School for children of foreigners in the city

Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, May 4, 2007
Come August the city will get a special school for children of diplomats living in the city and for those whose parents work with international business houses and keep travelling from one country to another.
The US consulate has come up with American School Kolkata (ASK), which is scheduled to open its doors to students from August 6. The school is not only a welcome relief for diplomats and other foreign nationals who live in the city, but it will also ensure an increase in trade with various multinationals.
“I hope that ASK will serve as a magnet for foreign businesses and as a vote of confidence for the rapid economic growth in this region. American Schools already exist in Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai, and are a key factor in the decision by international organisations and companies as to the location of their offices and personnel. We have also received much encouragement from the state government, as they clearly see the advantages of having an American international school in Kolkata,” said Henry V. Jardine, the US consul general in Kolkata.
The American School in Delhi already has 1,300 students and the one in Mumbai has 700 students. Chennai has about 400 students. “The demand for a berth at these schools are on the rise and we expect the same with its Kolkata counterpart. This is because people who are on the move and need to set up temporary base in eastern India will send their children to ASK. Thus, when they go to another country there is a parity in the syllabus,” said Jardine.
The Indian government however, will not allow Indian nationals to study in ASK and it will be limited to children holding foreign passports, a landed immigrant or those of comparable status. “If the government of India changes its policy, we would love to welcome Indian students at ASK. However, NRIs who come back to India for a brief period can also send their children to ASK,” said Jardine.
Indian teachers have a slim chance of becoming a faculty member at ASK. “The faculty positions are open to people of any nationality who have American certification or have worked in American schools,” he informed.
ASK will open with not more than 10 students and that too in the early elementary grades. As the demand increases, the school will grow in size to meet that demand. The school will start its operations from the US consulate office in the city and will be shifted to another address when expansion is required. The subjects will include, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies and foreign languages. There will also be specialised classes in art, health, and music. The school later plans to offer International Baccalaureate diploma programmes to its students.
“We will adopt a student-centric approach of education, where, we will be encouraging students to correlate whatever they are learning with the real world. The teachers will just be the facilitators,” said Kathleen Dickinson Jardine, the teacher of ASK.
The fees of ASK will be higher compared to that of other schools offering an international curriculum in the city. The admission process has already begun and for additional information call 3984-2400 or email at ask@aes.ac.in.
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