Jamshedpur: Two schools run by Narbod Educational Foundation - JH Tarapore School (Dhatkidih) and Tarapore School (Agrico) - won the coveted Dr JJ Irani Award for Excellence in Education at a function organised at Tata Auditorium in Jamshedpur on Wednesday.
Both the schools scored over 600 out of 1000 marks to claim the award institutionalised by the Tata Business Excellence Group under Tata Education Excellence Programme (TEEP) in 2003.
This was the 16th edition of the prestigious award. Earlier, only Kerala Samajam Model School and Baug E-Jamsheed School managed to win the award.
Tata Steel global CEO and MD T.V. Narendran, who was the chief guest at the event, presented the award modelled on the US Malcolm Baldrige Assessment System.
Calcutta-based academic and columnist Devi Kar, who is also the director of Modern High School for Girls, was the keynote speaker.
"There was quite a bit of reluctance when this award programme was established. Schools thought that the assessment would showcase their weaknesses more than their strengths. But today I think it has benefited the institutions, students and teachers. There are excellent schools amid us, but excellence is a journey," Narendran said.
Academic Kar stressed the importance of values, on ways to prepare students for the digital age and transformation of teachers.
"I have come across parents who are more concerned about which board is better but what's more important is the quality of education. A child should have the ability to succeed in Tokyo, Timbuktu and Tatanagar. Students should be caring and thinking beings. They should be offered a rich and strong educational foundation," Kar said.
Tata Steel vice-president (corporate services) Sunil Bhaskaran gave the welcome address while vice-president of Tata Business Excellence Group N.K. Sharan spoke on the journey of this programme.
In all, 50 schools in and around Jamshedpur participated in various TEEP programmes. They were assessed on several criteria, including leadership, strategic planning, student and parent focus, information and analysis, faculty and staff focus, process management and results.
Amy Billimoria, principal of Tarapore School (Agrico) and her counterpart in JH Tarapore School (Dhatkidih) Lata Sharat were ecstatic.
"We are a team that enjoys the fruit of our hard work. We will look at this trophy with immense pride. I thank the chairpersons of the school who gave us the freedom to do what we wanted. We have learnt so much as a part of this process and from our fellow principals as well," Billimoria said.
