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 “Real education flows from the heart and is
termed as 'Educare'. There is a lot of difference between
'education' and 'educare'! Educare is the basis and foundation
for all types of education. Educare is the adhara (support) and
education is the adheya (supported). All the texts we read teach
only education to us. But, this is totally inadequate. We must
pursue educare along with education,” says Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
It is with this ideal as its driving force that the Sri Sathya
Sai Institute of Educare aims to mould children through secular
and value-based education into human beings worthy and
responsible to lead society.
The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Educare,
which follows the CBSE pattern of education, is situated in the
laidback rural atmosphere of Nemilichery, near Chromepet. It was
started on Vijayadasami day, 1978. The school offers free
education from classes LKG to class-10 with one section each and
a compact strength of 30 per class. Co-education is offered only
up to class-5 with boys alone from classes 6-10.
 School correspondent Kumaraswamy is very
passionate about the institute and its image. He says, “Sri
Sathya Institute of Educare follows the Sai system of education,
which emphasises free, residential, and value-based integral
education.”
He quotes Sri Sathya Sai Baba on education. Education, he says,
is not a commodity to be sold in the bazaar. Society has the
responsibility to make education available to all individuals.
“Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Educare provides free education
from LKG to class-10 with voluntary contribution from
well-wishers of our school.”
Ok. But why have a residential form of education, especially at
the school level, in a metropolitan city?
 “In the residential system, an institution has sufficient time
to mould students and work upon each aspect of their
personality, individual trait and social behaviour through
various programs integrated with hostel life. It helps mould
children as a whole. That is why Sri Sathya Sai Institute of
Educare offers residential education from classes 6-10. However,
the school also has day scholars.”
All schools around the city have a ‘moral science’ class that
offers moral education on values and ethics apart from ‘secular’
education. Where is the difference?
The dedicated faculty believes that today education is not only
incomplete but also needs to be wholesome. “Education is for
life and not for living”.
 “Value-based education is of the essence,” voices Kumaraswamy.
“Value-based integral education encompasses secular education
moulded around education in human values. The core is education
in human values. That is the difference. Value education (VE)
classes are conducted to mould character of children and infuse
values. Children of all classes take active interest in VE
competitions.”
In fact, as a part of heir everyday schedule, silent sitting and
Jyothi meditation are practised by students to improve their
power of concentration and bring about total transformation.
Children of the primary section are asked to maintain a
spiritual diary, monitored by parents and teachers. Students of
classes 6-10 are asked to maintain a self-analysis record.
 The school goes to lengths creating and maintaining case study
registers for every child wherein overall personality traits are
recorded.
At the macro level, inter-school seminars on human values are
conducted annually wherein a rolling shield is awarded to the
best team.
Service to society is an important lesson that is taught to all
students. In fact, the students of the middle and higher
sections of the school are encouraged to participate in social
service. ‘Grama seva’ is conducted in neighbourhood villages
every year on Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s birthday, which falls on
November 23.
To identity with the source of their inspiration, a spiritual
visit is conducted every year by all students and staff to
Puttaparthi to have Sai Baba’s darshan and blessings.
Features of the School
 The management believes in offering quality education, and
emphasise it by the use of hi-tech teaching aids such as PCs,
OHP, LCD projector, and so on. The school can boast of a
well-equipped library with more than 3,000 books on various
subjects. The library subscribes to various periodicals,
magazines and newspapers to provide up-to-date knowledge on
current affairs.
The institution promotes learning through visual aids such as
educational CDs and video cassettes.
The school also has well-equipped Physics, Chemistry, Biology,
Maths, and Computer Science laboratories to enable better
understanding with practical knowledge of the subjects.
 The management strongly believes that all work and no play would
dull the sheen of any genius. Hence, weekly competitions are
held. There are four houses named after the primary qualities
that the school fosters in its students Sathya, Dharma, Shanti
and Prema.
Children are given ample opportunity to exhibit their creative
talents. To promote personal skills and talent Veda, music,
dance, and bhajan classes are conducted. Classes on yoga,
silambam, karate and the keyboard are conducted after school
hours by qualified instructors.
The school rightfully acknowledges 100 per cent result in
class-10 exams every year. Prizes are won by children in
Balavikas (value education) and various other competitions at
the district, zonal and state levels organised by the Sri Sathya
Sai Seva Organisation.
 Kumaraswamy has a vision of attaining the ISO SAI 2006 award
this academic year (2007-2008). The ISO SAI 2006 is the
certificate awarded by the International Institute of Sathya Sai
Education for the school that is competent in VE at the
international level. There are many schools around the world
that foster and spread Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s teachings on human
values.
The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Educare is jointly managed by
the Sri Sathya Sai Trust, Tamil Nadu, and by the Sai Educare
Trust.
The management can be contacted at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of
Educare, Nemilichery, Chromepet, Chennai – 600044.
E-mail: sssieducare@gmail.com
Phone: +9144-22651726
Ramakrishnan Ramani
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