Swaha Hindu College
SWAHA Hindu College opened its doors in the heart of Sangre Grande on September 2nd 2001. At this time we accommodated 105 students and nine teachers at the Tulsi Manas Mandir’s compound which had been modified under the gracious indulgence of the members of the temple and their spiritual leader, who is also our Principal Pt. Balram Persad. It was understood that this would have been a temporary arrangement as our school was under construction a few feet away.
It should be noted that it was the first time that classes would be held in a place of worship in this manner, but this is not the only initiative SWAHA Hindu College would be renowned for. We are also proud of the fact that we are the only Hindu school which promotes and practices vegetarianism and the only co-educational denominational school in Trinidad and Tobago.
Challenges
We chose to construct a school with a student centered foundation. In our very first year of existence we were presented with the challenge of catering to a student population which was classed as “remedial” or “special needs” students. These individuals had short attention span, displayed a lack of interest in self growth and demonstrated a great deal of emotional stress. They came from dysfunctional poverty stricken families and were battling serious learning disabilities. Also they hailed from distant areas Mayaro, Navet, Cushe, Tamana and Coryal, where transportation is frequently unreliable, this meant that that attendance was irregular and this impacted negatively on academic performance.
In response, all teachers in consultation with administration agreed to teach Math and English three times a week, in the afternoon session. In addition, we fostered an open door policy and developed strong communication lines with students. A further policy was instituted where each teacher taught a self development class to students who were interested on Friday evenings after lunch, e.g. self defense, sewing, yoga etc.
Another initiative which was instituted and synonymous with our name is the meditation and yoga program. This assisted the students in attaining a sense of peace; it taught them to control their minds and actions and introduced them to non violent alternatives for settling disputes. This has impacted positively on both learning and behavior in the classroom, and can be observed in our exemplary discipline record.
Academic Success
Our efforts in developing the academic aspect of our institution was highly regarded as we persevered, obtained and maintained success academically in many subject areas, such as:
- NEC introduction to computers 100% passes
- CSEC chemistry 100% passes
- CSEC food and nutrition 78% passes
- CSEC integrated science 89% passes
- CSEC physics 67% passes
- CSEC POA 77% passes
- CSEC POB 95% passes
- CSEC social studies 91% passes
- CSEC Spanish 83% passes
- CSEC electronics 86% passes
- CSEC information technology 74% passes
To further develop and present educational opportunities for our children, we lobbied and been successful in obtaining CAPE studies in September 2007. Another quantum step which we undertook, in the direction of academically fulfilling our vision which states:
We want SWAHA Hindu College to be the premier educational institution in the northeastern division by 2009.
Other Successes
In our short history we have also attained excellence in sports, external competitions and cultural events. We came first in the Powergen Girls Cricket Competition in 2005 and second in 2006. We have players on both the male and female national cricket teams at the under 19, 17, and 15 levels. One of our students went on to become the captain of the National girls under 19 cricket team.
In addition we obtained first place in the T&TEC’s essay writing competition, the Book Joy festival and third in the Secondary School’s Debating Contest over the years. In the realm of art, we have participated in the Cocoa and coffee board art competition in 2007 and place 2nd, along with a first place achievement in a poster completion conducted by Ministry of Health in 2007. Annually we also participate in the Secondary school’s stock exchange quiz and mathematics Olympiad.
Presently, our students are competing in the male zonal cricket competition, preparing themselves for the BPTT environmental debate on 6/6/08 and participating in the UTT robotics workshop on 2/6/08. Participation in such activities foster team and school spirit, create a sense of belonging and that of accomplishment.
In a further attempt to enhance the life our children, we have embarked on various cultural and religious activities such as annual Phagwa, Divali and Ramleela celebrations, in which our students participate in the skits, dances and deliver oral presentations on the topic. Stemming from these celebrations is another claim to fame for our school, which is, we have constructed the largest Rawan (75ft.) and Holika(55ft.) ever seen in this country, over the last few years.
Another, noteworthy aspect of our school life is the fact that we have institutionalized worship in the form of Hawan on a weekly basis. Each form class is assigned a week to prepare and they along with their form manager take part in the proceedings. The students are also allowed an opportunity at this juncture to conduct assembly and present on topics of interest to the school population.
Catering to Student Needs
Apart from the academic, cultural and spiritual aspects of our institution, we also heeded the call of the students; clubs which focus on the interest of the students were created. Each club is under the guidance of a teacher and some clubs in existence are dance, meditation and yoga, public speaking/debating, photography and the environmental club to name a few.
The meditation program was very successful and became an integral part of our school culture, simply because it promoted a peaceful disposition, assisted in the development of memory and self control, reducing behavioral issues. We instituted meditation sessions at the start of every day for ten minutes; the Raj Yoga Society has been instrumental in formulating this program and conducts a session at our school every week.
Further we have developed a relationship with the transcendental meditation society and have been provided with assistance in conducting and strengthening meditation in our school. Our success was recognized by the media and several articles were produced concerning this activity and its results in our school.
It may appear from the aforementioned information that our focus is only on certain areas, but we also encourage and promote good health practices. We have allowed the Ministry of Health to conduct hearing, sight, diabetes and hypertension testing on our students. In addition, they also conducted workshops with the students on healthy eating habits and food choices, and support us by assisting in lectures about STD’s and promiscuity each year around Carnival time.
Further in assemblies teachers and the Principal share information with the students on the dangers of smoking, drinking, drug use and promiscuity, as well as promote the virtues of a vegetarian lifestyle. Therefore holistically, we are attempting to satisfy the needs of the students and solidify our motto “education for liberation.” According to our mission statement:
SWAHA Hindu College is staffed by professionals participating in a harmonious relationship with stake holders in an ever-changing global environment.
Teacher Training
This equation may appear incomplete, the focus has been placed directly on the students our major stakeholders, but teacher development is an important aspect of our institution. Teacher professional development sessions are held weekly via staff meetings every Monday morning where information is disseminated and tips in areas such as classroom control, discipline etc. Further, teachers were exposed to in house workshops on lesson planning, assessment, peace and love in the classroom and safety i.e. OSHA conducted by qualified personnel form the ministry of Education.
Teachers also participate in workshops conducted by the Ministry of Education, such as those recently conducted on the changes in CSEC exams and syllabus. Upon completing these workshops they share the information obtained with their colleagues. In addition teachers are pursuing and applying diligently to the Diploma in Education program at the University of the West Indies annually in an attempt to improve their skills and aptitudes as a teacher.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that we at SWAHA Hindu College have been successful in developing an educational institution which aids in developing the child holistically. This journey has been punctuated with many varied obstacles including the fact that we are still housed at this temporary location after 8 years, yet we have rose to the occasion and been successful in a variety of areas, ranging from sporting, academic, extracurricular to co-curricular. The name SWAHA Hindu College has progressively become associated with innovation, perseverance and diligence. We are trendsetters with our eyes set on the future, God in our hearts and determination in our veins.
