The first thing that comes to our mind when we hear about receiving education is the traditional method of learning in schools. And by school, we mean the traditional day schools where students go for a specific time period in the day, get lessons from teachers, interact with friends and come back home again. But does traditional academic learning cover it all for the overall development of a student?
No, it doesn't. This is where the idea of boarding school comes in. In our country, residential schools like Dhaka Residential Model College (DRMC), and army-run schools like cadet colleges fall under the same umbrella.
"Initially the phase was difficult. Adjusting in a different surrounding, interacting with new faces, following rules that I was unfamiliar with - everything was hitting at a time. Eventually, with time the difficulties eased especially when I got to know my peers and made friendship with them," said Syed Samiun Mostafa, an ex-cadet of Faujdarhat Cadet College, currently studying at IBA, Dhaka University.
Cadet colleges focus on all-round development of the students rather than emphasising only on academics. "I believe academics is necessary to be a good student but for overall development, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities play a vital role," said a current sophomore law student at Jahangirnagar University and an alumnus of DRMC, Samin Yeasar.
Shaila Sharmin, a former ex-cadet hailing from Feni Girls’ Cadet College and a current student of Colonel Malek Medical College, Manikganj said, "The best opportunity I got there was a stage to perform. I always loved singing and I could explore my ability to sing and perform English poetry there. And another thing that stood out for me was our beautiful campus. I mean, who wouldn't love such a serene place to stay?"
In residential schools like DRMC, the military way of life is incorporated to some extent. "The lifestyle there is obviously tough to keep up with. Eventually it became a regular thing and I was able to adapt then," said Samin. He added, "The seniors were really helpful with any of our problems, even personal ones. They guided me, which in turn helped me adapt fast to the lifestyle".
As one has to stay at the school campus for a long time without family, friends become a core part of life for every individual there. "We used to study in the same block, dine in the same dining hall, and play in the same basketball court. It allowed us to form friendship in multiple forms and helped us understand each other from various perspectives," said Samiun.
The teachers also become an integral part of a student's life in a boarding school. "The teachers in the campus stayed with us like family members and always catered to our needs. The interaction with them was not limited to class periods only, rather they were present even at late nights to ensure we were asleep on time," said Samiun.
According to a recent study conducted by the Arts and Science Group of Baltimore for The Association of Boarding Schools, (TABS), boarding school students are more likely than private and public-school students to earn an advanced degree and achieve faster career advancement.
"The outstanding factor for me was our ability to cope with things fast enough," said Samin. "As cadets enter their institution at a very early stage of life, they have to work on improving self-dependency instilling a sense of liability and accountability from that age."
When asked about a key takeaway from her cadet life, Sharmin said, "My time in cadet college made one thing very clear to me -- making mistakes is alright. What matters more is how good we are at handling them. Perfection has no ending and once we set our motive for achieving something, success may not arrive early. Whatever scenario we face, if taken care of properly, may turn out to be an opportunity."
Education, the proverbial backbone of a nation, is not limited to textbooks. Academics is crucial, but so are other aspects like sports, and cultural activities. The core idea of boarding and residential schools is crucial to an individual's development and boarding schools try to hold up their end to nurture the youngsters for glory and responsibility.
The writer is a student at IBA, University of Dhaka.
He can be reached at [email protected]
