The Indian Express                  14.05.2013

AMC’s first English-medium public school inaugurated in Shahpur

The state's first government English-medium public school threw its doors open to the public on Monday. The Ahmedabad Public School (APS), a project launched by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), was inaugurated by the city mayor Meenaxiben Patel in the walled city area of Shahpur. The school is tucked away inside the building of Shahpur Municipal School No 5 and 6.

So far, about 63 students in the age group of 4-6 years have registered for admissions to KG I, II and Class I. While the first session will start from June 6, the AMC school board sought good luck for the maiden project by keeping the inauguration on Akshaya Tritiya, locally known as akhatrij. In the classrooms, the routine wooden benches have been replaced with individual colourful folding study tables, supported by floor-seating on mats. The mundane monochromatic walls have given way to hundreds of colourful tiles on each wall and around the blackboard.

With colourful pictures and names of animals, plants, flowers, vegetables, fruits, numbers, human body parts and even freedom fighters on the white background of tiles, the walls seem to be like giant books. "The students of KG I and KG II will not have books as the teaching will be interactive and innovative. Once the classes start, interactive games and toys will also be added to these classrooms," said AMC school board chairman Jagdish Bhavsar.

More than the little children, it was their parents who looked more excited about the school. "I am an autorickshaw driver and want my daughter Afrin to have good education in an English- medium school. From my meagre earnings, I cannot afford to send her to a private school," said Javed Sheikh, a resident of Shahpur. "I have not studied in English medium, but I want it for my children," said Rakesh Dataniya, a vegetable vendor.

While one classroom is ready, other two are almost complete. "We will provide one set of uniforms to all students. Books will be given to students of Class I free of cost. Though registrations are over, if we receive any application from any deserving candidate even now, we will consider it," added Bhavsar.

Apart from the registration fee of Rs 11, no other charges will be levied on students. The school will run from four classrooms in the double-storey building that houses 30 rooms in total.