Background

In 2004, Dr. Bhasker Banjara and Mr. Rasiklal Banjara founded the Nividya Trust in Savarkundla, working in partnership with NeVidya (USA). Derived from Sanskrit, Nividya stands for a “new type of education.” The trust’s mission was clear: elevate educational standards and drive socio-economic development for the 100,000 residents of Savarkundla—a region in Gujarat’s Amreli District facing significant economic challenges.

Historically renowned across India for its manual weighing-scale manufacturing, Savarkundla saw its primary industry collapse as modern automation replaced traditional methods. To support families affected by this shift, Nividya Trust launched primary learning centres in three local underserved communities: Shram Jivi Nagar, Kevda Para, and Daasi Jivan Nagar.

The Gyan Shala Approach

To deliver maximum impact, the trust adopted the Gyan Shala teaching methodology, developed by leading educators and consultants from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM).

• Target Audience: Slum-dwelling children up to Standard 4.
• Format: 3 hours of structured daily instruction covering Gujarati, Mathematics, Creative Arts, and Environmental Studies.
• Precision: Teachers follow rigorous, standard-specific daily schedules to ensure foundational mastery.

Thanks to a generous contribution from UK donors in 2006, the trust built a dedicated facility for 150 students. The school quickly reached capacity, operating in two shifts (mornings for Standards 1–2 and afternoons for Standards 3–4). Driven by community demand, the program expanded to four additional satellite locations by 2010.

Integration & Expansion under BET

In June 2010, the street children’s education project officially integrated with the Brahmanand Educational Trust (BET).

At the time, the project comprised the main 2006 facility and four small rented satellite locations spread across Savarkundla. While localized, these rented spaces presented severe operational challenges: the residential slum environments were far from ideal for learning, and managing dispersed locations was becoming physically and financially unsustainable for founders Dr. Bhaskar and Suwarna Banjara.

Recognizing the vital impact of this work, Pujya Bapu, Ajay Gudka, and the Banjaras collaborated on a transition plan. BET assumed management, aligning with its core mission to empower underprivileged children through quality education.

Building a Centralized Campus

After running the operations for two years, BET identified that operating four small, rented sites was inefficient. To provide a better learning atmosphere and stabilize staffing, the trust decided to build a single, modern central facility.

• Land Acquisition: BET identified and purchased a central, accessible plot of land in Savarkundla.
• Funding & Construction: A major UK donor stepped forward to finance the project, enabling the construction of an 8-classroom school completed in June 2015.
• Consolidation: The four rented satellite centers were closed, and all students were brought together into the new, state-of-the-art facility.

Present-Day Impact & Facilities

What began as informal learning sessions in local slum rooms has transformed into a well-established educational initiative. Today, Brahmanand Educational Trust (BET) operates two modern, purpose-built schools dedicated to providing free, high-quality primary education to over 500 underprivileged and street-level children in Savarkundla.

Key Highlights

• Proven Curriculum: A dedicated team of 20 trained educators delivers the innovative ‘Gyan Shala’ methodology, fostering an engaging learning environment highly praised by students, teachers, and independent educational evaluators alike.
• Holistic Development: Over four foundational years, children complete their primary schooling by ages 7–8 equipped not only with core reading, writing, and speaking skills, but also with essential social abilities and personal confidence to navigate the world.
• Continued Education: BET actively engages parents and guardians to ensure learning doesn’t stop here. Upon graduation, almost all students transition directly into nearby local Government schools to continue their formal education.
• Community Satisfaction: Regular informal surveys and interviews confirm overwhelming appreciation from parents and guardians regarding their children’s academic progress and personal growth.

Curriculum Transition (National Education Policy)

With the implementation of the new National Education Policy (NEP), BET transitioned away from the Gyan Shala methodology to adopt the updated national curriculum from 2024.

• Class Size Adjustment: To align with the standard curriculum framework, maximum class sizes were expanded from 25 to 40 students per classroom.
• Ongoing Assessment: Our teaching staff is closely monitoring student progress and adapting classroom strategies to ensure children thrive under the new syllabus.