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Product of Govt. aided School, but does it matter?

I started my work life in an MNC, Tier 1 IT service provider. I worked with clients directly since I was able to understand and speak their 'accent'. My second employer is an Italian bank where both my Indian and Italian colleagues praised my spoken, never mind that I almost always fail to communicate. It is funny that I picked up the accent from American sitcoms and cartoons and didn't undergo any sort of training. I can hear you say "stop this nonsense bragging blog", I will after I manage to sell you the idea 'schooling is important, but schools or education boards are not'. 
But why now? why not 2011? when I got the job and the girl? Probably that is the highest point in my life why was not be boastful then! why now? - Again I'm not boasting I'm only trying to convince myself and you, of course. This idea had its inception long back, 2007 was my first year of college I was considered to have a fairly high standard of communication skill in comparison to most of my peers and this led many to believe I was from a convent. Obviously, to break the stereotype I came out with the truth and amazed everyone, there were always instances that kept me grounded like my inability to pronounce Peugeot or lack of vocabulary.

Good handwriting, good behaviour as defined by lectures, fair skin and facial features (which were denied to me) that shouts "educated" was genetically gifted to my classmate, who we will call Kandy, and she was considered to have the best vocabulary and spoken till Jan 2010. Communications skills lab try-outs was scheduled for Feb 2010, and that was my slam dunk. Everyone had to pick two topics Technical and Non-technical and speak about one and for try-out, this will be a rehearsal for the main that will fall on Apr 2010.

I picked a non-technical topic that I prepared - "Chennai" and went in swinging and came out glorious. Humour was my choice of tone, and it worked like magic, I made a gloomy professor laugh hysterically. Kandy did give a try out after me but didn't seem to take off after my routine at least that is what I heard from the boys. Such was my success, but I failed to replicate the same in the final since my devious mind made me pick a technical topic, I prepared "Smartdust", I cannot do humour and it flopped, nonetheless Feb 2010 carried me home.

In Jan 2011, I got the offer from Cognizant, which furthered my idea 'schooling is important, but schools or education boards are not'. If I tell the name of my college you'd not know it, hell it doesn't exist now, another college swallowed ours and we got re-brand and obtained 'deemed' university status and hence not under Anna University. And ours was the last batch that our degree from prestigious Anna University and not the shabby one that is run on same campus today! 'Deemed' university! more like 'Doomed university'.

So yeah, getting placement in an off-campus interview where all Anna University - Chennai students fight it out after studying in my college is sort of an achievement in itself. Especially since only 3 other students from my class managed to secure an offer from Cognizant, of the lot two were from CBSE and the other was an NRI. Ok, Shiva, you ask again, why brag now? Because the moral compass in me is going for a spin now, and the rpm is at record speed. More importantly, I'm trying to convince myself more now and not essentially you!

I recognise the importance of primary education, thank god my parents did too, they put me in Matriculation till 6th standard and I broke free after that and switched to State board which made sure I get minimal to no homework. But the first 8 years that I spent in Matriculation made sure I was able to read/write well without trouble. I know this difference all well since my peers in 7th standard did poorly and also most didn't know cursive; hell the teachers did not prefer cursive and they beat it out of me. But, the schooling was good, as the saying goes in Tamil, "படிக்கிà®± பிள்ளை எங்க இருந்தாலுà®®் படிக்குà®®்" meaning 'good students will learn irrespective of the place(/school)'. I dunno if I'm a good student, for sure I was considered one by my science teacher from 8th standard till 12th (7th standard was sort of gestation period).

You can consider me as that guy who goes under the radar nonetheless scores well, and this got me inducted to Aryabatta science club of the school, which earned library privilege and also trip to Kalpakkam Nuclear Power Plant. I found myself part of science exhibition organizing committees too because teachers found me handy as I was neither book worm nor naughty. Ahem, Shiva, so what was the conundrum? Dec 2014, I was blessed with a baby boy and soon enough I had to get him admitted to a school. 2017, I found myself following the order of my parents and got him admitted to the same matriculation school that I studied in, and it's a no brainer.

Jan 2018, NEET debate was heating up and it boiled and spilled over our lives. It was inconceivable a year back but it had happened anyway and my spouse got all heated up and declared our son will only study in a CBSE school. And so we found one, getting admission was tough, we had to jump thru hoops. But the education standard actual took a dip and this can be directly attributed to the school itself and not the board since there is not CBSE syllabus to follow till 1st standard and the school has to come up with something. The current academic year, which will end next month is the first CBSE experience for us, unfortunately, COVID made sure we get none!

But it was discouraging to see many other schools still finding ways to keep children engaged and tried to justify the tuition fee collected. And my son's school made no effort whatsoever, adding insult to injury they asked money to build "Ram mandir", and that was the last straw. I can take this no more, I knew the school was run by RSS and brahmins got priority admission. What I didn't know was that my son and other similar (non-brahmins) students who got admitted thru recommendation or quota was given a specific section to stick to, and for some reason, I tolerated this, maybe because I am convinced that my son deserved such treatment. No, no, actually they had a perfect explanation; Students admitted first are filled in A section then, B and so on; I guess that checks-out. Regardless the school standard is shit and I had to act, sooner the better.

And that my friend, that brings me to my belief, 'schooling is important, but schools or education boards are not'. During yoga classes in the matriculation school I used to fumble a lot since the instructions were given in English, I'd pretend to admit yoga is tough than admit I don't understand English. I picked up spoken English and consequently accent by watching cartoons at the age of 12-15, usually, children stop watching cartoons by 12-15, seems I'm different and I still watch cartoons. And I did attend a private institution that will improve my vocabulary and aptitude to better my chances at interviews, hmm, it seems I have conveniently hidden facts to further my argument. Maybe schools are important too!

Good thing my son will be studying in arguably the best CBSE school in the neighbourhood, which also promotes secular values, maybe he will not need additional coaching for vocabulary and will come out having better writing skills than I ever had! I was lucky in many ways, I studied in Govt. aided school that kept higher standards of education in comparison to government schools. I came from a family that believed in education over looks or money for that matter. Had family friends who supported my education even without asking for such help! It does matter that I'm from Govt. aided school since I went on to achieve things that are beyond the reach of the average student from my school. I was neither provided with a guidance counsellor in school nor a placement executive in college and I'd like to provide those support systems to my son.

If you can afford then put your ward in the best school; if you cannot don't fret - expensive doesn't always mean best. Make sure your ward is cared for at home and gets good company in school and college. Hmm, how quickly the tone changed! let me add a couple more, monitor your ward, the show they watch on TV, the game they play, the people they hang out with. And make sure children understand every rupee you earn is hard-earned and make them earn their lunch by completing their work.

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