Rahhal gives sporting students a head start

Two students in Dubai have got an early start to their sports careers, thanks to a part-time schooling concept launched earlier this year. The Rahhal programme has allowed the students to miss months of school as they travelled and competed in tournaments. The concept lets pupils develop their talents within their chosen careers without having to compromise on education.
Tanisha Crasto, a Grade 10 student at the Indian High School, Dubai, has missed nearly three months of school since the academic year started in April. She is India’s number one badminton player in under-17 doubles and has been travelling to compete in tournaments.
A Grade 9 student at the same school, Tanish George Mathew, is eyeing the gold medal in swimming at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Since the start of the academic year, he has missed nearly five months of school. However, thanks to the Rahhal scheme, his school is flexible when it comes to giving exams and submitting projects.
Badminton champ hones her skills
Tanisha Crasto, a grade 10 student at The Indian High School, has missed nearly three school months since the academic year started in April. She is India's number one badminton player in under-17 doubles and has been travelling to compete in tournaments. She spends heavy hours training on the court.
Tanisha told Khaleej Times: "The school has enrolled me in the Rahhal project last April. This has helped me focus more on my game. I can play more tournaments
and also get to polish my skills in various camps and academies.
"I get more time to focus on my game and get quality time to improve my techniques. This also eases the academic pressure and helps me manage my time for school work. As I have chosen my career in sports, Rahhal has helped me achieve my goal."
According to her father, Cliford Crasto, her grades are not affected even if she spends a lot of time on the court.
It's because the Rahhal programme has established an agreement between Tanisha and the school, indicating that she can take her exams once she is back in Dubai. However, she must be present for any board examinations.
He said that when his daughter is in Dubai, she attends school at 6am, leaves by 1pm, and practises on the court from 1.30pm to 10pm. "Rahhal is more into developing a student's career. My daughter is a sports person. She's more into sports than academics," Cliford said.
"Now, it's almost a year since Rahhal was launched and she had the opportunity of playing in major tournaments in and around the world. In fact, she flew to Canada on Friday to play the World Junior Championship. She got selected to be part of the Indian team."
Crasto also competed in the Asian Championship that was held in Myanmar last month.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com

Grade 9 student eyes Olympic win
A grade 9 student at The Indian High School, Tanish George Mathew, dreams of competing in the Japan 2020 Olympics and the Commonwealth Games in 2022, and winning the gold medal in swimming at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Thanks to his participation in the Rahhal project, he has been further developing his swimming career, hoping to become an Olympian soon.
He has been part of the Rahhal project since April, and has missed nearly four to five months of school since then. He has been tied up with training and international travel for competitions. However, the school has always been on full-support mode and has provided leniency in terms of school work submissions and taking exams.
Tanish, who has already won several medals around the world, told Khaleej Times: "Swimming is normal for me - I'm relaxed and I'm comfortable. I know my surroundings. I feel home, and swimming is life. Thanks to Rahhal, I'm one step closer to my Olympic dream."
Tanish's mother, Viji Susan Mathew, said: "For a country, a school, and us parents, we are looking at what the child wants to achieve. In my son's case, he wants to go to the Olympics and win a medal. That is his dream and we are all here to support him, ensuring that the academic pressure is not coming in the way of his dreams. The Rahhal project in this particular aspect will be helpful not only for my son, but also for those parents who want their children to pursue their dreams. It's a project that is a blessing for us."
However, Viji believes that financial support would also be of help for parents who would want to develop their children's talents through the programme. Aside from paying school fees, she said they also have to pay for "expensive training and international travel" as her son does not have any sponsors yet.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com