National Academy For Learning

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please improve this article if you can. (October 2007)
National Academy for Learning, Basaveshwaranagar
Chairman Dr. K. P. Gopalkrishna
Principal Mrs. Catherina Koshy
Location Bangalore, India

Contents

[edit] An overview

National Academy for Learning is an international school in Bangalore that was founded by Dr K. P. Gopalakrishna. The main campus is located in the third block of Basaveshwaranagar. Though part of the National Public Schools, Bangalore it also offers both the Central Board of Secondary Education and International General Certificate of Secondary Education curricula to students.[citation needed] It also offers the sixth form CBSE program for Grades 11 and 12, but only in the science stream. The school follows an autonymous board, that is a mixture of the CBSE and IGCSE up to the ninth grade.[citation needed]

Similar to its twin-school, The International School Bangalore, the NAFL employs faculty from various parts of India. Its organizational culture emphasizes advisory rather than disciplinary approaches to child development. Significant emphasis is placed on participation in cultural activities such as the NAFL day. Students spend considerable time in preparation and rehearsals for the NAFL day during the academic session. Rigor of academic study at school is relaxed. Hand-outs are provided for the major subjects of study which have to be worked-on by the student while at school. Standard text books aligning with either the CBSE or IGCSE are not followed. Parents have to take considerable and keen interest in the learning process. Prior appointments with teachers have to be taken to discuss and review the learning achievements.

[edit] Activities

  • NAFL Annual Sports Meet
    • Normally called 'Sports Day', it features a gathering of students in three different houses: Nihal (represented by color green), Vishal (red) and Kamal (Yellow) in which each student is assigned to at the beginning of his/her time in the school. Its activities include the March Past, tug-of-war, relay race, 100 m/200m running and Taekwando. In the most recent Sports Meet, the Vishal house won the first place trophy.
  • Literature Festival (Lit Fest)
    • Students take part in poetry recitation, creative writing, dictation, debate, dialogue delivery and other various activities concerning the three languages the school teaches: English, French and Hindi.
    • The Lit Fest was renamed Academic Fest in 2007-2008, now including activities based on all subjects; math, science and others.
  • Annual Concert
    • A play in which all available students take part, with the script written by the teachers. The Concert features two plays: a Junior play with children from Montessori to grade 3 acting and a Senior play with students from grade 4 to grade 12 acting. NAFL has traditionally presented its plays in the Chowdiah Memorial Hall.

[edit] Facilities

NAFL has a library with books ranging from children's books for kindergarten and montessori students to heavy encyclopediae for in-depth study for the students in higher grades. The exact number of the books is estimated to be more than ten thousand.

A computer laboratory is featured in the second floor, housing about thirty computers for the students to develop their skill in IT technology and computer programming. Two science labs; a Senior lab for complicated experiment in chemistry and biology and a Junior lab for simple demonstrations for students in lower grade; are also featured.

In 2007, the school underwent a major construction to add an auditorium on its roof and enlarge the Senior science lab (located on the roof), as well as creating another staircase connecting all the floors on one side. The auditorium is demonstrably capable of accommodating the whole school: the teachers, all the students, the maids and the guards.

The field is a sandy patch that has a football field and a concrete basketball court on one corner. Two football goal posts stand on either sides of the field, and are removed when the Annual Sports Meet takes place.

[edit] Tuition

First year tuition is $3000 dollars, while second year tuition is $2150. Third year rates vary, with local students being expected to pay approximately Rs 90,000 in tuition.

[edit] The Student Council

At the end of each year, a Head Boy and a Head Girl are nominated by the school to form the Student Council. In addition to them, a male Captain and a female Vice Captain are nominated for each houses (Nihal, Vishal and Kamal; see above). The Student Council leaders see to that school rules are followed and are important figures in the Annual Sports Meet. They carry a badge on their chest indicating their houses and the rank.

[edit] Competition With Other Schools

NAFL competes with its sister schools; NPS and TISB in every Sports Meet, usually in relay race. NAFL has a few teams for soccer, cricket and basketball. There are four teams for soccer and basketball; divided on the basis of gender and age (up to grade five in Junior team and over grade six in Senior).

NAFL has also been known to present its students in various academic competitions; notably New South Wales Examination (in which it has produced many international winners), NTSE, NSTSE, Bournvita Quiz Contest (with Kiran Patakotha representing the school), Cyber and Science Olympiads and many others. It also sends students to literature events sponsored by Scholastic every year.

[edit] Sister schools

Controversy: