JSS looks at opening more schools in the UAE

JSS Mahavidyapeeth, one of India's largest privately held educational institution chains, is exploring the possibility of opening more institutions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, its president Jagadguru Sivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji told Gulf News. JSS, which has around 350 institutions worldwide, presently runs three educational institutions, including two schools, in Dubai. Deshikendra, who inaugurated a new soccer field in the JSS Private School in Al Safa, said that the organisation's growth in the UAE had been encouraging in the five years of its establishment here. "We now have over 2,500 students in two schools and are exploring possibilities of opening more. Our approach is long term and our focus is all-round development of students, with special attention on strengthening their values. In the present-day world, a good all-round exposure is important and, at the same time, we should develop our children to be good citizens," he said. Almost 40 per cent of the 50,000 students studying in JSS organisations in India receive free education, he said. "These students are selected on the basis of merit and income levels. By providing scholarships or free education, we want to educate as many children as we can, whether they are in India or the UAE." While interacting with the students, B.N. Betkerur, executive secretary of the Mahavidyapeeth, emphasised the need to explore. He left the children with a question on whether it was more important to be a good human being or a good professional. The students presented a colourful cultural programme, including an impressive presentation of artistic yoga where they displayed intricate yoga moves. Chitra Sharma, the school principal, said that the institution which opened last year now has more than 1,000 pupils.