The Concept: A People's Movement

Participation at All Levels
At every level, the Ekal Vidyalaya movement seeks the participation of local people. Ekal Vidyalaya involves the village folk in the creation of the school, the selection of the teacher, and the adaptation of the curriculum and schedule. Ekal also recruits local people to coordinate training and other project-related issues at every level - the subcluster (10 school unit), cluster (30 school unit), subarea (90 school unit) and area (270 school unit). The involvement at every level is based on a commitment to education and an eagerness to help advance their own community. The sense of community drives the movement even at the national and global level. We urge you to join the movement because this is your India - this is your community.

Villagers' Own School
The village plays a significant role in the Ekal Vidyalaya process. First, villagers are surveyed to gauge their interest in non-formal education. Where there is sufficient interest, villagers are encouraged to form a committee to oversee the school. The committee nominates two potential teachers. With Ekal Vidyalaya Team and the selected teacher, the village committee helps determine the location and timings. The committee is also responsible for generating interest in the educational process and in addressing any issues that may arise during the school year.

Second, villagers contribute to the Ekal Vidyalaya in kind. From the beginning, Ekal Vidyalaya encourages village involvement and prepares them to be wholly self-sufficient in 5 to 7 years. (See self-reliance chart) Though initially, the villager's financial contributions are often meager, their contribution has a tremendous effect on their involvement and on the long-term sustainability of the Ekal Vidyalaya.

The Best Guarantee
The best guarantee of Ekal Vidyalaya's success is the involvement and participation of the villagers. Before it selects a village, Empowered Committee ensures that the village has sufficient interest in the process. The Ekal Vidyalaya belongs to the village; thus, village involvement is important to the Ekal Vidyalaya's development. In addition, a group of dedicated full-time workers help maintain the schools' regularity and consistency in the level of education. Furthermore, prominent urban families serve as 'caretaker families.' They regularly visit the schools and interact with the villagers. Community involvement and participation thus proves to guarantee in Ekal Vidyalaya's success.