Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

EDUCATION

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.

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: 1. Besides evaluation in general and professional subjects, the students are tested and given grades in sports, behaviour, social service work, attendance, prayer and meditation. 2. The code of Honour and Conduct is a cherished tradition. 3. 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. 4. Students are .exempted from payment of all fees - tuition, labo- ratory, library, reading room, sports, audio-visual facilities, medical charges and examination. 5. The teacher-pupil ratio is 1:5 facilitating individual guidance in all aspects. 6. A beautiful central library capable of housing over one lakh volumes. 7. A modern Planetarium - providing a star field of 4054 images including 88 constellations and 57 navigational stars and the Milky Way galaxy. 8. 5 year integrated curricula leading to a Master's Degree. 9. Inter disciplinary, cross disciplinary Doctoral and Post Doc- toral Research. 10. Department of Extension Services and Continuing Education.

The main objectives of the Balvikas Programme are : 1. To develop the minds of children in personal, social and ethical skills. 2. To enable children to lead a more happy, and co-operative home life.

3.

To inculcate faith in God.

4. To experience brotherhood of man and fatherhood of God.

5. To inculcate an abiding conviction of the unity of Faith and

6. 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

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11. The Semester System.