SRI SATHYA SAI HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL,

A SCHOOL WITH A DIFFERENCE

Even as toppers and schools across the country celebrated the CBSE results with sterling performances, the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, established in 1982 by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, had a message for all. The school at Prasanthi Gram  recorded 100 percent results yet again, in this year’s CBSE exams, with more than fifty percent of the students securing over 90%, almost every student passed with distinction.

C. Sai Krupa, the school’s topper, scored 98.2 percent, Gokul Jayaram and Saru Trikha came a close second with 96.4 percent, and the third place had L. Naveen with 95.6 percent.

“It is primarily the Grace and Blessings of our Dear Bhagawan that enabled me to achieve this success. The institution’s dedicated teachers and their continued support with a conducive environment for academic and personality development was the key to my performance. Bhagawan’s constant interest in our welfare and progress, His selfless love towards our well being inspired me to do my very best as my offering to Him. Where can we get such concern and kindness at no cost, only wanting us to become good and responsible young boys and girls” said a delighted Sai Krupa.

"This is a residential school in a rural setting and our teachers are available to students for around 10 hours every day”, said Y. Shivaramakrishnaiah, Principal. “We adopt a holistic approach to education. Academics apart, sports, cultural and spiritual development, and extracurricular activities are all given importance.”

Presently enrolled with around 1,500 students and about 150 teaching staff, this school mainly strives for bringing up Self-confidence with faith in God along with best academic excellence. The teaching staff, few of them are proud to join this institution after excelling in their education by studying in this school, are determined to bring up their wards too with better communication skills, affinity towards a disciplined life, instilling in them the true value of selfless service towards the society. They also teach better manners towards their elders, which is mainly missing in many of the other high profile schools.

While a lot of emphasis is laid on the character development of the students, this is in no way at the cost of academic excellence. The well qualified and committed teachers leave no stone unturned to see to it that the outstanding academic excellence record of the school is maintained year after year. The school has been maintaining a 100% pass record with around 90% of them with first division, consistently year after year since its inception.

The school is not only producing academic excellence, but also involves their wards in rural development by taking them to rural areas and involve them in rural development activities, health care to poor in rural areas, so on and much more. ‘Grama Seva’ or serving in the villages is an event which is a great enlivening experience for the students. This is organized generally after the half-yearly examinations in the months of Oct-Nov. Boys in groups go to different villages in and around Puttaparthi and distribute clothes, food packets, stationary items, etc. to the villagers. They get to see the actual living condition of their fellow brothers and sisters and experience the joy of serving the needy. Serving in the villages sensitizes them to other people’s suffering and sows the seeds of love and  compassion, sympathy and service in their hearts.

In addition to the usual curriculum, a basic spiritual education course drawn upon the universal Sai principles of Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi, Prema and Ahimsa is instructed at the school not merely by precept but more by practice. The school has a fostering climate based on the twin foundations of love and discipline. It is suffused with prayers, bhajans, stories and parables drawn from different faiths of the world.

Finally, why it attracts students even from the rural and lower income groups is because the school never collects “FEES” from students, making it a rare gem on the national school map of India.

The unique story the school tells, is the relevance of a total approach to education. The promotion of a healthy body and a healthy mind in children, with a strong base in human values and a spirit of service is its goal. On the other hand, it also underscores the importance of bringing education to all sections. This residential school offers high standards in faculty, infrastructure and extracurricular development programmes bringing education of the highest standards to the students.

To very many over the decades of existence it has been an enlightening seat of learning shaping young lives. The education received with love and free of charge, creates committed youngsters wanting to not just rise and shine but also to serve and impact.