Eternal India Encyclopedia

EDUCATION

Eternal India

encyclopedia

TKis was not in lieu of or a substitute for the prevailing educa-

tion but a supplement to it, initially as a weekend programme of 2-3

hours every Sunday. The Sathya Sai Trust produced 1) a prayer book

2) a story book and 3) a primer for guidance and use of teachers. Par-

ents, teachers and social workers interested in this voluntary work

were brought together at various places and received training in the

Bal Vikas Programme which was launched in 1969. Bal Vikas Centres

were opened in thousands of places in about 90 countries of the world.

Now more than 2000 centres are functioning actively. An Evaluation

and Research of the effectiveness of the Kendras in India was under-

taken and the report published in 1985.

The main objectives of the Balvikas Programme are :

To develop the minds of children in personal, social and

ethical skills.

To enable children to lead a more happy, and co-operative

home life.

To inculcate faith in God.

To experience brotherhood of man and fatherhood of God.

To inculcate an abiding conviction of the unity of Faith and

To develop the five Prime values, namely

Sathya

(Truth),

Dharma

(Righteousness),

Prema

(Love),

Shanti

(Peace) and

Ahimsa

(Non-Violence)

The study focussed on 1) Moral Judgement, 2) Parental Expec-

tation, 3) Curriculum relevance, 4) Teachers' Motivation and, 5)

Relative merits of Narration, Pictures and Dramatisation as Tech-

niques for Teaching Values. As regards moral judgement, a test

consisting of two parts A) and B) each having 9 items in short paras of

story like description was tested in terms of i) Intent, ii) Intent and

Lies, iii) Severe Punishment, iv) Communicable responsibility and,

v) Efficacy of punishment on future behaviour. With Baba's blessings

the 'Bal-Vikas' (Child Development) scheme was launched in 1969. It

has now spread to more than 90 countries with more than 2000 centres

actively engaged in it.

The major broad-based components are : i) Prayers, ii) Group

singing of devotional songs, iii) Story telling and study of lives of

great-men and women and of scriptures, iv) Group activities (social

service, physical and cultural) and, v) Silent sitting and meditation.

For the sake of homogeneity, students are grouped into three age

groups: i)6-9, Age of Doing, ii) 10-12, Age of Making and Planning

and iii) 13-17 Age of Planning and Achieving.

Evaluation of value development in children is done monthly

and annually for which a month-wise evaluation card for all the five

values has been developed and used by teachers and parents. The

impact study of Balvikas is contained in the 1985-86 publication

titled "Evaluation and Research of Sri Sathya Sai Balvikas Centres in

India", published by the World Council of Sri Sathya Sai Organisa-

tions,

Prashanthinilayam

(A.P.), India.

The E.H.V. Programme is extended to all levels of education in

Sathya Sai Institutions. The Institute of Higher Learning has intro-

duced an Integrated Five Year course of Integral Education in which

the life of the student in the hostel is as much the concern of the

university as is his life in the college. The students get up at 5 o' clock

in the morning, say their prayers, followed by group singing of

bhajans,

yogasanas

and study hours. After breakfast, they come to the

college at 9 a.m. They sing the common Universal prayer. Then there

is a talk on 'unity of Religions'. On Thursdays, there is a one-hour

talk on a spiritual subject by one of the distinguished visitors. Thereaf-

ter, the academic classes are conducted till 4 o' clock with an hour's

break for lunch. From 4p.m. to 5p.m. they have physical education/

games/yogasanas/gymnastics by rotation or choice.

There is time for co-operative, cultural activities and for service

in the kitchen. Occasionally, group-rising followed by an inspiring

talk by Baba himself, keep the spiritual aura alive. Added to this, an

in-depth service mindedness is evoked and developed through volun-

tary work in the kitchen, co-operative stores, dispensary, hospital,

hostel etc. For six hours in a month the students are engaged in

community service like road repairs, cleaning up in compounds,

conducting adult education classes. As a culmination, a smile or a

casual word from Baba on a number of evenings when the Vice-Chan-

cellor, all staff and students gather together in spiritual silence, arouses

the intuition of students. Baba's influence is beyond evaluation. But in

all other items of activities including prayer, singing, games, social

work etc. regular evaluation is done and marks are awarded. The

experts in the Association of Indian Universities opine that this is the

first attempt to seriously and authentically assess the spiritual, moral

and mental achievements of students and nowhere else this kind of

evaluation is done in India.

The sources of finance, besides the UGC and the Sri Satya Sai

Trust, are the ever-increasing donor devotees and charitable organisa-

tions in India and abroad. The products of Sri Sathya Sai Institutes

hold aloft, through their value-oriented life, the Sai Spiritual flag

wherever they live and work.

Special Features:

Besides evaluation in general and professional subjects, the

students are tested and given grades in sports, behaviour, social

service work, attendance, prayer and meditation.

The code of Honour and Conduct is a cherished tradition.

Students hail from all parts of the country and belong to diverse

religions. They participate in all activities as comrades and

children of one God.

Students are .exempted from payment of all fees - tuition, labo-

ratory, library, reading room, sports, audio-visual facilities,

medical charges and examination.

The teacher-pupil ratio is 1:5 facilitating individual guidance in

all aspects.

A beautiful central library capable of housing over one lakh

volumes.

A modern Planetarium - providing a star field of 4054 images

including 88 constellations and 57 navigational stars and the

Milky Way galaxy.

5 year integrated curricula leading to a Master's Degree.

Inter disciplinary, cross disciplinary Doctoral and Post Doc-

toral Research.

10. Department of Extension Services and Continuing Education.

11.

The Semester System.

(S R R )