Meet the Programme Director

In any given week, I have the pleasure of marveling at 12 wiggly teeth. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Cherishing and cultivating the imagination—and the self-esteem—of a young person is a huge responsibility, one that my team members and I take very seriously. Our open door policy and transparent lines of communication allow relationships to solidify—and thrive.

Our approach is inspired by various educational pedagogy, such as Montessori, Waldorf, the Reggio Emilia approach, provocation tables, observation corners—and good old fashioned compassion—to ensure our curriculum is dynamic, challenging, application based and relevant. Above all, the school deploys unmatched resources in terms of faculty, and faculty support, to give a Civitas student the one-on-one attention he or she deserves.

Ours is a family in the truest sense of the word. Like a matriarch, I guard my clan. Even when parents are navigating turbulent times in their lives, they know that they will be heard and the school is a safe haven for them. We operate as a cohesive unit, growing by leaps and bounds while capitalising upon each other's strengths, all united by the best interest of the child. This age group we work with, particularly the youngest ones, requires careful nurturing and uncompromising vigilance. The manners they imbibe and the values that they are exposed to at this age will serve as the foundation of their character. Many times, in a race to get the letter formation or numerical association done first, the child's personality is thwarted and their natural curiosity is stifled.

At Civitas, we certainly focus on the letters and the numbers, just as we would at any other top-tier educational institution. However, we also take the time to look for ants, read a storybook to each other if a student is unwell, push in our chairs properly, learn how to roll and unroll a mat, greet each other with kindness and have the mental presence and acumen to grasp teachable moments for what they are: pure magic.

Our specialisation of resources allows people to focus on what matters most: the education process itself. My role involves safeguarding the happiness of everyone on our team. Because above everything else, each and every person should be happy while coming to Civitas.

— Almas Riaz
Programme Director
Inspiring young minds since 1994

Meet our Community

The educational philosophy and unique culture of Civitas is not confined to the classroom. All the members of our community contribute to making the school the special place that it is, and our approach infiltrates all our areas and stakeholders differently. Nestled in a quiet neighbourhood in Old Clifton, the security of our students while on campus is nonpareil. Adjacent to Park Lane Hospital and walking distance from a police station and multiple embassies, the central location presents a safe cocoon of sorts. This translates into an overall enhanced student experience, with assistance from various members of our community – all of whom have so much to share!

“The bond between a teacher and her student is sacred. When the teacher takes full responsibility of her student’s learning and the parent is engaged, there is no need for a third person.”

— Tabassum Raza, Kindergarten Teacher

Tiered academic support at Civitas enables the teacher to take complete accountability and ownership of the child’s learning. The programme manifests itself in different ways for each age group, ranging from 10 minutes after class for the youngest of students, to the after school bridge classes or in house remedial support for slightly older learners.

Tiered Academic Support

It’s all too easy to sit on the sidelines and be an armchair critic. What takes courage is trying out new experiences, mobilizing change and having the courage—and commitment—to put in the necessary legwork.

At Civitas, we have a no grumbling culture. This could be represented by trying out new cuisine and offering only positive feedback, wearing the formal uniform with pride to show solidarity (even when the weather is hot) or cleaning up with a smile on our face. Our students demonstrate complete ownership of the school. When asked by a visiting parent if they clean their school cafeteria themselves, a young student put it best, “Of course we clean it! It’s our school!” —

(A student of grade 1)

— Sidra Khatri, Programme Manager

1, 2, 3...No Grumbling!

"You know you’re a Civitas parent when your child is adamant to come to school with a 102 fever. There’s just so much happening.

As a bit of a globe trotter through childhood, I had the opportunity to be exposed to the best international practices in education. At my alma mater, we used to get to go to school with nothing but a pencil pouch, not inundated by arbitrary appendages that weren’t strictly essential to the learning process. Through Civitas, I get to relive that when I see my kids set off for school with their light smart bag and school binder."

— Khawar Ansari, parent of a current as well as a graduated Civitas student

The "Burden" of Education

“I was secretly talking to my plant.” — (Mohammad Azlaan, KG-B)

Our sensory garden includes lemon grass, mint and caraway; it is an apt metaphor for our educational approach. Students fully immerse themselves in the surroundings. They will touch, explore, make hypotheses and marvel at the world around them, be it through sniffing the roses or talking to the animals. As a teacher, I simply cannot let go of an educational opportunity. There is no substitute for life experience, especially with this age group.

— Aisha Ahmed, Nursery teacher

Stop and Smell the Roses

WhatsApp Image 2019-11-21 at 9.23.02 PM.

As one of the founding members of this institution with over two decades of prior experience in the field, I’ll be the first to say that my alliance with such a new institution led to a lot of raised eyebrows. And yet, it was this venturing into the unknown, with such a solid vision and firm focus on child-centred learning, which appealed to me. I wanted to be part of an environment which was organic, where I would have room to grow and learn, to take risks, to work with unshakeable trust and uncompromised ethics. Each item or learning material that you see today has been hand-picked and carefully curated with tender, loving care. I've loved where Civitas has taken me, and I can't wait to see what I will learn and teach next. I will only leave Civitas when I retire.

— Mahjabeen Badshah, Pre-School Teacher & Coordinator

Till Retirement Does Us Part

Leaving the house on time with 3 children under 7 is an ordeal, to say the least, even without the pressure to reach school on time and the imminent threat of being sent home or the child being given a Diggy card.

My children, almost by magic, became independent, conscientious, self-motivated and responsible because of the way Civitas has inculcated these values. I loved the dress up race during Sports Day, which emulated the morning rush to such perfection, that even my Pre-Nursery child gets in on the fun now. Everything that I have ever wanted for my children has already been done by the school.

— Alveena Zain Mundia, proud parent of three Civitas students (Nursery, Grades 1 & 3)

Race Against Time

"Mein woh lamha nahi bhool sakti jub meray Dean, Sir Nadeem, ne mujhse muskuratay huey kaha, “Meine kabhi kisi Urdu teacher ko aap jitna excited nahi dekha.” Mujhe Urdu se ishq hai, aur mein Grades 1 aur 2 ko parhaati hun jis mein bachay khali takhti ki tarha hotey hain. Isi liye hum Urdu ko jitna dilchasp banaein utnay hi jazbay se woh parhengay.

Humaray aaj kal ke schools mein Urdu ko soteili behen ka darja dia jaata hai. Lekin Civitas mein tou hum Urdu mein bhi saari jadeed tareekekaar istemaal kartay hain. Agar is hi jazbay se hum Urdu parhatay rehey, mujhe yaqeen hai ke Urdu sub ka pasandeeda subject bun jaiga."

— Nargis Hassan, Urdu Teacher

Jeem ki Kahani

"Civitas ka discipline sirf school ke andar nahi, bahar se hi nazar ajata hai. Humaray parking ke rules sakht hain, lekin behtari keliye hi hain, aur saaray parents and students unko follow kartay hain.

Gari mein kahan se bethna hai, kahan se utarna hai, cheezein ready rakhni hain drop off point se pehle takay peechay wala tang na ho, walking path se aana hai kyun ke vo safe hai…ye saari cheezein sirf parking ke liye nahi hain, discipline aur asool ki baat hai.

Mein bata nahi sakta mujhe kitni khushi hoti hai jab bachay subha utartay huey “Thank you” boltay hain. Tarbiyat aur taleem ka maqsad ye choti choti cheezein hoti hain."

— Shabbir Khan, Building Manager

Doing the Right Thing, Every Time

This is the digital age, an age of interconnectedness. Let’s have educational institutions that are ready for it and can likewise prepare our kids.

I love the type of reassurance and involvement I have access to as a Civitas parent. I check my kids’ cover sheets (which are later scanned through the barcode) and skim through the weekly lunch menu on my Civitas Pulse portal, I get to track their attendance and late arrivals (if any) and I get sent their assessment feedback as well. As the dad who often reviews homework assignments or checked work on Facetime, it was critical for me to have my children be at a school that’s up to speed.

— Ibrahim Jaleel, an active and engaged parent

A Whole New World

"I was astonished the other day by my son's newfound conscientiousness and immediately applicable knowledge of life lessons. We witnessed an unfortunate accident on our way to the mall; the passenger fell off a motorcycle. Immediately, my 7 year old son exclaimed that she (the passenger) would need an anti-tetanus injection, as there were too many germs on the road. Once inside the grocery store, he also diligently checked the expiration date on all of the packaged foods we purchased. According to him, 'Expired products are not good for our health, and our life is too important to take risks.' For a third grader to be able to make such judicious distinctions is amazing to say the least. And it's all thanks to the focus placed on Life Skills at Civitas."

— Ghazala Raza, parent of a third grade student

Beyond Textbooks