Ecole Globale International Girls' School: Empowering girls for the 21st century

Nestled in the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayas is the verdant 40-acre fully residential Ecole Globale International Girls’ School (EGIGS, estb. 2012), ranked India’s #2 girls boarding school in the latest EducationWorld India School Rankings 2023-24.

Promoted by well-known edupreneur Amarjeet Juneja under the aegis of the Asian Educational Charitable Trust – which also runs and manages The Asian School, a day-cum-boarding school in Dehradun — EGIGS aspires to “empower girl children to discover their intellectual, creative and physical potential to embrace the 21st century”.

Affiliated with the Delhi-based Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the UK-based Cambridge Assessment International Education, the class IV-XII EGIGS provides rigorous academic, sports and co-curricular education with excellent pastoral care to its 317 girl students — 37 of them international students from Canada, the USA, Europe, Africa, Nepal, Bangladesh, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Middle East — mentored by 60 teachers on its muster rolls.

“The true purpose of education is to help individuals evolve into better versions of themselves. Holistic education and cultural diversity are witnessed at their best at Ecole wherein girls from across the country and the globe come together to form one big family on a campus that features state-of-the-art facilities for academics, sports & co-curricular activities,” says Kanchan Madhav Khandke, principal, EGIGS.

A history postgraduate of Presidency University, Kolkata and a trained IB educator, Kanchan Madhav Khandke was appointed principal of Ecole Globale International Girls’ School in May 2023. She has three decades of rich teaching and admin experience in some of India’s most prestigious schools (Mayo College Girls’ School, Ajmer, the Hutchings High School, Indus International School, National Defence Academy – all in Pune and Welham Girls’ School, Dehradun) serving in senior leadership roles.

Since taking charge as the principal of EGIGS, she has introduced several noteworthy initiatives; in the last few years, she has been prioritising the wellbeing of the students and teaching staff by introducing wellness and mental health support programmes and establishing an entrepreneurship incubator on campus to encourage students to explore innovative ideas and participate in projects. A strong advocate of fostering community unity and brotherhood, she passionately emphasises the pivotal role of schools in cultivating empathy among people.

Student-centred learning, strong home-school partnership & excellent pastoral care

EGIGS distinguishes itself from its contemporaries with its distinctively personalised approach to teaching-learning and student development. Unlike conventional schools, EGIGS maintains an excellent teacher-student ratio of 1:10 which allows for individual attention to the students, fostering a conducive learning environment that caters to their unique needs. The personalised attention, small class sizes, and a student-centred approach have contributed to excellent student learning outcomes. EGIGS has consistently achieved 100 percent pass percentage in the CBSE and Cambridge board exams and over the years, the students have secured top ranks in various competitive exams.

As an inclusive school, EGIGS takes special care to ensure that children with developmental delays and slow learners do not lag behind their peers in the learning curve. A full-time special educator monitors the children with learning difficulties and personalised remedial classes are conducted after school hours.

EGIGS’ Career Cell guides class IX students to make well-informed higher education and career choices. The counsellors also assist the students in the college/university applications process. Enrichment and remedial classes are conducted daily for all students with special thrust on those writing board exams. The school’s behavioural counselor ensures students’ emotional and mental wellbeing.

A multilayered system of pastoral care — house mistress, house mother, matron, house tutors, counselors – ensures the wellbeing of boarders. Periodic health check-ups are conducted to ensure students’ physical wellbeing. Special emphasis is placed on life skills education and development of collaboration, teamwork, resilience and communication skills.

Moreover, the school places great emphasis on transparent communication with parents, providing regular updates on the academic, emotional, and physical progress of their daughters. In a departure from the conventional teacher-parent relationship, EGIGS actively involves parents as partners in the academic and personal growth journey of the students. The school councillors and senior management consistently engage with parents, creating a collaborative and supportive community that values the holistic development of every student.

Picturesque campus showcasing an enabling infrastructure

EGIGS’ 40-acre aesthetically designed campus is equipped with contemporary infrastructure to enable holistic student development. The fully wi-fi-enabled academic wing houses 26 ICT-enabled classrooms, a well-stocked library and five science and computer labs, five spacious boarding houses, and world-class sports infrastructure.

The school infirmary is manned by a full-time doctor and 4 nurses, and a standby ambulance service in case of emergencies. Residential facilities include sun-lit air-conditioned modern dormitories with attached bathrooms and recreation corners. Healthy vegetarian and non-vegetarian school meals are provided to students, teachers and support staff in a modern 300-seats dining hall. EGIGS is committed to transforming into a zero-emissions campus by 2028. The eco-friendly campus hosts a solar water heating plant and a water recycling plant.

The school’s impressive sports infrastructure includes a state-of-the-art rifle shooting range, a 9-horse stable, an Olympic size swimming pool, squash, basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, table tennis room, a 200m athletics track and five playing grounds supported by a team of 12 NIS-Patiala certified coaches.

Comprehensive sports & Co-curricular education programme

EGSIS’ state-of-the-art infrastructure enables an extensive sports and co-curricular education menu. On average, students commit 14 hours per week to sports, while those pursuing specialised sports put in upto 20 hours each week to hone their skills and excel in their chosen sporting disciplines.

They are trained by highly qualified coaches who hold a degree in physical education and are certified by Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) – the academic wing of the Sports Authority of India and Asia’s largest sports institute based in Patiala (Punjab). Unsurprisingly, EGIGS sports teams have won several inter-school, district, state, zonal, national and international trophies in sports events.

Co-curricular education is integrated into the curriculum with students encouraged to pursue music, dance, arts and craft, yoga among others. The school also offers students membership of 15 clubs to develop their multiple intelligences. Moreover, EGSIS’ partnership with IAYP (International Award for Young People) enables its students to participate in annual adventure camps. Tent pitching, swimming, cycling, and obstacle courses are among the popular activities at IAYP camps.

Community service is integral to campus life at EGIGS. The girls are encouraged to be a part of community outreach activities so that they can bring about a tangible difference in the lives of the less privileged and achieve a sense of purpose and personal fulfillment. Lessons in empathy, respect, dignity are imparted through regular visits to orphanages, and old-age homes.

Ecoliers have launched noteworthy initiatives aimed at uplifting underprivileged individuals and communities in the neighbourhood. Recently, at the Government Inter College, Horawala, they conducted a series of sessions to address the pertinent issues of gender inequality, women empowerment, hygiene and sanitation. They have also conducted fun and interactive storytelling sessions, recreational games, and English classes and supported the education of the underprivileged children by contributing books through the Community Library Project.

“Our children have come of age. Gone are the days when we would talk down to our children; we now talk with them, and therein lies the key to progress. Empowered youth are the leaders of today imbued with courage to transform the world for a better tomorrow,” says Kanchan Madhav Khandke.