Youth Incorporated Magazine

The concept of a boarding school has always seemed restrictive and only it is perceived that only the children who misbehave the most are sent to boarding schools. The best example is Taare Zameen Par, which had a much deeper message but also revealed the life of a child in a boarding school. 

For some, going to a boarding school may seem like a great adventure. Children get to live away from their parents and are with their friends all the time. This may seem amazing to some students whilst others might focus on the negatives of this, such as missing your parents too much. For this reason, it is important to familiarise yourself with the pros and cons of boarding school, which will allow you to make a well-informed decision.

One of the biggest advantages of going to a boarding school is living independently. From a very young age, a child gets to learn things on their own and ultimately become less reliant on their family. Children in boarding schools are more independent and often have more confidence to tackle social situations and engage with their peers and older members of society. There are also more leadership roles available at boarding schools, so more children have the opportunity to fulfil leadership roles making them stronger, more resilient and steadfast individuals. Confidence ultimately leads to things like good people management, networking, selling and relationship-building – skills that are invaluable in life.

A boarding school is an effective way to instil core values like teamwork, integrity, respect, diligence and a caring spirit. It also develops a form of discipline, which is very important as a child grows up. This discipline is built through a regimented lifestyle, but it isn’t as strict as people believe it to be. A schedule only helps a child to do a lot of things in the same amount of time everyone has and achieve things more efficiently.

It is a fact that boarding schools instil intellectual stimulation without distraction. At a boarding school, children are acknowledged and nurtured for their academic ability which drives students to be highly motivated to succeed. Boarding schools also allow for a distraction-free zone, clear of home chores, family interruptions, gaming, sibling rivalry and television. It also gives students access to other facilities such as laboratories and innovation hubs, and also access to extended training like extra coaching and focused extra school lessons. Overall, boarding schools offer a secure learning environment for students.

Now, to also look at the other side of the coin, there are a lot of disadvantages that come with going to a boarding school. Firstly, most schools have extremely expensive tuition fees. Having a decent financial background is quite important when considering a boarding school.

Secondly, although spending time all your time with other pupils forces a child to be confident and make friends, it is also worth acknowledging the fact that attending a boarding school sometimes prevents you from forming friendships outside school. For this reason, lots of students are actually quite lonely when they leave. In such a controlled environment, it is difficult for students to develop a good social life and overall, they end up having very less interactions with the outside world.

The issue of bullying is also a major drawback. You may be unable to escape anyone who is mean to you at a boarding school. In some cases, this can have a serious impact on your mental health. Cases of bullying are quite common in boarding schools, and the remedies aren’t as effective. 

Going to a boarding school comes with its pros and cons, and these things have to be taken into consideration thoroughly. If you do consider going to a boarding school, some of the most renowned boarding schools in India are Kodaikanal International School, The Doon School in Dehradun, and Mayo College in Ajmer.