Ushagram Vikash Kendra

Educational Mission

Sri Gopal Chandra Chakravarty, under the inspiring influence of Ramkrishna-Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Rabindra Nath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi, purchased this piece of consolidated but fallow land in the year 1968 and dedicated himself to the mission of setting up a Tapoban type Ashramic Vidyalaya for children as well as for the socio-economic development of the people around. The said Primary School was set up under improvised sheds in the year 1974 for imparting education to the children of the locality that had no school going habits at that time. As a sequel to the partition of the country, the original residents left the place for East Pakistan and uprooted families from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) settled in these areas. Social cohesion, harmony and solidarity were totally absent among the new settlers. Moreover, this area was a veritable den of miscreants of the district. In order to give a practical shape to Sri Aurobindo’s vision of building a community with higher consciousness Gnostic society, Ushagram Trust, a non-political, non-profit-making rural voluntary organization, was formed in the year 1980 consisting of seven like-minded persons The name of the project Ushagram i.e. the village of dawn (Usha) where there will be continuous experiments for a higher consciousness for the whole community. Ushagram is a dream to be realized, an aspiration to build up a conscious community as the nucleus of a brave new world.

Formal Educational Activities:

1. Project-run Primary School (Vidyaniketan Sishubihar):
2. Elementary Education Centres (Balwadis); 12 Centre running in 10 villages:
3. Children’s Hostel (Mira Usha):

Vidyaniketan Sishubihar, an Educational institution established in 1974 is an integral part of the multifaceted rural community development program under the aegis of Ushagram Trust - a trust that has benefited and addressed the needs of the local community for nearly three decades, in its vast action area encompassing 14 villages in the Nadia district.

Catering to the target group of children in its project area, and working with a substantial number of first-generation learners in a primarily-agrarian community, Vidyaniketan Sishubihar set out to impart a minimum skill-set and knowledge-based education, sometimes referred to as functional literacy, to its students. In its present state, the school has come a long way from mere functional literacy; it has developed adequate infrastructure and stability to strive for academic excellence and infuse quality education, in complete harmony with the community and environment of the children. Educators at Vidyaniketan Sishubihar have experimented with methods of classroom teaching and learning (like group-learning practices), developed audio-visual aids for effective teaching of subjects like Science, History and Geography. The children are regularly involved in activities that help build communion with nature and are allotted classes in various performing arts and sports, apart from the regular subjects. Vidyaniketan Sishubihar also makes a conscious effort to attract more students living below the poverty line.

A happy blending of both formal and non-formal systems; Learning in harmony with nature for the spontaneous growth of memory, concentration, imagination and analytical power; Students are formed into groups and encouraged to develop fellow feeling and the spirit of cooperation. principles of a collective search for truth and solution of problems are also impressed upon the young minds. After each session, both group and individual performances are taken into consideration for determining the success rate, and the maximum number of students are awarded prizes in order to ensure maximum student response and participation. Special galleries have been set up for Science, Geography, and History etc. in separate rooms where the children can assemble and by studying the models, charts and dioramas learn and draw their own conclusions.

It has been running for the last 39 years without any financial aid from Government. This Primary standard school has two divisions:

• One for the poor children from neighbouring villages and
• The other for the children from families, which are relatively better off.

At present, the two wings together have nearly 800 children. The children from economically disadvantaged families, who after passing from Vidyaniketan Sishubihar and other Government-aided primary schools of this area are studying in the nearby high school, are helped in their studies by free coaching classes.Ushagram Trust is trying its best to impart education to boys and girls through activity methods both in classrooms and in outside open-air classes and makes all possible effort to prepare them to life struggle ahead and relates vocational works, music, drawing etc. with academic subjects. Health education has been made compulsory along with Yogasans, and games.

• Subjects taught: Bengali, English, Mathematics, Geography, History, Life Science, Physical Science, Hindi (Vernacular), Computer
• Co-curricular Activities: Music, Sports & Yoga, Drawing, Dance, Recitation, Nature Study, Health, Work Education, Kitchen gardening, floriculture.
• Hours of instruction/weak: 2.30 hrs./subject/week
• Hours of Homework: Depends upon the Class. 1 hour up to Standard-I, 2 hours up to Standard-II; 3-4 hours up to Standard-IV
• Method of testing: - Class test /subject/month
• Homework
• Half-yearly Evaluation
• Annual Evaluation
• Method of Promotion: Instead of an individual system of promotion a novel system of collective promotion has been introduced. Students are divided into groups (not less than 4) in which the total marks that a particular group fetch is compared against the score of other groups and the best group is considered as the foremost one and rewarded. Through this system, all members of a particular group are encouraged to work in a spirit of cooperation and teamwork so that the laggards are helped by the vanguard section.
• Music Class/Day: 45 minutes/class/day
• Dance class: 45 minutes/class/day
• Annual function & Cultural: Foundation Day celebration, Re-Union, Annual Sports, Prize activities distribution Ceremony once a year. 45 minutes duration Physical Activities /class/day, Rakhi Utsab and Briksha Ropon is also celebrating. With the financial help of the Association for the Development of Oushagram, (ADVO) France, Ushagram Trust developed three rooms (History, Geography and Science) as museums. We trust the Museum has an essential role in preserving past traditions and culture for future generations and obviously for child education. The objectives of the Museum are:

--to collect natural objects that reflect both the natural and cultural heritage of our country.

--to conserve and preserve using the best means possible items in the collection;

--to exhibit for information, materials in its collection; to serve as an informal education for local school groups, and adult education centres.

--To improve the standard of practical knowledge-based education in the classroom.

The Vidyaniketan Sishubihar is committed to providing school children as well as the general school groups, and adult education centers with high quality educational programs. Over the past thirty-five years Vidyaniketan Sishubihar has worked with Knowledge to create a wide variety of interactive programs. The goal of this project is to help students to gain tradition and reinforce material taught in the classroom.

Value formation activities like observing the birthdays of the great souls of India, studying their lives, works and messages are followed regularly. Side by side with their mental and physical development, the spiritual development of the children are also given prime importance to ensure all-around growth. In order to give free flow to their leadership qualities, all the school functions like Annual sports, Tree plantation Ceremonies, Prize Distribution, Raksha Bandhan, Nabannya etc. are held under the active management of the students themselves. Vidyaniketan Sishubihar is definitely an extraordinary institute with an extraordinary curriculum trying to reach an extraordinary goal, i.e., providing man-making education for the society. After 39 years of quality service, the Institute is on a steady march of progress from betterment to betterment in rendering service to the community with greater urge and commitment.

Vidyaniketan Sishubihar has got the affiliation of West Bengal State Council of Open Schooling (Rabindra Mukta Vidyalaya) in the year 2002 for secondary courses of education. It is to be noted that the status of Rabindra Mukta Vidyalaya is equivalent to Madhyamik courses under the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. Affiliation was obtained for Higher Secondary courses also in the year 2005.

At present 20 teachers are engaged in conducting classes for the subjects in Secondary & Higher Secondary courses. 630 students have been admitted into Madhyamik and 652 students have been admitted in Higher Secondary courses respectively.

Our innovative techniques :

Our best effort is to reduce the students’ book load. Keeping it in mind we developed three rooms – History, Geography & Science to give students first-hand information of his locality through the audiovisual way of approach.

We have introduced computer education in school. The administration is done jointly such as three teachers (other than Headmaster /Headmistress) are deputed to look after six classes each for two. They should observe actively whether classes are held punctually and regularly cleanliness of the classroom. Organizing teachers meeting every week. Nature study & Work education is our compulsory education.

Our future Plan :

• We have in mind to make our school up to 10th Standard.
• Vocational Training for all students in our school.
• Develop one well-equipped laboratory for students.
• To open a dance & drama (folk) section. (fine arts)
• Organize Teachers Training and National Integration Camp.

Balwadi