The Shanti Bhavan experience is unique. Our vision is to transform the lives of our children in order to prepare them for their future careers and leadership with their communities and the world. From the earliest stage, Shanti Bhavan staff carefully monitors each child, ensuring that they are gaining the most from their education and transition from meager beginnings to capable citizens.

Student selection

Given the extremely dire circumstances from which Shanti Bhavan recruits children, special care is given to their early development. Shanti Bhavan students come from a background of chaos, unpredictability, and despair. By age four, they are already lagging behind their fortunate counterparts in language and reasoning abilities. Were it not for thoughtful and quality interventions, these children’s potential would be forever curtailed.

The recruitment team is comprised of a social worker, a clinical psychologist, a pediatrician and the school principal who look for children who can gain the most from the Shanti Bhavan experience. The team seeks out families who are committed to educating their children and students who have the capacity to succeed from the educational opportunity.

Selection of children is a three-way process. The social worker visits homes to ascertain the awareness of the child’s parents or guardians. Are they genuinely interested in education for their child? Can they make the commitment? Do they understand why children are selected at the age of four? Will they support their child by visits, taking her home for the holidays, or by talking well of Shanti Bhavan? Is the family below the poverty line? No criminal background? What about community consensus?

If these conditions are satisfied, the child is screened by the pediatrician. She or he must be in good physical health with an understanding of health-related problems related to poverty such as malnutrition, scabies and infestations. A child who is physically or mentally handicapped cannot be considered for selection to Shanti Bhavan due to resource constraints.

The most crucial stage of the process is the screening of a child for her or his cognitive ability. A clinical psychologist conducts culture-friendly tests to determine whether the child can go through a complete school program right through to the school leaving level. We need to be reasonably certain that the child will be able to complete high school, if not university, or other specialized courses.

Early Interventions

Shanti Bhavan overcomes the challenges our children’s upbringing with a program that emphasizes holistic development. Created with the assistance of psychologists, educational experts, and social workers in the U.S. and India, the program provides:

  • Sessions conducted by clinical psychologists in emotional development, learning, behavior and similar significant indicators of psychological development
  • Sessions in health and hygiene, including nutrition and immunization, with the support of pediatricians
  • Much needed order and predictability to their otherwise chaotic lives via daily routines, rules and
  • Consistency
  • Self-esteem and confidence building opportunities
  • One-on-one tutoring for children who need special assistance
  • Constant care and nurturing, whereby teachers of lower Grades tell bedtime stories, older students spend informal time with their peers, and caretakers live in residence with children.

Such a holistic approach allows Shanti Bhavan to shape children’s habits, social behavior and self-confidence from an early age, fully integrate these children into society, and guide them to be responsible and vibrant citizens.

Boarding School

The programs at Shanti Bhavan address the basic needs and education of each child there. The programs also focus on the development of every aspect of a child’s personality — his or her emotional development, mental and physical fitness, and cognitive growth with a curriculum that is well-planned and executed, with an emphasis placed on individualized attention.

Shanti Bhavan children are housed on-campus with 24 hour adult supervision. Other basic needs are provided for including: medical and dental care, three nutritional meals each day, and clothing and shoes. All children are given the opportunity to participate in activities that promote leadership skills and extracurricular activities to enrich their educational experience.

Campus

Shanti Bhavan is a beautiful campus complete with fruit gardens, trees and landscaping that attract many types of birds, butterflies and other fauna. This serene and inspirational location provides a true “haven of peace.” After considering several locations, a 32-acre plot of land was purchased for the school and additional projects. Once the land was acquired, roadways and utilities were constructed to provide power and water for the facility.

The campus consists of school buildings, with individual classrooms for each grade, additional classrooms for older grades, science labs, a computer lab, art room, music room, two libraries, separate residences for each grade, gymnasium, kitchen and dining hall, administrative buildings, basketball court, and an athletic field.

The school emphasizes living in a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner. Shanti Bhavan is designed as a self-sufficient facility, with several ground wells, water storage tanks, a horticultural garden, orchards, and solar panels and batteries that provide consistent electricity throughout the night. Shanti Bhavan was the first school to use solar power on a large scale as early as 1996, as recognized by the G-8 Summit Exhibit at Birmingham, England. Collected rainwater and treated wastewater from an onsite sewage processing facility supply the vegetable and fruit gardens that serve the needs of the entire campus. This “green” infrastructure model not only emphasizes the importance of environmental sustainability, but has also proven to be model for long-term cost savings.

Education

Shanti Bhavan’s educational curriculum is accredited by the acclaimed Council for the Indian School
Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and is non-sectarian. CISCE testing standards are considered among the most advanced in India, with less than 5% of the Indian student population following this curriculum nationwide.

Shanti Bhavan children follow the CISCE curriculum and sit for the ICSE exam at Grade 10 and the ISC exam at Grade 12. Both curriculums are very exacting and the respective exams are highly difficult and competitive. Younger grades incorporate a unique liberal arts program including lessons in art, drama, debate, and world events. Unavailable in government-run schools, this liberal arts approach supports the all-around development of children from a young age.

In order to strengthen the development of its children, Shanti Bhavan also emphasizes the importance of civic engagement in its curriculum. Our children engage in community service projects, and conduct classes on health, nutrition, math, science and language for younger children in their own communities and villages. In addition, the program exposes our students to many professionals and academics during guest visits and field trips. In the past, Shanti Bhavan has hosted such unique individuals as NASA astronauts, Broadway actors, Indian Institute of Technology faculty, and managing directors of local corporations. Interactions with their local communities as well as successful and accomplished individuals in society allow the children to aspire to similar heights, empower them to become responsible and productive members of society, and instill a sense of social responsibility and citizenry.

Spiritual Foundation

Shanti Bhavan is a non-sectarian institution, focused on equal opportunity for education for the children, regardless of caste or religion. All religions are respected and celebrated; no particular religion is propagated. Holy books of all the major religions in India are kept in a common prayer hall for students, and festivals from all religions – such as Diwali, Eid, and Christmas – are celebrated at the school.