It was with profound sadness that I learned of the tragic events that have befallen the people of the Philippines. The loss of life and livelihoods has shocked us all. The South African IMSO team joins me in hoping that in time it will be possible to rebuild the lives of those who have been affected. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
The City of Tagaytay is a component city in the province of Cavite, in the Philippines. It is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations because of outstanding scenery and cooler climate provided by its high altitude. Alfonso, Cavite in the Philippines which is a short way from Tagaytay. Alfonso played a very important role in Philippine history, It is the birth place of the Philippine overthrow of the Spanish Colonist government.
As Singapore continues to struggle with the haze I urge all Singaporeans to follow the scientific advice offered. I’m pleased that the Indonesean authorities are taking action and that Singaporeans are enjoying less haze. Here is an example where ASEAN co-operation has brought a solution to a problem.
As the people of Aceh continue to bear the effects of the 6,1 quake on Tuesday (2 July 2013) our thoughts and prayers go to those affected by the earthquake as well as those that are helping the recovery of Aceh.
As you struggle with the effects of the cyclone know that our thoughts and prayers are with you.
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That is the number on the roll-call of the world’s biggest school.
The latest edition of the Guinness World Recordsawarded that title to the City Montessori School (CMS) in Lucknow, which had 39 437 registered pupils in the 2010/11 academic year.
The school says enrollment numbers have already risen above 45 000, with 2 500 teachers, 3 700 computers, 1 000 classrooms – and one of the hardest first 11 cricket teams to break into.
CMS, as the school is known, was opened by Jagdish Gandhi and his wife Bharti in 1959 with a loan of 300 rupees and just five pupils.
Today it sprawls over 20 sites in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state, and is as famous for its exam results and international exchange programmes as for its scale.
“The phenomenal growth of our school is a reflection of our efforts to please our parents with our service to their children,” said Gandhi, who is still involved in the school’s management at the age of 75.
Heartening
“Our students have exceptional academic results each year and outstanding global exposure. Getting this Guinness record is heartening but it’s not just about size,” he said.
The pupils, who are aged between three and 17, all wear uniform and each class has about 45 members, but the whole school never gathers for assembly as there is nowhere big enough to hold them.
CMS, which receives no government funding, charges 1 000 rupees a month in fees for younger pupils, rising to 2 500 a month for seniors.
“In such a large school, there are many advantages, one being you get to make a lot of friends across the many sites that we have,” Ritika Ghosh (14), who has been at CMS for two years, said.
“But as the school is so huge it takes a lot of effort to get noticed. Otherwise you are just one of the thousands that study … There are certainly more challenges and competitions, which in the end prepares us for real life.”
Jai Jagat
Fellow pupil Tanmay Tiwari (16) credits the large size of the school for making him more outgoing.
“I used to be very shy but the school has given me that confidence,” he said. “Now I am in the college team, debating in national competitions.”
The school’s size is matched only by its idealistic ambitions, with pupils taught a philosophy of universal peace and globalism under the motto: “Jai Jagat” (victory be to the world).
With pupils under fierce pressure to get good exam results, sport is not always a top priority, but cricket coach Raju Singh Chauhan says selecting a team is still tricky.
“To fish out sports talent in the 45 000-plus students can be a huge problem,” he said.
“For this reason we hold inter-branch competitions to dig out the best children and then eventually we get the bigger picture and our best 11 for the team.”
Awe-inspiring
CMS first held the title of the world’s biggest school in 2005, when it had 29 212 pupils, beating the previous record holder, the Rizal High School in Manila, Philippines, which had 19 738 pupils.
Alumni include Ushhan Gundevia, an executive banker at Goldman Sachs, and Prakash Gupta, a senior United Nations diplomat in New York, as well as Harvard scholars and several leading surgeons and scientists.
“The school is an inspiration not only to the pupils, but also to anyone, anywhere who wants to make a positive difference,” Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, said from London.
“The school understands that teaching is the most sacred of professions, and from humble origins to being the largest and one of the most respected educational establishment in the world, it is a truly awe-inspiring story.” – Sapa-AFP
The following was published in the Pretoria News on 19 April 2012 on page 9:
LONDON: Forget expensive private tutors and brain-boosting vitamins. The key to exam success could be as simple as a glass of water.
Students who took a drink into the exam hall did up to 10 percent better than those who did not. Although it is not clear why a drink should help, one theory is that information flows more freely between brain cells when they are well hydrated.
Researchers said that drinking water may also calm nerves, while those who became thirsty during test time could be more easily distracted.
The study compared whether they took a drink into the exam with their final marks.
The students’ overall academic ability was then factored in, to ensure that the results were not skewed by the possibility that smarter students are also more thirsty. Those who arrived armed with drinks did about 5 percent better on average. But those just starting out at university improved by as much as 10 percent, the annual conference of the British Psychological Society heard. – Daily Mail
unknown, Pretoria News (19 April 2012) Morning Edition, page 9
This year IMSO will happen in Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India.
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