Orientation session: New students welcomed with a day full of entertainment

Froebel’s International School arranges enjoyable open house for youngsters, parents.

ISLAMABAD:

It was Raaniya’s first day at school and she was dressed for the occasion in a pair of neon tights and a printed white shirt. “I love school,” she said confidently, her hazel-brown eyes sparkling under what she called her “Dora” fringes.

“She is making that up, she hates it,” her mother laughed, shaking her head. But Raaniya, who loves to play Angry Birds, seemed all set to make new friends and play more games with them at school.

Like her, many other toddlers had their first-ever interaction with their schoolmates and teachers. Accompanied by parents and grandparents, primary school children attended an orientation and open house ceremony at the newly-opened branch of Froebel’s International School in Sector F-11 on Monday.

Adorned with colourful balloons, buntings and artwork, the school campus wore a festive look.

The children got their faces painted and participated in activities such as painting and drawing. Some zealously played on the jumping castle set up in the lawn, enjoying the drizzle. They also cut a cake and ate chocolate chip cookies.

In a presentation, Shahmina Kamal, the school principal highlighted the need to nurture children’s potential from an early age. Besides academic faculties, she underscored the importance of developing children’s social, emotional and intellectual sides to help them become well-rounded persons.

She urged the fathers to read to their children at bedtime in order to inculcate a life-long reading habit in an age when gadgets and gizmos are fast taking over the old reading habit.

Kamal said the school was following the International Primary Curriculum from primary to graduation. “We are committed to providing an intuitive and interactive environment which will enable us to build future leadership in all disciplines of life,” she added.

Tahir Bhatti, an alumni who had brought along his fourth-grader nephew, reminisced the time during his A’ Levels at the school’s main campus.

“I’d just moved in from Karachi and didn’t know anyone but within a week, I had made friends in just about every section. It was like one big family,” he said. Established in 1975, the school now has branches in Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Wah.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2013.