Hema Harchandani, Founder & Managing Director, Canvas International Group emphasizes the importance of skilling program

“We need to skill our teachers as well because they are coming from the 80s and then we are going to teach in the 21st century children and that’s a huge gap in between,” says Hema Harchandani, Founder & Managing Director, Canvas International Group in an interview with Chandan Anand, CEO & Group Editor, ArdorComm Media Group at the ‘ArdorComm New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2022’ #ELSAJaipur #ELSARajasthan

What is the message you would like to give specially to the people who are already running schools and those who are eying to be one of the owners of the school?

I think two things are the major agenda which I also speak about, one is the parent partnership program which has to be very dignified way and then every school has to design in a such a process because we are focusing on the new skill-based program most of the time. So, the parents should also be aware of that what are the skills we have and what we are going to teach our children that’s one major fundamental thing because then only the collaboration work together, as a school as an educator as a parent. Another part I always emphasis on is the training process, the training process has to be the school side in a very high side because the way today the recruitment is happening we need to skill our teachers as well because they are coming from the 80s and then we are going to teach in the 21 century children and that’s a huge gap in between. So, first we have to skill ourselves and then only those strategies have to be put on.

Earlier we used to talk about teacher training program now is it like teacher training and skilling program?

Yes, it’s more into a skill-based program, I think the teachers who are already coming from they know how to teach the subjects but they need to enhance their levels because the children have skill set better than the teachers so they should think out of the box. This is not a classroom sitting kind of thing there has to be life experience even in the science, math any language we are talking about those things has to be in an experienced way that’s what we have to talk about.

Would you like to share any experience as a live example of your own school?

I always remember one thing is when you take them outside from your school campus most of the things whenever we the teachers are doing inside the campus they are okay with that. Take them out take that risk along with you, yes definitely there is a risk involved but I think beyond the campus if you take the children then you see the ‘wow’ thing is happening with the children so think about those strategies, think about the openness don’t focus on the numbers, numbers will come automatically.

We all have united here for the New Normal Education Leadership Summit and Awards, what does the word new normal stands for you?

I think new normal is adjusted now, we all are adjusted after covid in the new normal. I think new normal for me has done wonders personally as well as professionally. One thing I’ve learned from after covid is patience. Whatever you do things will happen their own way. So, I think that one message I really wanted to give is be calm, be patient things are going to happen as per your plan don’t be impatient and rude for the anybody else so that’s what it is.

When we gather in a program like this where all the stakeholders from the same fraternity like academia, industry and government are present, what should be an outcome of certain forums?

School and education is a community business we need to understand, it’s not be, okay the government only going to do that or as a owner I’m going to change it or as a parent I have to, every stakeholder has to come on the forum and then talk about. At the end of the day we have to focus on what are the end results so suppose today we are talking here so many concepts, so many things. I think everybody has to take it forward in their school the strategies we gather here, we discuss. If I am doing something different and somebody else is doing we should start, this has to be exchanging program instead of okay no I am doing this, I am very rigid on my strategy which should not be. So, in any conference we are going be ready for the openness be ready for the learning thing and be ready for taking it forward.

I’m glad to share that we’ve recently celebrated our one year of existence, any message would you like to pass on to ArdorComm Media?

I think Chandan and the team is doing excellent work and I know him for last couple of years now and I am sure you are doing such a great work and keep doing it.