Important things for parents to know about prep, co-ed, boys or girls boarding schools

Boarding school is not for everyone

Boarding schools generally charge hefty fees from students in order to pay for their trained and talented faculty, their broad range of courses, expensive infrastructure, top-notch facilities, etc. Education is an act of investment and boarding school fees too are like an investment of funds with an expectation of profit.

Helpful advice regarding fees, funding, mode-of-payment, payment schedule, etc. for parents and guardians is usually advertised on the boarding school’s website. The Boarding school’s fee structure in India is such that the boarding school fees are significantly higher for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and foreign nationals as compared to Indian Residents. To avoid paying extra and higher fees, some Indian expatriates even consider applying for Indian Citizenship for their children. Dehradun School Fees also include a certain refundable security amount, a onetime admission fee, registration fee, charges for the registration form, etc. Nowadays, there is an online fee payment system.

How boarding school kids are kept away from distractions

Firstly, boarding school campuses are usually extensive and located in picturesque and pleasant surroundings in far-flung areas, away from urban centers. The idea here is to deliberately minimize contact of the kids with harmful distractions of the city like smoking, drinking, watching too much TV, drugs, movies, junk food, pubs, nightclubs, etc.

Secondly, to counter the noxious influences of the city, the world of boarding schools has worked out, in advance, its wide range of courses, programs, extra-curricular and entertainment activities on its own college grounds, buildings, etc. This is done so that outside un-wholesome influences are reduced to zero and boarding school children stay away from detrimental pastimes. Incidentally, this is the main reason why average boarding school fees are higher.

Thirdly, boarding schools generally discourage use of electronic gadgets like mobiles, smartphones, laptops, notebook computers, and social media like Facebook, Instagram, etc. by children. Many boarding schools strictly forbid their pupils from carrying or keeping any electronic or digital items with them. Students are frisked and their dormitories and living quarters, regularly checked for their possession and if found, they are confiscated and the students are penalized for holding them.

Educators and staff of boarding schools feel that these innocuous devices are disadvantageous to youngsters because they are not qualified and mature enough to use them. Unrestricted usage of social media, digital technologies, online platforms, etc. will only encourage children to abuse them and they will un-necessarily get involved in inappropriate, offensive, mischievous acts or get cyber-bullied.

Another reason why teachers object to students using smartphones, mobiles, laptops in classes, school, etc. is that it hampers their social skills.

However, there is currently a debate in boarding schools on the usage of electronic devices, digital media, etc. by students, especially, in today’s times, when there is such a widespread usage of these items. Should students be allowed to use them in emergency situations or at certain times of the day or night or confine the usage of these devices only to certain sections of the school?