Twenty years ago, when plans emerged to establish a CBSE school with international standards in Thiruvaniyoor near Kerala's Kochi city, the idea drew its share of scepticism. The location—far removed from urban rush—seemed unusual for a school that promised state-of-the-art facilities. But entrepreneur P. Jacob saw something others didn’t: an opportunity to build a learning environment anchored in calm, natural surroundings, where children could grow without the noise and pressure of the city.
Guided by this conviction, he turned a bold idea into a functioning institution. Today, Global Public School stands as a well-recognised name in Kerala’s education landscape, appreciated for its distinctive approach and its sustained contribution to holistic learning.
In 2005, Jacob established the Global Education Trust with the support of close friends and family, creating the foundation for a school system that continues to influence how modern education is imagined in the state. Global Public School began its journey soon after—quickly exceeding expectations and carving a unique identity.
From the outset, the school introduced facilities rarely seen in Kerala at the time: air-conditioned buses, structured day schooling, and well-planned boarding options. The first batch graduated in 2012, and since then, nearly 1,500 students have passed through its corridors.
Today, the Global Education Trust manages multiple institutions under its umbrella. Along with the CBSE school, it operates Stepping Stones—a pre-KG kindergarten; GPS International, offering the Cambridge curriculum; and GPS Brooks Kochi School, which follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. Stepping Stones also runs feeder schools in Girinagar and Padam, extending the Trust’s reach across Kochi.
As the Global Education Trust marks its 20th year, it is ready to expand its footprint with a new Global Public School in Thiruvananthapuram. The upcoming campus inside Technopark is nearing completion and is expected to open in the next academic year.
According to Jacob, chairman of Global Public School and managing trustee of the Trust, the new institution will accommodate around 1,200 students across various academic streams. In its first phase, the school will offer Pre-KG to Class VII under the CBSE curriculum, Classes I to V under the IB programme, and Classes VI to VIII under the Cambridge curriculum.
The Trust already runs a daycare and crèche—GPS Stepping Stones—at the Taurus Building in Technopark Phase 3, in partnership with Learning Curve, one of India’s leading preschool and daycare chains. Children enrolled there will be able to continue their education seamlessly at the new Global Public School campus once it opens.
Staying true to its motto, “Global Vision, Traditional Values,” the school aims to help every learner discover and develop their individual strengths. Academic excellence, sports, and cultural activities receive equal importance, creating a balanced environment where learning moves beyond textbooks.
A key hallmark of the school is its teacher–student ratio of 1:12, designed to ensure personal attention and support. Beyond academics, students engage in a diverse range of enrichment activities—enthusiasm programmes, outreach initiatives, field trips, performing and visual arts, inter-school competitions, and skill-building workshops.
To nurture innovation, the school hosts Atal Tinkering Labs, encouraging students to explore creativity and entrepreneurial thinking. The school’s efforts in this direction earned it the Kerala Award for Best Innovation. Other initiatives include career counselling, mentorship programmes pairing alumni with students, and structured guidance for international higher education.
Lakshmi Ramachandran, the school’s advisor, notes that teacher development remains central to the institution’s philosophy. Along with the mandatory CBSE training programmes, teachers undergo continuous professional development, workshops, mental-well-being sessions and skill-enhancement modules to strengthen classroom effectiveness and personal growth.
An ISO-certified institution, Global Public School has also secured the Green School Award for three consecutive years. It is a proud member of Round Square, a global network of schools committed to experiential learning, leadership, community service, and global citizenship.
After working in multinational companies, Jacob returned home following his father’s passing to support the family business. He later entered the automobile tube manufacturing sector with assistance from KSIDC, but the company had to be closed due to the economic challenges of the time.
During this transition, and while reflecting on life ahead, the idea of starting a school began to form—fulfilling a long-held wish of his late father. With no prior experience in education, Jacob spent nearly a year studying the sector, consulting experts in India and abroad, and examining both the opportunities and responsibilities. The result was the establishment of the Global Education Trust in 2005.
What began as a leap of faith has grown into one of Kerala’s respected educational institutions—driven by clarity of purpose and consistency in execution.
Jacob acknowledges that meeting educationist Lakshmi Ramachandran was a turning point in the school’s journey. Having served as the founding dean and now as advisor, she continues to shape its academic vision, curriculum development and teacher training.
Alongside her, Shamim Mohammed and Annie Inasu played major roles in building the school’s early culture—rooted in values, care and academic honesty. Their contributions remain fundamental to the school’s identity.
Today, Jacob’s son, Johann Jacob, serves as director of Global Public School. Bringing a modern, forward-looking perspective, he has been central to the school’s technological transformation and overall growth, preparing it for the next phase of its evolution.
