The children of today are the future of tomorrow; thus, it is extremely important that they be empowered through proper teaching and guidance to enable them to play a pivotal role in the creation of a better tomorrow for the world. School plays a paramount role in child development.

A school’s fundamental responsibility to its students is typically considered to be academic, however, a school encourages children to engage in activities beyond academics. Schools aim to provide a nurturing environment for students to thrive which plays a vital role in the overall development of a child. Some areas in which school plays an important role in this aspect are:

1. Holistic Education:

Holistic education is a broad approach to teaching where schools develop the emotional, social and academic needs of students as an integrated learning setup. Emphasis is largely placed on positive school environments and providing overall support to students to become lifelong learners.

At the Gaudium, the holistic excellence pillar focuses on providing a joyful learning environment and diverse learning paths which help a child explore, experience, experiment and exhibit their learning which encourages them to take actions to make a difference to themselves and others.

2. Imbibing Values:

Instilling values in children is a foundation of every society. Nuclear living arrangements are becoming increasingly common around the world and social media platforms have transformed social connections. Hence, beyond academics, schools play a critical role in shaping children’s character and imparting the right values to ensure a better society and a better life for our young ones in the future.

At the Gaudium, core values pillar includes values like respect, empathy, integrity, gratitude and perseverance which resonate with our stakeholders and are instilled in every child to make the right choices and be responsible for their actions.

3. Overall Wellbeing:

Given that a child spends the majority of their day at school, schools become a remarkable place to offer a safe learning environment, creating an open space for students to explore, learn and grow. Schools motivate and engage students to be self-directed learners with a sense of autonomy, choice, and responsibility in their actions and take agency of their learning. Students are mentored to become successful leaders. To facilitate this process, it is essential for students to think beyond grades and acquire real-life skills and a broader outlook. Schools assist learners to develop skills that are needed not just for future jobs but also to aid them to navigate the nuances of everyday life.

At the Gaudium, the mindfulness and wellbeing pillar aims to foster positivity in life by being aware of one’s body, mind and feelings providing an enriching experience by enhancing the overall development including the intellectual, moral, emotional, social and physical development of the child.

4. Widening Horizons:

Schools can introduce a child to a myriad of opportunities, exposure to different cultures and identities, and help to shape their views of the world. Field trips and interactive projects let the student try out new things, as each different subject in school gives them a taste of what could await them in the future. As children get older, schools offer a variety of extracurricular opportunities to further cater to the student’s appetite for the future. These experiences help to develop a child’s interests, build self-esteem and shape the course of their later academic, professional and personal life.

At the Gaudium, the global leadership pillar provides opportunities and infrastructure for personal development with a greater perception of creating social impact from local to global communities.

5. Global Citizens:

Family, school and community are essential components of connection, resources, opportunities and learning for students. Schools are a source of inspiration and support for students to culminate their expertise in their careers and much more. Schools aim to provide students with a broader perspective on a wide range of aspects that affect society as well as challenge them to play an active and leading role in creating a better world.

At the Gaudium, the stakeholder pillar ensures that a student connects, communicates and collaborates with peers, teachers, parents and society at large to learn and grow in order to add values to the school culture and eventually become responsible global citizens who contribute towards positive change.

In conclusion, I believe that education in schools today is not limited merely to the acquisition of degrees, but as a gateway for overall development that can change the student’s lives for the better. Schools facilitate the cultivation of a healthy thought process and enhance the cognitive abilities of the child to help them become caring citizens of the world who will help create a better world through empathy and intercultural understanding to contribute towards further enrichment of the society.