Urban News

The Hindu       17.05.2010

Corpn. identifies 8 schools for ISO certification

Karthik Madhavan

— File Photo: M. Periasamy

Set for overhaul: Teaching and learning methodology in Corporation schools in the city will undergo a change as part of the ISO certification process.

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation plans to add another feather to its cap, this time on the education front.

Eight of its 85 schools will get ISO certification this year, if plans underway are anything to go by. Corporation Education Officer S. Somasundari told The Hindu that Ramakrishnapuram, R.S. Puram West, R.S. Puram East, R.S. Puram Boys, Siddhapudur Boys, Ranganathapuram, Rathinapuri and Oppanakara Street schools had been selected to undergo various procedures to obtain the certification.

The move is the latest of the civic body's efforts to improve the quality of education. “Though the certification will not say anything directly on the quality of education, it will ensure that the systems and practices required for improving the quality are in place,” said Commissioner Ansul Mishra.

Teachers would be on time for classes.

A teacher's absence would lead to another one automatically take charge without waiting for the school head's intervention.

Teaching and learning aids would be as per specifications and the whole school management would undergo an overhaul, he explained.

“This is because the problem is not about what to teach, but how to teach and that is what the civic body hopes to address by getting the ISO certification.”

The Corporation would also make improvements to the teaching methodology.

This would be in addition to techniques being implemented through the Education for All (Sarva Siksha Abiyan) scheme.

As part of the school-improvement programme, management information system (MIS) would also be implemented.

“School records will be computerised, which will bring in professionalism and transparency,” Mr. Mishra said.

At present the Corporation was preparing the ISO training manual in association with the consultant hired for the purpose.

The manual would say what needed to be done, based on a gap analysis. And, once the training was over, the consultant would carry out an audit to suggest course correction.

At the end of the process, the schools would be ISO certified. “We hope to get the certification by December this year,” he added.

The Hindu        14.05.2010

Corporation to showcase schools' achievements

Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE: Coimbatore Corporation will conduct ‘Namma Palli', an education fest, on May 15 at Corporation Kalaiarangam.

A release says the civic body is conducting the programme to highlight the new initiatives it had taken in improving the schools in the past two years. “Over the past two years the corporation has launched various new initiatives to upgrade its schools in terms of quality of education as well as provision of high standard of infrastructural facility.”

The fest will provide an opportunity for Coimbatoreans to know the quality in and excellence of corporation schools. It will have stalls showcasing activity-based learning approach for elementary schools, the existing facilities in schools and also plans for upgrade.

The stalls will also reflect achievements made in curricular and extra curricular activities and the facilities the schools are equipped with, the release says.

Private players in education industry along with spiritual organisations will also participate in the fest, which will be held between 9.30 a.m. and 4 p.m.