VEERAYATAN SCHOOL PROJECT Vision Acharya Shri Chandanaji has conceptualized a project wherein she aims to set up 200 schools in India mainly in Jain Tirth Kshetras and also in other parts of India where there is a need for schools and the local population is willing to work along with the Veerayatan Organisation. Acharya Shri Chandanaji’s vision extends beyond that of merely a school – she aims to build a system and infrastructure, not only for the school children, but for the entire community of that town. As the schools take root, vocational training centre for the women and youth of the village, health camps, awareness towards vegetarianism and plantation, appropriate reuse of waste water and programs for an addiction-free society can be integrated in the near future. The prayers, cultural and religious activities also can become a regular part of life through this facility. The schools will provide education as required by the local board of education and instil moral and spiritual values in the children which are crucial for their overall development into virtuous human beings. The school will be open to all irrespective of their caste, religion, wealth etc. Deserving students who cannot pay for their education will be helped, as long as they meet the academic and behavioural standards set by Veerayatan. Thus blending the power of education with resilient spiritual and moral values the 200 schools, with at 100,000 students, aim to graduate 10,000 outstanding individuals every year. Smart schools will produce smart kids and smart citizens. The School through the eyes of our Visionary Acharya Shri Chandanaji has outlined the following for the schools: The school will be called “Tirthankar Mahavir Vidya Mandir.” The project will be initiated, organized and directed by Veerayatan. The school will require a minimum of 2-3 acres of land.
The local climate will be taken into consideration in the design and construction of the school complex. Each school will be divided into 3 sections: Grade 1 to Grade 4 Grade 5 to Grade 8 Grade 9 to Grade 10 Each section will have its own building. The buildings will be next to each other and the buildings will suit the children’s age group. Eg. The building that houses the grade 1 to 4 children will have a smaller building, small doors and windows, small toilets, small desks and chairs, lower ceilings, tiny steps to climb, etc. The children may also choose the colours of the building and their class. The teachers in this section will also be chosen with care so that they do not tower over the children. The strength of the class will not exceed 50 students. The uniform, the prayers and the moral teaching courses will be the similar in all schools. Students will be seated in not more than 5 rows thus proximity between students and teachers is always maintained. The school will be equipped with library, multipurpose rooms, media room, lab etc. Laboratories where children can work hands on to learn practical, dayto-day tasks (e.g. changing light bulbs, cleaning, how to fold and keep clothes properly, how to keep books properly, etc.) will be an important part of each building. Students graduating with honours will be given admission in Veerayatan colleges to pursue higher education. Toilets which are a must will be located slightly away from the school buildings for hygiene purposes. The school will have huge playgrounds with lots of trees and greenery surrounding them. An open ground with a stage with a sound system will also form a part of the school grounds. Ample dustbins and training the children to keep the trash in the bins rather than throwing it will inculcate good habits in the children.
Teachers wishing to teach in the schools will be taken from the local population, and will be selected by the Veerayatan selection committee. They will be then be sent to the Ahmednagar teachers training centre, also run by Veerayatan, for a period of one, two, or three months, depending on the selected teacher’s respective experience and education criteria. The teachers will also be trained in basic first aid, environmental education, and value-based education. Overall knowledge of what is necessary to uplift and empower the local community will be an integral part of training. Thus, the teachers could be the Leading light for the village. The school will also work as a Vocational training centre for the local population where they can learn and become carpenters, electricians, plumbers, tailors etc. They can also sell their crafts in small shops to visitors or pilgrims thus slowly making the whole community selfsufficient. The idea is to make this school facility a “Vardaan” a blessing for the community by means of all these well fair activities. Funding for the Project Local communities wishing to have a Veerayatan school system established in their vicinity will be required to donate or gift the land to Veerayatan with a clean title and without any conditions attached. The initial cost of the school is estimated about Rs. 5 crore. The central committee will approach donors for the cost of construction of school buildings, equipment’s and all necessary facilities. An organization or community or an individual may donate the land and the entire school cost. The name will be mentioned on the main school building. Any person making a donation of 1.25 crores or more will have the name of the donor on the school entrance. Any person making a donation of 25 lakhs will have their name on the class or hall where their funds are used. There will also be scope for smaller donations such as multipurpose rooms, labs and library etc.
A person can also make a donation towards training of teachers. The cost of training one teacher is 25,000, 30,000, or 35,000, which includes training, transportation, lodging and boarding, depending on the length of the course. Donations will also be accepted towards children. One can sponsor a child annually for Rs. 50,000 which includes boarding and educational expenses such as tuition fees, books, stationery, uniform, healthcare etc. Sponsor the deserving children of widows, handicapped or poor parents which attend our day school for Rs.21,000. The responsibility to meet any deficits in the operations of the school will lie with the local bodies. (for e.g. through fund raising events) There will be complete transparency of the accounts. These will be prepared on a quarterly basis and will be available to any donor who wishes to inspect them. The aim will be to make the school financially self-sufficient within 3-5 years. Governance and Supervision of the Schools The school will be governed by an 11-member committee, selected by Veerayatan, which will consist of local members and 2 Veerayatan members working together. Big donors can also be represented on this committee, if they wish. The committee will submit regular reports to the Veerayatan central office in Kutch. Veerayatan is governed by the Societies Registration Act, and the schools would be required to follow similar criteria. Surprise checks by members of the Veerayatan team will be conducted to ensure proper monitoring and working of the school. A record on each student and staff member will be maintained and will be ready for inspection at any given time. CCTV cameras will be installed for safety purposes. Thus the aim is to create 200 schools, which will be a loving but disciplined home that will embrace and nurture all the 100,000 students who will be in their fold at any given time.