Eco-friendly and accessibility-friendly architecture, a dynamic learning environment and state-of-the-art facilities — Kolkata’s well-known Modern High School for Girls is writing a new chapter with all the right tools. The Modern High School International (MHSI), set to be formally inaugurated later this year, is bringing global education to a new campus standing tall at the intersection of Gurusaday Road and Syed Amir Ali Avenue in south Kolkata.
The corridors are lined with artworks by students
Ushering in a new era
Founded in 1952 by Rukmani Devi Birla as an all-girls school, Modern High School opened its door to boys with IB and IGCSE curricula in 2018. Four years later, the new building, now MHSI, was built just a block away specially for the international school. While classes are being held for the small batch of students currently between Grades 8 and 12, the school is yet to be formally inaugurated. My Kolkata got an exclusive glimpse into the world-class facilities at the international school before its formal inauguration scheduled this December.
Devi Kar, director, Modern High School for Girls
“The community in school has already turned our brand-new, green building into a lived-in space. I find it fascinating to walk from the new to the old and back to the new every day,” said Devi Kar, director, Modern High School for Girls.
Accredited to Cambridge IGCSE and IB Diploma programmes, the school has an approximately six-hour day with classes held from 8.30am-2.40pm five days a week from Monday to Friday. Sessions begin in July every year and continue till June of the next year, and while the school has only Grades 8 to 12 at present, there are plans to introduce Grades 6 and 7 as well. The new international school has a separate uniform with light blue shirts with a choice of grey skirts or trousers, and it is not compulsory for girls to wear skirts.
L-R: Nandini Ghatak, principal, MHSI; Somali Mitra, administrative head, MHSI; and students Anvesha Saraf and (right) Siddhant Jain
Anvesha Saraf, IBDP Year 2 student (Grade 12), is among the 40 students currently attending classes.“Modern High School International stands as a beacon of excellence in education, redefining the landscape of learning with its global perspective. With a nurturing environment, expert faculty, and cutting-edge facilities, this institution prepares students to emerge as leaders of tomorrow,” she said.
Walking through a dynamic new school
Every classroom at MHSI is a smart classroom
Every classroom at MHSI is a smart classroom, and designed with thought. With lots of natural light streaming in and paintings and inspirational posters decorating the corridors of the school, the administration has worked towards creating a positive environment for its students, including creating an accessibility-friendly building.
An idol of Saraswati — much like the one in the older building — welcomes you in the school lobby. The ground floor houses the reception area, an auditorium, the cafeteria, college counselling room and a conference room. The cafeteria is spacious with ample seating arrangement where students can enjoy hygienic, junk-free, healthy food during the recess. The school also offers college counselling to the high-school students, to help guide them in their choices for higher studies and future career.
A view of the central atrium and (right) the Gurukul area
The first interesting feature that catches the eye is the central atrium. Being a centrally air-conditioned building, the atrium keeps the air fresh and ensures efficient cooling through the six floors of the building. Somali Mitra, administrative head, MHSI, said, “The building is designed keeping in mind the children’s well-being and the atrium is one of the key features of the school. It also allows natural light to enter the floors on sunny days.”
Artworks by the students
Another interesting space is housed on the first floor. Designed much like an open theatre, the Gurukul was built for interactive sessions. The space can be used for conducting discussions, having intimate seminars and even staging plays or performances. According to Mitra, it is inspired by Visva-Bharati’s open classroom setup and is an ideal space for students and teachers to come together for discussions, debates etc.
The first floor also has an infirmary that is well-equipped to handle primary medical aid. It has two beds and a wheelchair, with a professional nurse ready to attend to health emergencies.
The science labs
Science geeks have much reason to celebrate as MHSI’s state-of-the-art science labs on the third floor have shiny new equipment and many new-age facilities. The Biology and Chemistry labs have door-less emergency wash areas that can be quickly accessed in case of any accidents that might occur when working with chemicals. The organised work stations, the informative charts and posters in all labs and a designated lab assistant for each room means that students have much to explore while working in an organised, clean space.
Going beyond schoolwork
In the words of the administration, the school focuses on the holistic development of its students nurturing not just their education but also their mental and physical wellness. Many small and big spaces in various sections of MHSI are designed keeping this in mind.
One of the reading areas in school
Reading corners have been set up on the second floor at various spots, stacked with books and newspapers for the students to spend some time reading if they wish to. This floor also has an exquisite art studio, where artwork and sculpture by the students are exhibited. Two floors up, a multipurpose hall with full-length mirrors with a TT table right outside serves as a rehearsal and recreational space for the students.
In a novel feature, not commonplace in most Indian schools, a wellness zone has been created for students to unwind between classes. It is a gadget-free zone and has various fidget toys and books for students to decompress, take their mind off of things or just spend some quiet time.
The gadget-free wellness zone
Nandini Ghatak, principal of the international school, says, “We at MHSI are aiming to build a ‘thinking school’ where all members believe that learning is a lifelong endeavour. We ensure that students focus on developing understanding rather than engaging in rote memorisation. We encourage creative and critical thinking such that students may apply the skills and techniques learnt in class to new and unfamiliar situations and contexts.”
A world of books
The different areas in the library
A good library is possibly one of the biggest USPs of a good school. On the top floor of MHSI is a well-stocked hi-tech library that has been partially digitised for easy accessibility and use. There are computer stations with Internet access, and the reading space has views of the lush green surroundings outside.
An interesting feature of the library is a self-help borrowing and lending machine that streamlines the book borrowing and returning process. Another well-thought out part of the library is the quiet zone. Today, school-level education also involves multimedia and projects can use a range of multimedia. That’s where this quiet zone comes in.
The sound-proof pods in the quiet area of the library
It houses four sound-proof little rooms they call pods for conducting classes or lessons that might need the elimination of outside noise. These pods can serve as spaces to teach subjects or topics that might need audio aids like languages, and students can also use the rooms for sound recording purposes as and when required by the curriculum. This space also comes with smart seating arrangements with charging stations. A surfing area is installed with four monitors that students can pre-book and use for research purposes.
Location: 78, Syed Amir Ali Ave
Boards: Cambridge IGCSE Programme and International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP)
Grades: Currently 8-12
Website: https://mhsi.edu.in/
