Sathya Sai School: Building lasting legacies for tomorrow’s leaders
Education they say is the best legacy you can give a child, and Sathya Sai School, Lekki is beating the odds to achieve just that, writes David Meshioye

Nothing else interests Sheela Sridhar more than nipping down to school five times a week while looking forward to seeing her students return to class every morning with so much vigour and enthusiasm ready to learn. For Mrs Sheela, watching her students return to school as mature and well-behaved students – overcoming personal challenges and eventually moving to a better Secondary school – served as tremendous inspiration for the vibrant mother who doubles as one of the Trustees of Satya Sai school in Lekki, Lagos Nigeria.

When asked why she derives so much pleasure in shaping a better future for her students with little or nothing as monthly take-home, Sheela believes her reward lies in seeing her students exhibit the five core human values of truth, right conduct, peace, love, and non-violent with residents of the community.

” That is what the founder of Sathya School, Sri Sathya Sai Baba teaches,” begins Sheela. ”He said the end of education is character which is the motto of our Lagos school.”

Brief History
Sathya Sai Schools and Institutes of Sathya Sai Education integrate educare with traditional curriculum promoting students with good character skilled in academic areas. Sai Baba established the first Sathya Sai School in India in 1968. By the early 1990s Sathya Sai Schools began to be established outside India, and Institutes of Sathya Sai Education (ISSE) were soon established to train teachers and assure quality. There are now 28 Institutes of Sathya Sai Education (ISSEs) in 28 countries and 39 Sathya Sai Schools around the world. ISSEs have expanded their portfolios to include training adults in the community in Sathya Sai Education in Human Values.

For a non-profit-oriented school that depends solely on its trustees to run its day-to-day activities in line with a globally recognized curriculum channelled toward sound education and character, it is no small achievement that the Lekki School still charged as low as N59,000 as tuition fee at a time most parents groan under the heavy weight of exorbitant school fee. Little wonder the school is flocked with students from homes while some are picked up from the streets and catered for by Sathya Sai School. The board of trustees which includes Mr. Ramesh Hathiramani, (chairman, board of trust), ageless Sheela Sridhar, Dinesh Tanwani, Dr. Maria Ekpeyong not forgetting Mrs Sabitha Hathiramani gives 100% service to ensure the school stay afloat amid the current economic downturn.

” We charge as low as N59,000 as school fees because Sathya Sai School is not a profit-making school. We depend on our trustees who over the years have continued to offer selfless service through moral and financial support. You know we run only a primary school program at Sathya Sai School, Lekki even though parents have been appealing to us to start secondary school, we don’t want to start what we cannot continue because the school is not set up to make a profit but help give education to underprivileged children.

” When I came here, some children could neither read nor write their names, but we took it upon ourselves to make that possible. Today we have Alumni students who are doing extremely well out there because of the strong foundation at Sathya Sai School,” Mrs Sheela said.

It’s About the Kids
Great schools cannot exist without great groups of kids, and the diversity of those kids is what many principals say makes their schools so great. Mr. Emeka Uwaezuoke is the Head Teacher of Sathya Sai School, Lekki with almost a decade of experience up his sleeves. Being a part of Sathya Sai School remains a source of pride for Mr. Emeka who was actively involved during November 30th Sports Day set aside to commemorate Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s birthday annually.

‘We have the most beautiful, interesting, interested, and talented children from all works of life,” begins Mr. Emeka. Sathya Sai is not an Indian school, rather the school accommodates you irrespective of your religious background and we teach our pupils to embrace five core human values of truth, right conduct, peace, love, and non-violence with residents of the community.”

”Every adult and child is enriched by just being part of our school,” added Emeka.

”Our school is a perfect example of how different people can live together, work together, and learn together,” said Mrs. Sabitha Hathiramani who is appealing to government and non-government organizations to rally around and support the school.

Conducive Learning environment
The climate of a school includes its kids and its diversity, but it is much more than that. According to Mrs.Sheela Sridhar, a positive and nurturing climate is the greatest thing about her school. With state-of-the-art facilities like spacious classrooms, a well-equipped tech laboratory that exposes students to computer learning, music class, Taekwondo club, and sporting facilities for nurturing tomorrow’s heroes within the school has carved a niche for itself and punching above its weight in the highbrow of Lekki.

”Our mission is Learning Together for a Very Bright Future Every Single Day, and we all enthusiastically work together to create a productive, positive, and rewarding atmosphere in which our students will learn and grow. All our teachers are graduates We work hard to create lasting memories through quality learning experiences and special events.”

At Sathya Sai School Lekki Mrs.Sheela says that visitors who enter the building always make the same comment. ”They say There is such a great atmosphere here.” That doesn’t happen by accident. Our students and staff are a community of learners, and community is the heart of what we each strive to establish,” she told TheGuardian.

”Developing that sense of community begins each morning as children enter the building, Sheela added. They are greeted by staff members who are truly glad to see them — and tell them so.”

Mr Emeka echoes the fact that the staff at the school is the glue that holds it together. ” From the classroom teachers to its cleaners, security, and instructors, we all take responsibility for the education of our students,” added Mr. Emeka.  ”Everyone helps to steer our students on the path to responsibility.”

A Sports Day To Remember</strong
Sports Day is an event that is celebrated in schools and colleges all over the world. It is a day when students come together to showcase their athletic abilities and compete against each other. It was not different at Sathya Sai School as the day began with a prayer and was followed by a welcome speech by one of the students.

Dignitaries from all walks of life and parents were treated to a melodious orchestra from the school music club, but it was the Taekwondo club that sent heads turning in admiration. This was followed by a parade, where all the students marched in their respective houses or classes, displaying their house colours and flags.

The events of the day include races of various distances such as 100m, and 100m hurdles as well as relays parents and staff were not left out in the fun with winners smiling home with attractive gifts.

It is not surprising that Love once again proved to be the biggest thing in humanity as Love House led by the Head Teacher, Mr. Emeka was adjudged the winner of 2024 Sathya Sai School Sports Day.
The school’s message to the community has never changed:Believe in Education, as education is not just for mere living but for life.

While running a non-profit primary school in the highbrow of Lekki may present its fair share of challenges, Sathya Sai School has proved to the world that with resilience, determination, and support, you can navigate through this jungle and emerge victorious.