School

It's been a year since the kids joined a CBSE school in Dubai. They still miss their school in Chennai (which shifted to the CBSE curriculum in part after they left) and are not convinced by my theory that the Samacheer kalvi syllabus prescribed on the whim of a political leader did them no good. They still struggle academically as a result.
The second language Hindi continues to be their biggest problem - coming from a State known for its anti-Hindi agitations, their knowledge of Hindi did not go beyond the alphabets. Mira shifted to Malayalam as a result after spending a year studying the alphabets and learning to read and write her mother tongue which she could speak quite well. Malayalam with its 52 letters is not an easy language to master at short notice but she is improving.
The good thing about taking Malayalam has been that she has been thrown into the company of children doing various languages -  French, Urdu (Pak mainly), Tagalog (Filipinos). It means she is in a co-ed batch (here, many schools have separate campuses for boys and girls after primary) with Africans, Iranians, Filipinos and our neighbours from the subcontinent. Unlike those who take Hindi who are in exclusive boys only and girls only divisions after Class 4, Mira can interact with boys and I hope that it will help her be more confident and bold in the long run.
Ash for his part makes friends easily and has a close circle of 4 friends and is therefore loath to shift to any other school. Cricket coaching twice a week adds to his interest.
The school conducts events and campaigns - like Breast Cancer Awareness day today when students are exhorted to wear pink; Diwali and Onam celebrations when you can go in traditional outfits - apart from anniversary celebrations. You guessed it - it has a Malloo management but the students are from all over India, predominantly north. That the fees is very reasonable means that its doors are open to those from the lower economic sections (My heart however goes out to a boy who was made to stand outside the class as punishment for not paying fees for long - apparently his father had not been getting his salary during the recession last year). "RR" (relief and rehabilitation) students are also part of the student population.
Teaching is not the best in many Indian curriculum schools with many teachers who lack a teaching degree or interest in the job at hand. Cant blame them - the work pressure is too much for the salaries on offer.
p.s. It is heartening that the dishes I prepare are well received by the kids's friends. While one loves my bread upma (the recipe for which Mira gave me after asking her friend who brought the strange dish) is popular with one, noodles or soondal with another, chicken stew-appam yet another etc. After a hurried breakfast at 6.15 am before they run to catch the school bus, it is their brunch in school at 11 am that gives them the necessary nutrition. Well, many mothers send junk food or a fruit unable to plan or rustle up something wholesome. Except in the week the KHDA  comes for school inspection when school authorities request parents to send healthy food. :)