there. So, take time and send them to school only after ensuring that the school can fulfill their needs.”
School Location and Accessibility:
Proximity is a practical factor while choosing a school. The location of the school really affects a parent's daily routine, travel time, and convenience. Parents can consider how far they are willing to travel for school, whether the school has safe and reliable transportation options, and how safe and accessible the neighborhood is.
In search of reputed school, many parents these days seem to leave their children at the bus station for the school-buses to pick them up before school time. The waiting time and traveling time are wasted in school vehicles and traffic even the children reach school on time, which could be utilized with parents at home and with friends in school.
Mentioning that commuting far for the school means wastes of valuable time, Khadka suggests enrolling your children in the nearest possible place. She clarifies, “Either you are travelling via scooter, bike, car or buses, you get stuck in traffic which is so time consuming. So, it is not practical and appropriate to commute far for school. Parents can choose a good school among the better schools in their surroundings. Parents should not be influenced by others for admitting their children in the school.”
Edusanjal.com has made it easier to view schools’ locations along with their features.
Focus on Pedagogy over Curriculum
Shanti Khadka, principal of MidLand School at Kusunti, Lalitpur highlights, “School is not about teaching institutions only, it is an organization to grow up toddlers with good behavior, culture along with ultimate academic knowledge. So, focus on teaching-learning methods too while understanding about the school curriculum.”
In Nepal, schools typically follow the National Curriculum and align with the country’s national exams conducted by Nepal Education Board (NEB). There are few colleges adopting international curricula pedagogy such as Cambridge (IGCSE) or the International Baccalaureate (IB) which are helpful for the students aiming for higher education in international settings.
Lamichhane who believes in several methods of learning for the same curriculum shares, "I like the pedagogy at Bodhi Brikshya Shikshyalaya. I don’t like my child to sit for an examination in the traditional way and the school also follows a different pedagogy. Examination is taken based on children’s age, physical ability, children’s inclination/interest. For instance, the school expects students of Nursery to learn numerical counting from 1 to 15 only. The school teaches by observing where and how a child is enjoying learning. My daughter enjoys joining dots, so the school teaches by letting her join the dots.”
You can opt for Edusanjal.com for knowing which schools are providing what kinds of curricula in Nepal.
Facilities and Infrastructure:
A school’s facilities play a significant role in a child’s overall development. Parents must ensure whether the school’s modern and well-maintained facilities meet their child’s academic, physical, and emotional needs. So, parents need to look for Spacious classrooms, safe Playgrounds, Science labs, Libraries, and Computer labs, Sports facilities. Safety parts, including well-trained staff and proper infrastructure, extra-curricular facilities such as music rooms, art studios, and theater spaces can be observed by visiting the school.
Teacher Quality and Student-to-Teacher Ratio:
The quality of teaching staff is one of the most crucial aspects when choosing a school. A good school should have qualified, experienced, and passionate teachers who foster a positive and engaging learning environment. Parents need to know if the school has professional development programs for teachers or not, whether the student-to-teacher ratio is reasonable or not. In general, public-school teachers are trained frequently either by the school themselves or by collaborating with different volunteering organizations and teacher’s trainers’ entities like the Education Quality Improvement Programme (EQUIP).
Lamichhane who is satisfied for having one teacher and a sister in her daughter’s classroom, shares that some schools today like Bodhi Brikshya, Prabhat English Secondary School at Bhaktapur are adapting two teachers (one teacher and other assistant-teacher) for a class having 20-25 students to ensure students’ behaviors and learning at the same time.
School Reputation and Reviews:
While talking about reputation, parents must not forget that the reputed institution once may not be reputed at present. So, reviewing the school’s current status is also equally important after reviewing its past. Word of mouth can be the easiest and valuable resource when assessing the reputation of a school. Asking other parents, local community members, or even educational consultants for recommendations and feedback about different schools may help in knowing the school better. Other methods to review school are online reviews, ratings, or testimonials from current or former students and parents. Social media groups, educational guides like Edusanjal.com can also provide helpful information on the overall experience of the school.
Extracurricular Activities and Holistic Development
Beyond academics, extracurricular activities play an important role in a child’s development. Parents can consider the schools that offer a range of activities such as organizing educational tours, picnic, sports, music, dance, arts, drama, and clubs. These activities help children develop important life skills such as teamwork, leadership, time management, and creativity.
Affordability and Fees:
Education can be expensive, especially in private and international schools. But it doesn’t mean that expensive schools always ensure quality education, facilities and guide a better future for each child.
‘A’ grade scoring from the students studying in public and community is one of the best and challenging examples for the expensive private school vs public school. So, high-cost fees are not mandatory bases to evaluate the school as a right or inappropriate school for the parents. So, check the fee structure to ensure it fits within your family’s budget. Keep in mind that there may be additional costs for uniforms, textbooks, extracurricular activities.
