ISKCON schools
ISKCON schools are primary and secondary schools run by, or otherwise affiliated with, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement. ISKCON schools have been established all over the world.[1][2] ISKCON schools are generally run independently, although the ISKCON Ministry of Educational Development (MED) may provide support and guidance in the establishment and running of these schools.
Schools by region
Europe
Avanti Schools Trust
A number of schools are operated by the Avanti Schools Trust[3] under the direction of the I-Foundation,[4] a Hindu and Hare Krishna charity established to provide religious authority in the governance of state-funded Hindu faith schools in the United Kingdom. These include the Krishna Avanti Primary School, the first state-funded Hindu school[5][6] in the UK. Avanti schools follow the standard national curriculum of the UK school system.[7] Avanti schools additionally feature inclusive religious education, ethics and philosophy instruction,[8] meditation and yoga practice, and Sanskrit language instruction. Primary objectives of Avanti schools are to promote "educational excellence, character formation and spiritual insight."[8]
Bhaktivedanta Manor School
Bhaktivedanta Manor School is a school based in Bhaktivedanta Manor in the UK.[9]
Sri Prahlad Gurukula
Sri Prahlad Gurukula, is a school in Hungary.[10]
Bhaktivedanta Gurukula
Bhaktivedanta Gurukula, is a school in Moscow, Russia.[11] The school educates Hare Krishna devotee children as well as those who do not have a Hare Krishna spiritual background.[11]
North America
Bhaktivedanta Academy
Bhaktivedanta Academy, named for ISKCON Founder-Acarya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, is a primary and secondary school in Alachua, Florida.[12] The school is a Montessori school and in the process of gaining approval to become an IB World School that is authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) to offer IB academic programs.[13]
TKG Academy
TKG Academy, named for Tamala Krishna Goswami, is a non-sectarian,[14] co-educational school in Dallas, Texas. The academy features Montessori Preschool, Lower Elementary, Middle Elementary, and Upper Elementary academic programs,[15] as well as spiritual programs such as a Morning Sadhana Class and a Spiritual Friday program for students.[16] The spiritual program is taken from that of ISKCON temples worldwide, as established by ISKCON Founder-Acarya Srila Prabhupada.[16]
MathEcoSpirit Academy
MathEcoSpirit Academy is a school in Carriere, Mississippi. The school was founded by Dr. Héctor Rosario, who holds a PhD in Mathematics Education from Columbia University, and his wife. The school opened 2013 as an initiative to provide holistic education[17] with a special focus on math and science education, ecology, and spirituality.
The curriculum includes instruction in math, science, language arts, language immersion, philosophy and theology, and character formation.[18] Languages currently taught include Sanskrit and Spanish, with plans to include options to study Hindi, Bengali, Latin, and Greek as modern and ancient languages.[18] Arts and crafts, farming, meditation, and yoga practice are also a part of the student schedule at the academy.[18]
South America
Bhaktivedanta International School
Bhaktivedanta International School, is a primary school in Lima, Peru.[19]
Escola Bhakti
Escola Bhakti ("Bhakti School" in the Portuguese language) is a government-approved primary and secondary school, as well as a socio-educational philanthropic institution, in Brazil which offers education free of charge to students.[20] The school is run by ISKCON devotee volunteers.[20] The school curriculum is based on the Mayapur Academy Gurukula curriculum.[21]
Asia
Sri Mayapur International School
Sri Mayapur International School (SMIS)[22] is a primary and secondary school in Mayapur, India. The school follows the United Kingdom international school curriculum, and students sit for the Cambridge International Examinations, including the IGCSE and A-levels. Students at the school have done well in the international exams.[23]
Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International School
Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International School (BGIS)[24] is a boarding school for boys in Vrindavan, India. Students sit for the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education examinations.[25] Amar Ujala, one of the largest Hindi language newspapers in India, ranked the school as the top school in the Mathura district, and the second best school in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in education.[25] The school made appearance as 13th rank boarding school in Education World Magazine's top 25 Boy's boarding school in India and 1st in Uttar Pradesh.[26]
Bangladesh
Bhaktivedanta International School (BIS)
Bhaktivedanta International School (BIS) was established on January 2014 in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Australia and New Zealand
Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula
Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula is a registered, independent primary and secondary school located in New South Wales, Australia.[27] The school curriculum includes learning activities in English, mathematics, science, technology, personal development, health and physical education, human society and its environment, creative arts (visual arts, music, and drama), Krishna conscious studies, foreign language, and school sport.[28]
Hare Krishna School
Hare Krishna School is a state integrated primary school[29] in New Zealand.[30] In addition to the standard New Zealand curriculum, the school teaches Sanskrit language, Vedic scriptures, Indian musical instruments, and character education.[29] The school curriculum features spirituality and values, thinking skills, English, mathematics, scripture study, Sanskrit language, social studies, technology, sciences, computer skills, art, dance, drama, music, health and physical education, with Krishna conscious practices, philosophy, and values in the centre of education.[31]
Africa
Lord Krishna's Academy
Lord Krishna's Academy, is a school located in Accra, Ghana.[32] The school is run by Srivas Dasa, a disciple of Bhakti Tirtha Swami.
Nimai International School
Nimai International School, is a school located in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.[33]
Child protection
ISKCON previously operated a number of gurukula boarding schools, aiming to establish institutions of education according to the traditional Vedic model. From the late 1970s, allegations of child abuse by select members of certain ISKCON school communities threatened the safety and tarnished the reputation of these schools. Such abusive actions, however, are directly in violation of the fundamental teachings of the Hare Krishna movement, and are strongly condemned by ISKCON. To address these issues, ISKCON shut down many of the original schools, set up funds to compensate the victims,[34] opened new day and boarding schools integrating revised models of education, opened a Child Protection Office (CPO) dedicated to preventing and appropriately dealing with child abuse,[35] and instituted trainings[36] and policies[37] to combat such abuses, with the goal of total prevention of child abuse.[38]
References
- ^ International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). "Education".
- ^ ISKCON Ministry of Educational Development (MED). "ISKCON Education".
- ^ Avanti Schools Trust. "Avanti Schools Trust".
- ^ I-Foundation. "I-Foundation".
- ^ Dugan, Emily (21 June 2009). "Inside Britain's first Hindu state-funded faith school". London: The Independent.
- ^ Butt, Riazan. "First Hindu state school eyes expansion". The Guardian UK.
- ^ Sharma, Suruchi. "New Hindu school opens doors". Borehamwood Times.
- ^ a b Avanti Schools Trust. "Ethos Statement".
- ^ Bhaktivedanta Manor School. "Bhaktivedanta Manor School".
- ^ ISKCON Ministry of Educational Development (MED). "Sri Prahlad Gurukula, Hungary".
- ^ a b Johnson, Avery. "Hare Krishna Offer an Alternative Kind of School". Worldwide Religious News.
- ^ Bhaktivedanta Academy. "Bhaktivedanta Academy".
- ^ Bhaktivedanta Academy. "About Bhaktivedanta Academy".
- ^ TKG Academy. "TKG Academy".
- ^ TKG Academy. "Academic Program".
- ^ a b TKG Academy. "Spiritual Programs".
- ^ MathEcoSpirit Academy. "About MathEcoSpirit Academy".
- ^ a b c MathEcoSpirit Academy. "Curriculum".
- ^ ISKCON Ministry of Educational Development (MED). "Bhaktivedanta International School, Lima".
- ^ a b Escola Bhakti. "Escola Bhakti" (in Portuguese).
- ^ ISKCON Ministry of Educational Development (MED). "New School - Escola Bhakti ISKCON Franco da Rocha Brasil".
- ^ Sri Mayapur International School. "Sri Mayapur International School".
- ^ Sri Mayapur International School. "Cambridge Success Stories".
- ^ Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International School. "Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International School".
- ^ a b ISKCON News Weekly Staff. "Major Newspaper Ranks ISKCON Vrindavana's School as Best". ISKCON News.
- ^ Education World Magazine. "Boarding school ranking 2015 across India".
- ^ Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula. "Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula, Hare Krishna School".
- ^ Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula. "Curriculum".
- ^ a b Hare Krishna School. "Our School".
- ^ Hare Krishna School. "Hare Krishna School".
- ^ Hare Krishna School. "Curriculum".
- ^ ISKCON Ministry of Educational Development (MED). "Lord Krishna's Academy, Ghana".
- ^ ISKCON Ministry of Educational Development (MED). "Nimai International School, Nigeria".
- ^ Das, Gupta. "Court Approves Distribution in Iskcon Chapter 11 Case". Dandavats.
- ^ Smullen, Madhava. "US Child Protection Office Launches New Website and Educational Events". ISKCON News.
- ^ Dasi, Gandhari. "National Child Protection Training in India". ISKCON News.
- ^ Dasi, Anuradha. "New Child Protection Policies Approved by ISKCON Authorities". ISKCON News.
- ^ Smullen, Madhava. "New Child Protection Director Focuses on Prevention". ISKCON News.