The Singapore American School [Image source]
Kolkata is soon going to have its first American School to commence from August. New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai already have American Schools, which is understandable because these cities, especially New Delhi, the capital, and Mumbai, the commercial capital, have large number of expatriates.
One may reason that Indian cities do not lack schools that offer good standard of education. True, but what also matters is a familiar environment in schools for the kids whose parents just arrive here. An American School with the touch and feel that one finds common in such institutes in all countries is the answer.
And who doesn’t know once the kids take the things in stride in a new place, the parents too feel content and comfortable to work.
Which is one reason why many Indian schools like the DPS (Delhi Public Schools) have well-run branches in the middle-east countries catering to the expatriates’ children.
The American School in Kolkata will first operate in the US Consulate itself with Kathleen Dickinson, the consul-general’s wife and a licensed elementary school teacher taking charge to steer it initially. Later perhaps it will shift to a bigger space once the going is good.
To combine the sayings of Henry Jardine, the US consul-general and Robert Hetzel, director of American Embassy School in New Delhi, here is what emerges:
The establishment of American School in Calcutta reflects the increasing business that the foreign companies want to do in the city… We wanted to be ahead of the curve, rather than experience a sudden rush for American education in eastern India.
Related reading: First US school in August
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