Education Briefs

The Mumbai-based Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS), India’s largest IT software development and consultancy services company with a client base spread across 35 countries (annual revenue: Rs.16,000 crore; no. of employees: 80,000), was awarded a gold trophy at the Entrepreneurship & Management Processes International (EMPI)-Indian Express Innovation Awards function held in New Delhi on December 22. TCS was among nine corporates and organisations felicitated for discharging their larger corporate social responsibility (CSR) beyond business boundaries.

TCS was specially felicitated for developing and operationalising its CBFL (computer based functional literacy) programme which has demonstrated capability to transform illiterate adults into functional literates within a period of 40 hours, using IT and computer interfaces customised to specific needs and individual capabilities. "This innovative approach has the potential of making a widespread impact on the literacy scene, both nationally and internationally," said the award citation.

The award conferred upon the company by former president of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was received by Pankaj Baliga, vice president and head of global CSR of TCS.

Kidzee wins best franchisor award again

The Mumbai-based Kidzee — the pre-school division of Zee Interactive Learning Systems Ltd — was awarded the Best Franchisor Award in the pre-school category for the fourth consecutive year by Franchising India Holdings Ltd, at a grand awards ceremony held at Hotel Ashoka, Delhi on December 12. Arun Kumar Khetan, chief executive of Kidzee received the award on behalf of ZILS.

Kidzee was also nominated for International Franchisor of the Year 2006 by the Franchising & Licensing Association (FLA), Singapore. Kidzee is India’s largest pre-school chain with over 700 pre-schools operating under the Kidzee brand through the franchise model of development.

RKHS, India’s leading company providing food and hospitality solutions, facilities management and vending solutions, has published a nutrition handbook for children titled Healthy Food for Super Kids. Nita Ambani, chairperson of the Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai formally released the publication at a function staged in the eponymous school on December 5.

"We are glad to launch this book as RKHS caters to a large number of schools across the country. We want to play a contributory role in helping kids to eat healthy while growing up. We want to ensure that young students enjoy healthy meals even at home, and demonstrate that nutritious food can be both exciting and easy to prepare," said RKHS chief executive Sunil Nayak speaking on the occasion.

Drawing from RKHS’ Healthy Food Manual, which features a four week non-repetitive cyclical menu of recipes, the new book stresses the nutritional requirements of children. "Each recipe has been tested, standardised and balanced, validated and certified by the food science and nutrition department of Smt. P.N. Doshi Women’s College, an SNDT Women’s University affiliate. Celebrated gourmet chef Karen Anand has edited the recipes in this handbook," adds Nayak.

"By cooperating to publish this book, Karen and the RKHS team have made a valuable contribution to literature on healthy food for children. I am sure it will add a new flavour in the provision of school food services. It will also make mothers’ jobs a lot easier, and as a mother I thank you for this book," said Nita Ambani while formally releasing Healthy Food for Super Kids published by Westland Books Pvt. Ltd.

The Amity International School, Noida (Uttar Pradesh), was designated a Cambridge International Centre by the University of Cambridge International Examinations (UK) on December 19. Consequently Amity International is now authorised to offer CIE’s world-renowned Cambridge IGCSE, A & AS level syllabuses and curriculums.

"We undertake an annual revision of our syllabuses. This makes the Cambridge curriculum among the best and most desired by international schools. The steady growth of our centres around the world is testimony to the fact that we are the world’s most popular international qualifications for 14-16-year-olds," said William Bickerdike regional manager (South Asia), addressing an assembly of parents and teachers on the occasion.

"My vision for CIE’s association with Amity International is to ensure our students acquire globally accepted academic skills, which together with humane values, nurtures their development as responsible citizens," added Dr. Amita Chauhan, chairperson of the school.

Apart from school curriculums, Cambridge also offers development courses for teachers and trainers. The Cambridge International certificate and diplomas for teachers and trainers are much sought after qualifications in India, and other parts of the world.

The Writers Block (TWB), a division of the Bangalore-based Amtara Consulting Pvt Ltd, has broadened its portfolio by introducing Adobe FrameMaker training through the TWB online portal. The program titled ‘TWB Online: Adobe FrameMaker Certification’ is targeted at individuals who are technical writers, programmers or professionals aspiring to create or enhance help systems for desktop or web-based applications.

Launching the program in Bangalore on November 28, Rakesh Shukla, chief executive officer, TWB said: "Adobe FrameMaker is helpful to technical writing professionals who want to upgrade their skills with minimum investment in time and money. There is a dearth of good training options in this space and TWB aims to be a catalyst in bringing about positive change."

According to Shukla, this third online offering from the TWB stable takes the total of its certification and training programs to 15. "TWB Online training has emerged as an effective training channel owing to helpful practice exercises at the end of each unit, and providing a practical yet simple approach to building online help systems," he adds.