Cambridge varsity report on Delhi principals’ performance out Monday

A delegation of professors from the University of Cambridge, who were a part of the Delhi government schools’principal training programme held at the varsity, will release a feedback report of their after-training performance in the public domain on Monday.

Last year, under the Delhi government’s ambitious ‘Chunauti scheme’, aimed at improving the status of government education in the Capital, three batches of 30 principals and Heads of Schools (HoS) were sent to Cambridge in the United Kingdom (UK) for training to drive innovative learning.

“The group of principals was asked to submit a ‘take-away’ at the end of their training, wherein they submitted innovative ideas and personal plans of action to us. Now, we will evaluate to which extent they have implemented their plans,” said Jaideep Prabhu, a professor at the Cambridge Business School, who was a part of the three-member team that has arrived in the national Capital.

The Cambridge University runs a parallel training programme for Indian bureaucrats as well. “For the first time, the Delhi government has approached us for a training programme for its teachers, not only in contemporary technologies but also in leadership and strategic thinking,” he said.

Hailing the principals who participated in the programme, Prabhu said: “Most of them were very impressive, knowledgable, and highly committed to their work.” 

During the 12-day trip to the UK, the principals attended sessions on leadership in the classroom, understanding learning and teaching methods, child-centered learning, and innovations in teaching methods. They also picked up ideas to be implemented in their schools.

“I picked up the idea of teach-meet activity and implemented it in my school. Teachers meet regularly to discuss innovative ideas before implementing them,” said BK Sharma, principal of Shaheed Hemu Kalani Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Lajpat Nagar.