News 

Friday, January 26, 2018 

Indian education exported to Uganda

 KAMPALA, UGANDA- The investment in education has never been the same when Delhi Public School International became the pioneer academic institution of its kind in the East African region. It comes on the heels of Kampala International School, Kampala Parents Primary School and Victoria University.

“We follow the Indian curriculum,” reveals the seasoned educationist Mary Jacobs. “With DPSI parents no longer have to foot huge bills to transport their children to India for studies. We have saved them the stress, of families being apart.” 

“DPSI has a learner-oriented teaching based on a systematic curriculum. There is a formidable team of staff offering quality education, to the satisfaction of interested parents and the learners.”

India Curriculum followed

Right from the time when a child starts, the challenge of choosing the board of education becomes a prime concern for parents. In Uganda, the most popular boards are the Cambridge Examinations Board, CBSE and the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB.)

What is new?

The choice of board makes a significant difference in the early development of the child. It offers exposure to the kind of education system available. In the Indian education system, two of the most recognized boards of education that one gets to opt for are CBSE and ICSE.

 Delhi Public International School is using the Indian National Curriculum (CBSE).

The CBSE is responsible for preparing the syllabus for the primary and senior secondary levels. It is one the most preferred boards in India.

The school’s principal Mary Jacob cautions says “We chose the Indian National Curriculum because it is learner oriented. Students who have used it are theoretically sound. This does not mean that we do not do practicals.”

Jacob notes that the kind of examinations they do, unlike Cambridge examinations and UNEB covers the entire year’s work, and such content is never used to assess learners again in the next class.

 In UNEB and Cambridge examinations, students are examined on content taught, cutting across more than one year of study. 

She adds, “The CBSE syllabus is very structured, highly predictable and controlled.”

At this juncture, one wonders who is at the helm of the new product and when asked about her past, Principal Jacobs revealed her achievements in life.

“I have a diploma in a Personal Secretary Course from YWCA, Calcutta in India,” Jacobs begins while wearing a smile.

In a nut shell under her wings is Masters’ of Arts degree in English Literature obtained in 1986. In addition are a Bachelor of Science and another of Education.

The work track record has it that Jacobs started as a member of the English language teachers association in India, Chennai before her appointment as an assistant examiner. This was followed by a stint as a lecturer in English at ken Junior and Degree College (India) from 1987 to 1990 before joining Nightingale Higher Secondary School from 1990 to 1995.

In a rapid rise Jacobs also worked as a Principal at St. Jude Junior College under the aegis of St. Jude’s Educational Society from January 1995 to September 2003. On that stage’s heels came teaching English between 2003 and 2008. She has taught in several schools of repute in India. She has been in the Uganda circles since May 2008. Out of work, Jacobs is married and fluently speaks Hindu, English and Telegu.

 “Jacobs has a photographic mind,” confides a parent Nair Ninesh on the Open Day. “She remembers individual pupils by their names. She has information about their academic strengths and weaknesses on her fingertips.”

Jacobs is also reputed to have ability to steer, control and implement policies to improve.

By EABW REPORTER, Friday, January 26th, 2018