Gyanodaya Sarva Mangal Vidya Mandir (SMVM) Higher Secondary School, Khurai is at the frontier of academic and spiritual development. The school draws its inspiration from its rich heritage and legacy. It is run by the Jain minority Shri Parshwanath Brahmacharya Ashram Trust. Its foundation stone was laid in 1989 by the late Krishi Pandit Shrimanth Seth Rishabh Kumar Jain. The intent that lay at the core of its inception was to provide an atmosphere for the holistic development of its students at an affordable cost.
Situated at the periphery of the town of Khurai, the school’s sprawling campus of 12 acres is nestled away from the hustle and bustle of the town. The school is strategically located within 100 meters of the Khurai Railway Station and Bus Stand, making it well connected. The school welcomes its visitors with a lush green campus and the stately Lal Mandir and Manastambha. Two residential complexes for pan-Indian teachers circumscribe the campus on either side of the main entrance. The school provides its students with a state-of-the-art infrastructure. Gyanodaya proudly boasts of its smart classes. All the classrooms are equipped with smart boards to cater to the learning needs of all the students while also making learning interactive at the same time. The campus also has a Central Library, which currently has more than 10,000 books. The school understands and appreciates the global role of language as a sociocultural medium. And to provide the students with global exposure, the school has a fully equipped language lab, math lab, and science lab.
Education is not bound within four walls. Holistic development is of paramount importance at Gyanodaya. Hence, the school provides a plethora of extracurricular and co-curricular activities to the students. The school has playgrounds with installed field gyms, a football field, a kho-kho ground, and a basketball court for outdoor sports. Additionally, the school has a table tennis room, a badminton court, a karate hall, and a Kabbadi hall for the indoor sports enthusiasts. Apart from sports, the school offers other co-scholastic activities like Dance, Music, Art, Debates and IT to name a few. The school’s co-curricular activities also include Hindi and English theater. Various plays are staged throughout the year and performed in the Nayakan Hall. The School takes extreme pride in its students, who have striven to continue this cultural pursuit by excelling in their respective fields.
Gyanodaya has a child-centric approach in its teaching pedagogy and curriculum. The school persists in designing an avant-garde curriculum. Breaking away from the shackles of traditional rote learning, the school aims to evolve a community of innovative and lifelong learners. The students are prepared not only for their academic journey, but are also equipped with 21st-century skills to face the world. Activities such as music, theater, speech, and debate are excellent for developing the Four Cs of 21st-century skills: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.And emerge as successful professionals and good citizens. To evolve the natural curiosity of the learners, the school practices activity-based learning or cognitive learning theory.
The school fosters the students’ ability to not only excel in academics but also develop a civic sense and become better human beings. The pan-Indian residential staff provides them with ample exposure to varied cultures, making the learning process an enriching experience. At the hostel, students not only garner lifelong friendships but also nurture mentor-mentee relationships.
Gyanodaya is the quintessential learning hub. Apart from the students, the faculty also undergoes rigorous training and regular faculty development programs to keep them abreast of the latest developments and innovations in their respective fields.
The institution is not unique; rather, it operates in a unique manner. Regular adventure tours are organized wherein students cultivate discipline and self-reliance. Experiential learning and inclusive education are intrinsic parts of the school’s pedagogy. Regular mentoring, temple visits, and moral education classes ensure that the students of Gyanodaya not only excel at academics but also stay close to their roots and traditions. The school’s locus is skill development, along with spiritual development.
The school’s tenet is to develop and cultivate the ability to express and understand English and Hindi, logical thinking, socially acceptable mannerisms “Ahinsak” (Ahimsak) moral values, physical endurance, excellence in art and culture, the ability to judge between good and bad, become self-reliant, and churn out happy individuals.