Education

Innovative Experimental Primary Schools (IEP)

BCT currently runs 72 IEP schools in surrounding villages. The main differences between IEP schools and government schools is that IEP schools go beyond teaching academics to try to address each of the seven types of poverty. Specifically the differences include:

  • Increased time in school: BCT schools take fewer holidays and operate 9 hours per day as compare to the regular 6. Students therefore have more opportunities to learn.
  • Playway method: a method developed by BCT teacher training facilitators that is activity orientated and student centered instead of lecture based, as is traditionally the case. No-cost, Low-cost materials are used to actively engage students and present information in an easier way.
  • BCT/IEP schools provide a value-based education.
  • BCT schools catch school dropouts and keep them in school through animation and motivation at both the student and parent levels.
  • Students receive a nutritious midday meal every day.
  • BCT schools involve the young adults in the community and encourage them to organize activities and participate in the school by forming Village Education Societies.
  • Children learn cultural and devotional songs, dances and poems which provides them with relaxation and spirituality
  • Savings; Children are taught and encouraged to save even small amounts of money through BCT savings programs
  • Health and hygiene are taught to the students and each school is visited by a nurse once a week

Model Residential High School

BCT has been running a residential model school from the 6th to 10th standard, and currently has 89 students drawn from over 50 villages in and around the school area. It is being supported by contributions from parents, friends of BCT abroad. It started with the funding of ILP and Sir Dorabji Tata Trust. Efforts are on, from June 2004, to make it self-supporting. The children are exposed in equal measure to academic education according to the state syllabus, vocational activity and social animation at the village level.

The results show that these children not only excel in their academics by scoring 1st class, but also are able to productively engage themselves in small kitchen gardens, manufacture lacquered wooden toys, spin Khadi-yarn on Gandhian charka and attend to minor electrical and mechanical repair works...all skills they learn at the school. Above all this, each of them is trained as a constructive worker, a very good communicator and public speaker through which they are able to spread a rejuvenation movement “Balamandiram” for the benefit of rural areas. They are now the catalysts of change in the villages.