School carnival or a fete as it was TWENTY years ago is quite different from what it is today. The present system of education has witnessed a gradual acceptance of co-curricular activities as a part of the main curriculum and therefore the expression ‘extra­curricular’ activities is looked upon as a kind of blasphemy in the context of modern schools. If we LOOK at the advertisements of most EVOLVING international schools, the REFERENCE to ‘co-curricular activities’ (not ‘extra’) as a part of the learning experience is given supreme priority to attract customers, err… parents.


International schools (nothing remains national in global India) take great pride in proclaiming a fest or a fete where noted celebrities shall COME and grace the occasion with the glamorous fragrance of their presence. But our principal in a rather humble value based ‘national’ school decided one fine day that the birthday of our honored Jawaharlal Nehru should be celebrated as a fete for the deprived children of the society.

The idea sounded good but also rather outdated to some of us. It is fine to have a fete to entertain the helpless lot who have not been as lucky as we have been, with the generosity of the Almighty.