SHARING AN INSPIRING AND EVENTFUL JOURNEY OF MRS. ALKA KAPUR, - A PASSIONATE EDUCATIONIST, EDULEADER AND PRINCIPAL OF MODERN PUBLIC SCHOOL, SHALIMAR BAGH DELHI.
A crusader for education: My K-12 journey
My career
I think it is my passion for teaching, more than anything that has defined my career as the Principal of one of India’s most highly regarded schools. I always wanted to be a teacher – even when I was too young to know what the job entailed. I just loved sharing the gift of knowledge and even though I am a Principal now and my responsibilities mostly revolve around administration, I still love to teach whenever I get a chance.
I started my career as PRT (English) and was promoted to the position of Head Teacher and then the Principal in the year 2000. As the Principal of this prestigious school,
I have always tried to make the teaching-learning process as convenient and efficient as possible. There is great potential for the growth and development of the education system in our country, and we can unlock that potential by leveraging cutting-edge technologies. I have given 32 years of my life to this cause, and I will happily continue to do so to ensure that the children of our country get access to high-quality education.
Besides being the Principal of MPS, I also am serving as the President of Delhi Sahodaya School Complex, Adjudicator for the Northwest District of Delhi (City Dean) by Indian Book of School Records, State Convener New Delhi, Global Edu-Leader Forum, Vice-President Indraprastha School Sahodaya, Ambassador International Education Council, Global TALK Education India, Member of FICCI Arise Committee, National Progressive School Conference, Action Committee Unaided Recognised Public Schools and Forum of Public Schools. I am also an Executive member of Quality Education Asia for Curriculum Development at Primary, Middle, and Senior Secondary levels.
My vision
I always had a dream to turn my students into holistic beings. Hence, I came up with the vision statement, “A Whole Person in the Whole World.”
My Mission
I firmly believe that the school must ensure that the students develop skills to become:
● INDEPENDENT with confidence.
● ACTIVE with openness, curiosity, energy, drive, and ability to solve problems.
● CREATIVE and be prepared for change and be flexible and open but have a plan in position.
● EMOTIONAL and learn to translate signals and be sensitive.
● REFLECTIVE and have a good general view of events and trends in society.
● PERSONS WITH GREAT KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL FOR THE FUTURE
This means that we should:
● Respect each student as an individual.
● Help each student to develop as a person.
● Get the student to see completeness and connection in the process of learning.
● Give the student within the limits of the curriculum, the freedom to choose.
● Give a basic understanding of every form of life.
● Create consciousness about our global citizenship.
● Practice democracy in all situations.
● Make teaching more instructive.
My leadership strategies
When you assume the role of a leader, there are many people who depend on you for guidance. Therefore, I make a sincere effort every day to provide direction and guidance to those who look up to me. I work towards building a school wherein the students do not learn through ‘Rote’ but through innovation and creation. I along with a competent team of teachers ensure that learning is not confined to the classrooms. My endeavour at MPS is to transform every innocent empty mind into a reservoir of knowledge exploring and enhancing the power and potential of my students.
I also work tirelessly to improve coordination within the school and keep the infrastructure up-to-date. As society adopts the advancements in technology, we, as Principals, must ensure that we embrace the 21st-century pedagogy and curriculum. Success, in this endeavor, requires us to imbibe a no-excuse attitude.
I have always emphasized that educators at all grade levels should enhance their current curriculum with activities and lessons that help to develop critical thinking amongst students and educators. Activities such as writing essays/blogs on the burning issues and utilizing questions that need higher-order thinking are examples of ways to engage students in critical thinking in the classrooms.
I have conceptualized and spearheaded several innovative educational programs to increase student performance, promote a safe learning environment, and establish relationships with parents and community members. I have established a strong bond with my staff members and I’ve recruited several like-minded people over the years as well, who’ve become an integral part of the MPS ecosystem. I have also developed an engaging after-school program that has set the tone for the entire school.
I am of the view that in order to educate the young generation in the present scenario, the education providers should also be regularly trained and upskilled. Therefore, I always ensure that the teachers at MPS are trained regularly through various In-Service training programmes.
The philosophy I live by
I am a firm believer in the adage “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I am possible.” It is this belief that has acted as my anchor during some of the most difficult times in my life. A person who has the desire to conquer stars does not get disheartened when clouds occupy the beauty of the firmament. It is my unwavering passion for my work and my commitment to my dreams that keep me going despite the difficulties.
Social work
Mahatma Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” I very much resonate with this philosophy, and therefore, I’ve made it a point to help my fellow countrymen the best I can. It is for this reason that we, at MPS, actively partake in various social activities. Some of them are as follows:
At MPS, we’re running “Sarthak Prayas” – a school in collaboration with Nav Chetna, wherein the children of the weaker section are provided free education. The school also has joined Youth For Seva – an NGO that supports destitute, government hospitals, and other organizations in the social sectors through volunteers who can help them mitigate some of their shortcomings and challenges.
Sustainability is one of the founding principles of this institution and we seek to convert every student into a crusader for the environment. We actively participate in projects to make the environment sustainable and pollution-free. I am an active member of Sparsh Ganga, an NGO that is creating awareness on water conservation and other environmental issues.
We have also initiated Project Healthy Air in collaboration with the Earth Watch Institute, wherein the teachers and students would involve themselves in regular air quality monitoring to eliminate pollution. Some other projects that we’ve undertaken include Tree Plantation Drive, Save Water Campaign, Save Energy Campaign, Save Sparrow, Clean Yamuna Drive, Save Tiger, Paper Recycling Project, Zero Waste Management, Adopt a Park, Back to Nature Project, Sustainable Gardening, Save Wildlife, Rainwater Harvesting, Project on Renewable Sources and Biodiversity.
During the lockdown period, it was heart-wrenching to see so many people struggling with hunger. Therefore, we decided to jump into action by using one of our school buses to donate food to the needy and underprivileged families in Delhi. The initiative was launched under the name Roti Banks on Wheels and thanks to the goodwill of so many people who stepped up to donate food, thus enabling us to feed several families during these difficult times.
We also launched two more buses under the name Library on Wheels and Science Park on Wheels to give a school experience to underprivileged students whose schools have been shut down because of the pandemic. Several of our staff members volunteered for the initiative and took great joy in disseminating education among the young students.
One of the areas that I have always been working extensively is on mental health. To prevent the outbreak of a mental health epidemic, we have started a 24/7 mental health hotline under the name MUSKURAHAT! It is a platform where the students can call anonymously and discuss the issues they face with trained mental health professionals.
Initiatives at MPS under my leadership
Known for Innovative Curriculum complemented with experiential learning, the school undertakes a myriad of activities to ensure that learning becomes fun for students. Whether it is Atal Tinkering Laboratory, Astronomy Lab, 3D-Science Lab , Maths Lab, Language Lab, or Performing and Visual arts, the students are encouraged to undergo a path of exploration. Hands on training have resulted in number of innovations by Modernites which have been acknowledged by MHRD.
The school aims at the rare combination of brain and brawn. MPS has been the CBSE Athletic Champions for the last eleven years.
The school has been successfully running Humanity Curriculum in the school wherein a plethora of activities are organized to strengthen the core values of humanity. The school is committed to take care of senior citizens in and around school vicinity by all means and even share the school resources with the children of economically weaker sections with a pious aim to nurture empathy amongst Modernites for the vulnerable sections of the society.
Patriotism is yet another virtue that every Modernite is passionate for. Under DeshBhakti Curriculum, the school conducts a gamut of activities so that the youth builds its faith in India’s sovereignty and secularism. A Podcast – अनमोल Gems of India has been created wherein the students are enlightened with the epic stories of the unsung heroes. Project उम्मीद is being run by the school’s Interact Club to impart functional literacy skills to the non-literate destitutes of our society, starting from our neighbourhood.
Amidst Corona Scare, the school has been conducting online learning sessions for its students. and teachers by using technological aids like Microsoft Teams, Zoom app, YouTube tutorials namely Pragyan.
Keeping in mind the New Education Policy, the school also provides balanced environment through critical thinking, enquiry-based learning, and intercultural understanding. Project Based Research, Excursions, Real Life Case studies, Simulation of the real-life situations are few of the techniques implemented to build core competencies amongst the children. Experiential Learning at MPS caters to the overhauling of 4 Cs viz: communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity among students.
Our school has launched आत्मनिर्भर Curriculum. Under this, a varied range of Clubs have been initiated namely अध्यन: THE GLORY OF WRITING, The Readers' and Writers' Club to not only instill reading habits amongst the children but also to give an opportunity to unleash the writer in them and उत्कर्ष - The Entrepreneurial Club to provide a platform through which the students can access their entrepreneurial resources and thereby heading towards building आत्मनिर्भर भारत.
Our school has adopted a park namely Oxygen Park : Sai Vatika to involve our Eco Club warriors and sensitize environment consciousness among the youth. The school has been running an International Business Program under School Enterprise Challenge with an aim to develop entrepreneurial and soft skills to better prepare the students for the world of work and to develop their capacities as socially responsible entrepreneurs. The school has herbal garden संजीवनी wherein the students through hands on activities get exposure to medicinal values and learn the nuances of organic farming. Aadhar: The Science Park has been established which showcases working and static models depicting various scientific principles.
My message to the teachers
I believe the most important characteristic that every educator must have is the hunger to learn! To be a good teacher, you need to become a good student first. The education system is evolving rapidly, thanks to technological disruptions. At such a crucial time, it is paramount that we keep ourselves updated or time will render us obsolete. The best way to ensure that doesn’t happen is to never believe that you’ve learned enough. No matter how erudite you become, there is always something to learn. Those who live their lives this way become the greatest of teachers. Great teachers create great students. Great students become great citizens. Great citizens build great nations.
Awards and Accolades
I also consider myself fortunate that my work has been recognized by so many prestigious authorities on education and that they have considered me worthy of the following accolades.
● CBSE Teachers' and Principals' Award 2019-2020 by Shri. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ Hon’ble Minister of Education.
● State Teachers’ Award 2019 by Delhi Directorate of Education by the Chief Minister Mr. Arvind Kejriwal.
● Mahatma Gandhi Samman Award at House of Lords, London, UK.
● STAR 2020 Appreciation Award for spreading the spirit of positivity and hope during COVID-19 by World Book of Records, London, UK along with INDO - UK Forum.
● AWARDED for participating in Peace is Green – Shaping Peace Together, World’s largest and longest Environment Event.
● Accredited for making the World Record for conducting the world’s largest talk show with an assemblage of 6000 people by World Book of Records, United Kingdom.
● Sanjeevani, Seed of Knowledge Award, 2020 BY SANJEEVANI WORLD SCHOOL.
● Declared Edu-Warrior by Re-Think India.
● Nation Builder Award, 2020 by Rotary Club of Mumbai.
● Awarded with prestigious Acharya Chanakya Shikshavid Samman, 2020 by World Book of Records.
● Global Award 2020 for outstanding performance of school in CBSE board examination by Global Eduleaders forum.
● Progressive Principal Award 2019 and 2017 by Rethink India.
● Best School Principal award from the Ambassador of Latvia.
● International Educator award 2019 by CED Foundation at Bangkok.
● Life Empowerment Award by Expressions India.
● Uttarakhand Ratan Award by Progressive Principal School’s Association from the Finance Minister, Uttrakhand.
● Guru Drona Awards 2018 by Shri. Manoj Tiwari, Member of Parliament.
● 21st Century Education Leadership Award by American Leadership Board.
● Designated as Ambassador Mission Knowledge by Indian Federation of United Nations Associations.
● Visionary Leader Award by Education Today.
● Educational Reformer of the year by National School Award.
● Felicitated at the Rasthtra Nirmata Shikshak Samman Diwas, 2018 by Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma for the unwavering dedication towards the noble profession of teaching.
● Most Influential Educationist of Asia Award at Thimpu, Bhutan.
● Best Principal in School Education by GTF Education Summit & Award.
● Visionary Eduleader of India by Rethink India.
● Women Achievers Award at National Summit on Empowering Women.
● The Humanity Excellence Award by We Welfare Society.
● Star Educator Award by S Chand Group.
● Inspiring Educator Award by Rocksport.
● Magika Women Achievers Award.
● Lifetime Achievement Golden Peacock Award.
● 6th National Women Excellence Award
● CBSE & ICSE Pariksha Award.
● Teacher’s State Award, 2008.
● Dr. S. Radha Krishnan Samman, 2008.
● Lifetime Achievement Award in the year 2007.
● Dr. S. Radha Krishnan Memorial Award in the year 2005 and 2007.
● R.P. Parade (G.N.C.T of Delhi) Award the year 2006.
● Millennium National Teacher Award in the year 2005.
● World Human Right Promotion Award in the year 2003.
Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” I firmly believe that it’s true and I believe it is the responsibility of all of us who are in a position of privilege to contribute towards the cause of education in India.
Mrs. Alka Kapur
Principal
Modern Public School
Shalimar Bagh, Delhi
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