It is true: education is a serious issue. And it is made all the more serious in a nation such as this: where the West blends with the East. So, dare we be complacent enough to treat education as just another way of life, avenue of business or institutionalized system?
In a day and age which – sad to say – has generated individuals who do exhibit that laissez faire approach toward the growth of human wealth, it is nice to know that there is someone who treats the issue with the respect and care that it deserves: Mrs. Susheela George (b. 23 March 1943). She is a remarkable human being whose aim is to foster academic growth and an acute sense of responsibility in the children of this land. An educationist par excellence, her influence on the educational scenario in this nation cannot go unnoticed. It would be unfair if one did not place a proper perspective on the lady’s dedication and determination in serving the citizens of tomorrow an education that will last a lifetime: lessons that can stir them to pen their own words in the book of life.
Today, Mrs. George is the proud holder of numerous awards and citations; all of which she earned with perseverance and dedication towards her cause. The latest award in her impressive gallery is a tribute to the Educationist of the Millennium and it is only indicative of the respect and admiration that she evokes in those with whom she interacts. Dignified in her bearing, Mrs. George brooks no pretensions; in fact, such is her work ethic that she ponders not on what was or has been but on what is yet to be.
But, should that prevent us, lay folks, from glancing down the corridors of time to gain an understanding of the journey she has made to carve a niche for herself in the field of education? Determined to overcome all the obstacles that life and fate could – with tempests – toss, this remarkable lady from Coimbatore, India is the epitome of the visionary educationist. Today, Merryland International School is home to a number of fragile minds, from sixty different nations that are handled with utmost care and concern. Yet, Merryland did not materialize from thin air. This is the dream that was conceived in the womb of hope around forty five years ago.
The humble beginning
The dream began when a young graduate decided to take a small step for herself – and a giant leap in the field of education – by seizing the opportunity; albeit a challenging one, of applying her newly ratified thesis on Dalton’s method of education among the Todas, the Badugas and the Kadas of the Niligiri villages. Applying this special method in the field of adult education resulted in pleasant surprises for the young team that she had formed; but the fruits that they tasted were the product of sincere work, outright dedication and total commitment. Charismatic by nature and warm in her manner, the young visionary soon found a place in the hearts of the extremely shy village folk.
To Abu Dhabi
Destiny, however, was flying on the winds of change from the cool 7500 ft. mountain range, emerging into a hot desert life and the teacher of the tribals soon found the then developing city of Abu Dhabi, as the bride of Mr. Joseph George Parambil, she was eager to continue her application of the Dalton system of education; a method which she earnestly believed and advocated.
The first school
The thesis that was experimented on in the villages of Southern India soon began to take concrete shape in the city of Abu Dhabi and a small school was opened in April 1978.
