It’s perhaps the only school in the country where teachers don’t remember ever asking students to “keep quiet”. “Noise is a form of conversation and a way to exchange and learn,” clarifies a teacher. Children are only advised, politely, to keep a check on the decibel levels. Conversation, be it in the form of what is traditionally called noise, provides an outlet for the child’s creative talent. And the school stands to promote creativity amongst children.

This is the Loreto Day School at Sealdah, near Kolkata, which was established in 1857. This large English-medium school for girls has as many as 1,500 students enrolled at any given time. Given its current strength of students, on any day, between class-breaks the atmosphere is both eclectic and noisy. In a caste- and status-conscious society, the school has pioneered an educational process where children from both ‘have’ and ‘have-not’ families play and study together as equals.

Ever since Sister Cyril took over as Principal in 1979, the school attained dizzy heights in imparting inclusive quality education. Loreto challenges fixed notions of ‘school’ and its structures by seeking to leave out a set of values which continually challenges parents, teachers and pupils of the school. While acclaimed as a school for ‘privileged young ladies’, it has also helped many poor girls acquire an otherwise inaccessible education.

Every child in the school has an equal right to flourish as a complete human being. It is of note that in this school a child’s identity is considered her central identity — her gender, caste, religion, economic strata are all irrelevant.

In the process, Loreto has demolished many myths, including the assumption that only a well-off child has the right to education. The myth that a poor child cannot cope with English medium is countered by ensuring quality of teaching. The widespread belief that the poor child will pull down the standards of the school has been proved irrelevant. And, finally, the myth that good academic result is the sign of a good school is presumptuous.

A good school should be ‘good news’ for all, argue the teachers in one voice.

The writer is Director, The Eco-logical Foundation, New Delhi

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