Pioneers of Indian education in the UAE

The purpose of education at the school is not only to bring out the best in academics, but also build character and instil life skills and values in students

Sunil Umrao Singh, Honorary Chairman, The Indian High School, Dubai (IHS), has been associated with the institution for a very long time and is privileged to be one of its first alumnus. In his role, he has pressing issues at hand, important decisions to be made and meetings to be attended. Nevertheless, the secret of his working day is careful planning and organisation.
He reminisces in an interview with Khaleej Times: "My association with the school runs deep and I've enjoyed each and every bit of this journey. Serving in the capacity of Honorary Chairman has been more of an emotional connection rather than a job. We've had 55 glorious years, but we're not resting on our laurels; we are looking towards the future."
Singh has an endearing leadership style that wins the hearts and minds of those around him. He firmly believes that his team should have the freedom to build on strengths and take independent decisions. "Team work is essential to the growth of any organisation. It's never about 'I' but 'we'. The way forward, according to me, is by moving together in the same direction," he says.
The Chairman strongly believes that teachers should have passion and dedication. "As long as you love what you do, you'll be great at it. My advice to aspiring teachers would be to take up teaching as a profession only if you are really passionate about it, as that passion and love shines through when you deal with students. Also, I think it is really important for a teacher to connect with his/ her students, to make students comfortable enough to open up to the teacher."
Over the years Singh has witnessed changes in the education system in the UAE. "For example, technology has been integrated into the education system. There's a lot of focus on learning by doing or experiential learning and students have exposure to some of the great techniques of teaching and learning. We've also moved forward towards inclusive education in a big way. There's a movement towards hands-on activities and connections with the real world. We're moving towards globalisation," he explains.
Singh constantly endeavours to create an ideal school environment that is safe for students - a place where they are nurtured through technology as well as nature; a student-driven curriculum that caters to all students; and varied learning styles. Here students would not just develop their academic skills, but also values and emotions.
Under Singh's leadership, IHS has built a strong ethos and a sense of community spirit. "Above everything, we're a big family. With a strong focus on values, IHS is a safe haven for students. We have an open channel of communication among our members and their opinions are respected," the Honorary Chairman says.
Not surprising that 55 years down the line, the school embarks on its next chapter confidently with greater achievements in sight.

IHS Chairman becomes Governor of Round Square Sunil Umrao Singh, Chairman of the Indian High School, Dubai, has been nominated as the Governor of Round Square International, a worldwide network of 160 schools in 40 countries. He will be representing the Indian High School, which will continue to be a leading global member of Round Square embracing the six ideals of learning - internationalism, democracy, environment, adventure, leadership and service. The school was notified of this development through a letter from Papri Ghosh, Regional Trustee and Director, Round Square, South Asia and Gulf Region.

- suchitra@khaleejtimes.com

Suchitra Steven Samuel

• suchitra@khaleejtimes.com