Valmiki Vidyalaya schools provide balanced education
IN HIS address during the formal commissioning of the Valmiki Vidyalaya Primary School on 26 August 2007 at Lusignan Gopaul Mandir, H.E. President Bharrat Jagdeo told the gathering that “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,” According to Guyana’s Head-of-State, who evolved from being the only son of ordinary parents who struggled to provide an education for their children, to being the foremost citizen of this land, public and private learning institutions should help to set the bar for each other, moving always towards greater achievements and higher standards. 
Guyana’s President is a living example and a great role model of a product of the learning institutions of yesteryear, when high standards prevailed in learning institution throughout the country and mutual respect between students and teachers was a given, with clearly defined roles, where the lines were unambiguously drawn between behavioural expectations of students and those of teachers.
Those standards have today corroded to such an extent that in both public and private institutions the behaviour of both students and teachers has reached scandalous proportions; so the President’s remarks were an indirect appeal, in a national context as Head-of-state, for the educational sector to uplift current day standards from the trend of degenerating, despite the best efforts of Government.
He said private schools are a welcomed addition to the landscape of the education system especially when they come in a religious context. 
And that is the focus of the Valmiki Vidyalaya Primary and Seconday schools, to restore the exceptional standards of yesteryear, when there was a correlation between academics and religion.
President Jagdeo noted the importance universality in education, stating “I hope that the schools emphasize the universality of Hinduism and how open Hinduism is to people of all races and religion because it focuses on man. Because we believe in the universality of knowledge; wherever knowledge comes from, whatever the sources, we should be hungry to acquire that knowledge.”  He reinforced the fact that the scriptures highlight profound philosophy and lauded the efforts of Pt. Harish to establish institutions of learning that seek to inculcate the great philosophies of religion simultaneous to the impartation of academic education..
At that launch Pandit Haresh said Valmiki Vidyalayan “is committed to creating an atmosphere for a form of balanced education that takes into account the academics the Ministry of Education’s curricula provides, for imparting and enhancing the values and morals of the students.” 
The Valmiki Vidyalaya Primary School is located adjunctive to the Gopal Mandir in Lusignan..
Education without morality is a recipe for disaster
The Valmiki Vidyalaya Secondary School was constructed opposite the Suriname Embassy at Peter Rose and Crown Streets in Central Georgetown and launched, appropriately and auspiciously on Janam Ashmi Day, which fell on Thursday 2nd Sept 2010.

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 – the two pillars on which these learning institutions are built. 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.
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 this 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 provided extra tutelage so that they can improve their grades and simultaneously their chances of acquiring excellent results at the CXC exams.

Objective of schools is synchronizing academic and spiritual education
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 schools have to sustain their 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 during the launch of the secondary school 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.

Mutual legacy of forefathers predetermines spiritual and academic growth patterns
.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. This is also recognized through African libation ceremonies.
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 throught the local chapter located at Cove and John, espouses and propagates the path of righteousness through academic, spiritual and moral education.  The youth arm of the Arya Samaj movement is doing a phenomenal job with young people in and out of Guyana.
Many families –regardless of race or religion, 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.       Institutions such as the Valmiki Vidyalaya primary and secondary schools and the Guyana Sevashram primary and secondary institutions – the Swami Purnananda Primary School and the Hindu College (which have a gurukul system), 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 schools do not only cater for Hindus but are open to all children who aspire to rounded personalities based on sound characters, with no discrimination.  
According to Pt. Haresh, many persons have contributed to the success of the schools; but the aspirations for many more educative and moral enhancement projects could be facilitated only if the institutions receive some additional sponsorship from corporate Guyana.
He said that there are many brilliant students who need scholarships, because it places a strain on the school’s budget to educate the children to the aspired standard without some amount of funding.

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. 

Service thy duty, reward not thy concern
A precept expounded in the Gita is the foundation of the life and strivings of Pandit Haresh Tewari.  These are the basic tenets underlying the principles on which Hinduism is grounded and are the threadwork in the fabric of Pt. Haresh’s daily existence.
He epitomizes the ideal concept of spiritual leadership.  His enlightened approach to practical religion reaches beyond dogma and superstition, and even popular prejudices, to embrace the concepts of dignifying humanity through developmental processes – primarily by way of educational and social enhancement through the utilization of varying levels of applications – practical, theoretical, and at all times with a spiritual focus.
In his own words Pt. Haresh describes his self-chosen mission in life thus: “The concept guiding my strivings is providing the facilitation process to bring out the divinity that exists within every person – regardless of race, colour, or creed – especially the children, in order that they evolve into responsible and well-rounded human beings – morally-upright individuals, and consequently social assets.”