Bhupinder Gogia
Principal, Sat Paul Mittal School, Ludhiana

An education and applied maths postgraduate of Osmania University, Bhupinder Gogia acquired rich teaching and admin experience spanning three decades, prior to taking charge as principal of the CISCE-affiliated Sat Paul Mittal School, Ludhiana (SPMS) in 2008. Ranked Punjab’s #1 co-ed day school in the EW India School Rankings 2019-20, SPMS has 1,594 children and 105 teachers on its muster rolls.

SPMS’ response to the Covid-19 challenge.

This pandemic has taught us many lessons. We quickly embraced the opportunity to expand our digital infrastructure to ensure learning continuity. Our dedicated and committed teachers rapidly designed engaging and result-oriented online learning modules for all classes, leveraging e-learning platforms such as MS Teams, Flipgrid, Wakelet, OneNote and O365.

On fees waiver/deferment circulars issued by state governments.

In my opinion, educators are frontline warriors who are working hard every day to bring vitally necessary learning into students’ lives. In SPMS, we are fortunate to have an empathetic parents’ community which is extending full support to the management. Together, we have taken fees payment decisions that are in the best interest of our parents, teachers and school.

Top 3 proposals for reforming K-12 education in India

• I believe the goal of exams and assessment must be ‘grace’ and not ‘grades’. The Covid-19 crisis has revealed an urgent need to develop students’ life skills, emotional and social intelligence and citizenship attributes. I urge our national and state exam boards to move beyond exam percentages to rewarding holistic education
• The Union HRD ministry should take the lead to build a free repository of global best education practices and pedagogies which can be shared widely
• Lastly, NCERT and the exam boards should revamp K-12 syllabuses and curriculums. Moreover, they should allow schools flexibility to adapt them to suit children of differing learning capabilities.