THE Valmiki Vidyalaya Primary School was formally commissioned adjunctive to the Gopal Mandir in Lusignan on 26 August, 2007. It was therefore considered fitting and auspicious that the secondary stage of the Valmiki Vidyalaya educational institution be commissioned on Janam Ashmi Day on Thursday 2nd Sept..
Like the primary school, the Valmiki Vidyalaya High School is three stories high, with very high ceilings to dispel humidity and create a healthy environment for academic and spiritual pursuits, but it is located opposite the Suriname Embassy at Peter Rose and Crown Streets in Central Georgetown, unlike its counterpart at the primary level.
Officiating at the simple commissioning Havan were Pandits Ravi Persaud and Haresh Tewari.  The institution is a joint venture between the Gandhi Youth Organisation and the International Vedanta University.
Speaking at the ceremony to mark the opening of the Valmiki Vidyalaya Primary School, President Bharrat Jagdeo had stated that public and private learning institutions should help to set the bar for each other, moving always towards greater achievements and higher standards.
He said: “Academic education alone is not enough for today’s world; it has to be buttressed by morality … and ethics. This school can provide that kind of environment…..I hope that the school emphasize the universality of Hinduism and how open Hinduism is to people of all races and religion, because it focuses on man and we believe in the universality of knowledge. Wherever knowledge comes from, whatever the sources, we should be hungry to acquire that knowledge.
“I lament the fact that many of the people who are custodians of religion today, especially Hinduism, focus more on the rituals rather than on the philosophy. If we want to perpetuate this religion and make people understand and see its relevance and dynamics then we have to teach people the philosophy and not merely the rituals, because the philosophy has universal lessons for everyone,”

These sentiments were reiterated by everyone during the opening of the Valmiki Vidyalaya High School.
Pandit Haresh, who was described as being an indefatigable worker who “walked the walk”, and contributed immensely to the successful completion of the facility, recited passages from the Bhagwat Gita, which he described as “the abode of all knowledge” imparted by Sri Krishna to Arjuna on the battle-field of Kurukshetra.
The purification rituals included walking thrice around the building with the pandits invoking the Lord’s protection, guidance and blessings so that the institution fulfills its mandate and achieves its objectives.
Pandit Haresh said that ten years ago the secondary school was a seed germinating in a vision; but the realization of the actuality is to recognize that all good endeavours prevail in God’s presence and power.
President of the GYO, Mr. Roop Persaud, said that, although he was sad that ten years had elapsed between the conception and birth of the school, every journey begins with a first step before a goal is achieved and alluded to the excellent output by the Valmiki Vidyalaya Primary School (laboriously built and established with supreme effort and magnificent coordination by Pt Haresh), which has been commended several times by the Ministry of Education.
He said that, although the building had been ready since 2004, the project had stalled, until the advent of Acharya Guruji Balakrishna and the interjection of the International Vedanta University.
According to Mr. Persaud, the school would not merely cover the official curriculum, but would also promulgate the teachings of Vedanta, which propagates the philosophy that the world is one family; and that the Hindu teachings of imparting an education that uplifts the mind and spirit, while simultaneously expanding the academic knowledge, would be the correlating trajectory of the school’s focus.
Alluding to globalization and the ravages perpetrated by mankind against each other, Mr. Persaud said that the world needs to revert to the spirit underpinning the philosophies of Hinduism.
Dr. Gobind Ganga said that academic institutions of this calibre are the greatest investments because they have a vital role to play in the establishment of righteousness in the society.  He charged that, although change is inevitable and everyone has to adapt to the change in the wider society, the Hindu principle of inculcating uplifting standards within its educational systems contributes to “Unfolding Excellence in Action”, which is the motto of the Valmiki Vidyalaya primary and secondary schools.
Pandit Haresh said that the primary school, which would be fielding its first set of Grade Six Assessment students next year, is doing exceedingly well and that the same is expected of the secondary school, because, as in the primary school, the teachers will not focus merely on the high achievers, but will give each student equal attention, with those who are lagging behind providing extra tutelage so that they can improve their grades and simultaneously their chances of acquiring excellent results at the CXC exams.
Pandit Haresh also said that the focus of both institutions is to mould rounded personalities, with academic achievements corresponding to personality enhancement, where proper conduct, high moral values, and integrity are equally important as good grades.  According to him, a significant challenge is the fact that the school will have to sustain its financial viability to cover overhead and related expenses, although he assured that many poor children who prefer to attend the institution instead of the public schools may be sponsored by a wealthy patron.
Acharya Guruji Balakrishna philosophized throughout his short presentation on the theme of the relevance of the incarnation of Lord Krishna to dispel darkness in the lives of humankind, and he also spoke of the school’s objectives of synchronizing academic and spiritual education.  According to the learned Guru, every action contemplated by man has the potential to revolutionize society, and that is why education has to be managed properly so as to nurture the society.
He said that the establishment of the school was a mighty attempt in the centre of the city and reiterated that it is fitting that it was dedicated on Janam Ashmi day.  Most importantly, said Guruji, is that the success of the initiative was as a result of collaborative endeavours, because without cooperative effort and togetherness nothing can be achieved or resolved.
He said that the essential language, spirituality, and culture of all religions are the same and that the ancient spirit and philosophy of Hinduism goes beyond parameters, without limitations of any kind, and involves and invests all humanity with the essence of the Bhagwat Gita
and its message of togetherness for humanity to survive.  According to Guruji, Hinduism encapsulates a global landscape and encapsulates communities and nations, irrespective of their caste, colour, or creed.
Guruji encouraged that the pre-eminent language that would be taught at the school is that togetherness is essential for nation-building and that participatory efforts of all organizations and countries would create a better nation and a better world.
Very briefly, Pandit Ravi said that parents are afraid of the temptations to be found in Georgetown, because the environment in the city provides many distractions, which the ambience within the school construct will address and eradicate by moulding a character that will have the moral and spiritual strength to withstand those temptations.
He said that religious teachings imparted by the school will realign the imbalance created by the distractions in the city.
Pt Haresh referred to a UN-sponsored collective effort to create spiritual cohesion and national togetherness by members of various faiths in Guyana – Bahais, Hindus, Rastafarians, Moslems, and Christians, and introduced Bahai member, Lorna McPherson, who said that her faith sees the world as one country and humanity as one family.  Calling Pandit Haresh a beautiful soul, she said that if everyone was like him, the world would be a better place.
According to her, Hinduism is part of the Bahai’s religious history, because the sect believes that God was instrumental in creating the various religions by sending messengers in the world to serve humanity as and when the need for humanity to seek salvation arose.
According to trustee of the Guyana Sevashram Sangha and member of the management board of the Hindu College of Cove and John, Bhaiji Rampersaud, the three primary factors that played integral roles in establishing the school were vision, foundation on the scriptures, and committed manpower, which he says is a recipe for success.  Advising that education without morality is a recipe for disaster, he promised that the thrust of the school will generate scholars that will be shining examples in the society.
Failing to inculcate the guiding principles that will create a rounded personality, based on academic achievement, moral adherence to spiritual precepts and integrity will be a failure for the next generation, he warned.
The school, which according to GYO elder, Mrs. Poonai, was formerly used as a hostel for young ladies, has too many astute and committed persons guiding it for it to fail, in her opinion.
There are many persons who purport to lead saintly lives who oppress and exploit persons under duress, while others help and empower women and other vulnerable groups; and many times that help bridge the river of adversity to enable vulnerable and helpless persons to navigate the difficult pathways of life until they reach safe shores.  Pandit Haresh is of the latter category, so all the accolades accorded him are well earned, although he does his kind acts without seeking fanfare and even recognition.
Institutions such as the Valmiki Vidyalaya schools are essential to the restoration of values in decaying societies, and there are several being established by the various faith-based organizations.  However, results would be optimized if families could provide the requisite support systems.  Within the context of the father being the head, the mother the heart and the children the soul of families, the father is the guiding force of the family structure, but each is integral to a cohesive and strong family unit.  When a parent is derelict in his or her parental duties this most often negatively impacts the family for generations to come.
The legacy that the forefathers left determines the inherent forces that create the personality developmental dynamics that will influence the behavioural patterns of their descendents, and that is why ancestors are remembered and venerated during the Hindu observance of Pitri Paksh.
Within the construct of Hinduism in Guyana generation after generation of panditi families have propagated the doctrines and philosophies of the ancient scriptures.  One only has to observe the spiritual development of the younger generation of panditi families to recognize that the parents have inculcated good values and principles in their children, who have become outstanding proponents of Hindu philosophies and doctrines.  Some very prominent members of such families who come readily to mind are Aditya and Amit Persaud, sons of Pt Ravi; Pandit Haresh Tewari is himself a credit to his forefathers and his children are growing up with every indication that they will uphold the family traditions.
Dr. Vyndhia Persaud magnificently upholds the honour of her father, Pt Reepu Daman Persaud; as does Pt Rudra Sharma, who walks well in his father’s footsteps.  Even spiritual children of the gurukul system as established by the founder of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha espouses and propagates the path of righteousness through academic, spiritual and moral education.
Many families aspire to mould their children in accordance with the principles of moral integrity, good values, and a holistic character development that would produce a rounded and good human being.  Educational institutions like the Valmiki Vidyalaya institutions provide the grounding for this possibility to morph into reality.
Pandit Haresh Tewari has said that the Valmiki Vidyala schools “are committed to creating an atmosphere for a form of balanced education, which takes into account the academics that the Ministry of Education’s curricula provides, and the spiritual mores of religion for imparting and enhancing the values and morals of the students.” 

The Valmiki Vidyalaya Secondary School is another gem in the diadem of spiritual-based centres of academia. As Acharya Guruji Balakrishna said, it is a fire that will fan a perpetual blaze in the consciousness of the society.