Jean Fernandes, principal of Jaihind High School and Junior College, Pimpri, one of the biggest institutions in the Pune with a student strength of nearly 4,500, has brought glory to the school as she has been honoured with the “best principal” award by the Pune Zilla Parishad and the Headmasters’ Association.

Expressing her joy, Fernandes said,”The award is a recognition of years of hard work.” Fernandes has been with the school for nearly 33 years. She joined as an assistant teacher, then became a supervisor. She became the principal later.

Fernandes, who has taught English to thousands of students, said merit, impartiality and adherence to the laid-down norms have been the hallmark of her career. “I have always tried to honour standards and merit. No matter what the pressure is, my aim in life has always been to stand by what is good and respect the good. Most importantly, I hate any violation of norms. I am a stickler for rules and regulations. So, I have ensured that I set the examples for others to follow,” she said.

The school has been constantly under pressure from various leaders for admission, but Fernandes insists that she has handled the pressure with tact without ruffling any feathers. “The kind of position that I am in, I have to be tactful, especially when it comes to giving admissions. Since ours is the best school in town, there are all kinds of pressure.”

Every year, the school has a few students in merit list of SSC and HSC exams. Fernandes credits it all to the joint efforts of her teachers. “We have a close-knit team of teachers which understands the strengths and weaknesses of every student. We have always implemented innovative ideas that have paid rich dividends in the final exams,” she said, adding that the school leaves no stone unturned in encouraging children to take up sports and other extra-circular activities.