Residential Schools Of India

Most schools in India are day schools. A day school refers to ‘a non-residential school, typically a fee-paying one,’ according to google dictionary. This means that the students go to school in the mornings and come back home in the afternoons. While this is one system, another one is the Residential School system.

Now what is a residential school and how is it different from a day school?

Well, residential schools are where the students reside within the schools for the whole semester and go home for the holidays. All their activities, extracurricular activities and meals take place within the school compounds. The children all live in hostels and more often than not, in a dormitory system. 

The concept of boarding or residential schools originated in the United States of America when the Native Americans were put into residential schools which would help them assimilate to the ‘white American’ culture.

The system of residential schools began with horrific corruption and greed. The concept was created to withhold the right of the native indigenous Americans. 

But, decades later, the whole world has begun to look at residential schools as a boon rather than a bane. Residential schools in India have always been around in the form of ashrams, where the royals would send their children to train in anticipation of becoming an heir. Those schools have filtered into the current education system as well, in the form of boarding/residential schools. Some of the most popular ones are The Doon School in Dehradun, Welham Girls School in Dehradun, LK Singhania Education Centre at Gotan, The Lawrence School in Sanawar, and Mayo College Girls School in Ajmer. 

Residential schools at one point of time was known as a place where parents would send their kids to as punishment or if they didn’t have enough time to give to their children. Contrary to that belief, one of the best forms of education in today’s world is where children learn without hindrances and distractions and can optimise all their time in academics, sports as well as the arts. Many studies show that children who grow up in residential schools are well-rounded personalities with a sense of responsibility and great management skills. It’s also good for children who tend to have learning difficulties and paradoxically, even children who are at the top of the class to be educated in a boarding school where they are away from the hustle bustle of daily life and can pay complete attention to their surroundings.

Since India has more of a ‘we’ culture rather than an ‘I’ culture, boarding schools also help in establishing the values self-reliance, independence, and maturity. The child learns how to deal with problems themselves and they also become more capable of navigating through the real world.

While the Indian residential school system is definably reserved for the upper class, elitist [art of society, many public schools like the LK Singhania Education Centre, Gotan, have established a name for excellent quality education at affordable prices for students from primary classes itself, make it easier for them to access an education.

Enid Blyton, the author of countless American boarding school books like Malory Towers and St Clare’s often wrote about how homely and familiar a boarding school could become.

This has to be true, otherwise, why would they gain this much momentum?