The Making of A Reformed Generation
Eastern Public School (EPS) began its journey with just one teacher and one student in April 2003. The objective was not to add one more school to a long list of schools in the town. Instead, the idea was to create an extraordinary institution for learning where world-class education is blended with the core values and practices (not just knowledge) of Islam. A few months later, we had 23 students in the inaugural batch of EPS.
Since then, we have grown organically, adding one grade every year. We now have 15 grades (from nursery to 12th grade) and approximately 700 students as of July 2019.
In our pursuit to bringing the world’s best educational program to our kids, we began implementing the Primary Year’s Program of the International Baccalaureate (IB) in 2006. We believe that IB is the best program that prepares students to face the ever changing global scenario with courage and fortitude; helping them develop as principled and caring individuals who in turn will help shape a productive, peaceful and prosperous society. We became the first IB PYP authorized school in Bhopal in the year 2011. This achievement brought Bhopal on the international education map. But that was just the first milestone in our journey to bring the very best school education to our town. We then set our sight on our next goal i.e. the MYP authorization. In Feb 2012, we became an MYP authorized school as well.
After having achieved PYP and MYP authorization, we continued our onward journey towards the DP authorization. This was the most challenging part of the entire IB authorization experience. We received DP Authorization in April 2014.
Adding another jewel to the crown, the school received IGCSE Authorization from Cambridge International Examinations in June 2014.
The School had number of visitors through this jouney who are very eminent IB Educators during these processes of Authorization and otherwise. The list include Mario Gauci, Murray Scoble, Tasneem Khan, Monita Sen, Richael Langetdursin, Pramila Sen, Khona Bhattacharjee, Rama Shindey, Angelica Sharma, Veena DSilva, Paula Euinto, Kaisar Dopashi, Gillian Presland, Ashish Trivedi, Jasmine Madhani, Suprio Bhowmick, Riad Rojoa, Priyamvada Taneja …They have been part of visiting teams, In-school workshop leaders or Advisors. EPS owes a great deal to every one of them.
Why Islamic School?
Under section (1) of article 30, the Indian constitution gives right to minorities to establish their own educational institutions.
A Government of India initiated Report on the Social, Economic and Educational Status of the Muslim Community of India shows that education in the Muslim community in India is in a pathetic state.
This initiative is fully self-funded – without donations, grants or loans. We believe setting up such world-class Islamic educational institutions using our own resources is our national duty. We are helping ourselves, our society and our country.
India being the largest democracy in the world allows all Indian citizens the right to raise their children as fits their own cultural identity and religious values. This great freedom enables Muslims, if they choose, to bring up their children in a pure religious environment.
Complete understanding of one’s own religion makes one a better ambassador, therefore avoiding the cultural misgivings that can be common between various communities. The need to stop further misunderstanding is more vital now than ever before. Objective inter-faith dialogues can only be conducted on strong intellectual foundation. EPS endeavors to provide such a base through comprehensive and structured religious education.
As most faith-based institutions are non-commercial, they tend to provide high-quality education at an affordable price. This has long-term social implications. If millions of Rupees are spent in providing school and university education, a vast majority of children will remain deprived and the small minority that can afford high-cost education will go out of their way to recover the millions spent. Often, but not always, a heavy initial investment can lead to greed and corruption.
In India, secularism is defined as ‘freedom to practice one’s own religion’. Establishing faith-based schools for the largest minority in India upholds the country’s secular credentials.
Gaining religious education is not optional in Islam. Providing comprehensive religious education from a young age is an obligation for every Muslim female and male, according to Qur’an and Hadith (lifestyle and guidance of Prophet Muhammad – peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Most of our moral deficiencies are a result of neglecting comprehensive Islamic education. Just reading Qur’an and offering prayers are proving inadequate. Consequently, we are paying a hefty price in this life and (Allah forbids) setting the stage for ourselves and coming generations for the same in the Life After.
Two Decades of EPS!
The EPS campus currently spans over acres of land, located within 5 minutes’ drive from Bhopal Airport.
The state-of-the-art campus has a full-fledged Admin Block, Academic Block (Separate for Boys and Girls) and Multipurpose Block, Physics, Chemistry and Biology lab, Infirmary, Canteen and Crèche for staff children. There are playing fields, Water pool and a beautiful garden with fountains.
Get visual experience of this wonderful journey by clicking the folder “Two Decades of EPS” in our picture gallery.