New Era High School

New Era High School, Panchgani.

The New Era High School is located in Panchgani, a modern hill station town well-known as an educational centre containing well-established schools, in the state of Maharashtra, India. It was founded in August 1945, and was one of the first Bahá’í education projects in India. At present it is private academy, drawing students from all over the world.

Special attention is given to academic excellence, moral education the promotion of values for world citizenship, and social and economic development in rural areas.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the school gradually began to establish a series of programs to assist poor and underdeveloped villages in the region. It started as a service project for students and evolved into a separate institution known as the New Era Development Institute in 1987.

History

A wrought iron gate leading to the school grounds.

New Era High School is a Bahá’í institution. Located high in the hill town of Panchgani, Maharashtra State, India, the school was founded as a Bahá’í children's hostel in 1945, following the decision of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of India, Burma and Ceylon. Since that time the courageous and persevering efforts of numerous pioneers and local friends have fostered the growth of this small seed into a blossoming flower in the fields of Bahá’í education. The school is a prominent and accredited part of the Indian educational system and has become a source of pride and inspiration not only to its local community but also to the world community of Bahá’ís. New Era constantly received special encouragement from the beloved Guardian and is one of the first schools to be recognized by the Universal House of Justice as a Bahá’í school. In an early letter to the Local Spiritual Assembly of Panchgani, Shoghi Effendi said he would 'specially pray for the growth and progress of the Bahá’í children's hostel so that it may become perfect and distinguished in very respect.'

Through unselfish international support and great individual sacrifice the school has indeed witnessed great growth and progress throughout these thirty years. From the early days, with a staff of three and a class of sixteen children taking moral lessons, the school has expanded its facilities to the point where it now enrolls more then 370 children from twenty-two countries studying from kindergarten through the higher secondary level. The staff has increased to more then sixty (numbers not current). Both Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í, local villager and the children of pioneers, all have left richer for the spiritual and material education received there.

It was on August 1, 1945 that Mrs. Mobedzadeh, with Mrs. Salisa Kermani and Mrs. Manavi, left their homes in Poona and came to the mountain wilderness regions of Manchgani to begin the Bahá’í hostel, then known as Parvereshgah. Along with them came sixteen children between the ages of four and eight, distinguished members of the National Spiritual Assembly, and local friends and parents. Opening ceremonies were conducted and a 'new era' was begun. The first school committee, appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly, consisted of three pioneers, Mr. Asfandiar Yaganagi, Mr. Rustom Sohaili and Mr. Rustom Mihrshahi, all of whom provided innumerable services which were as unselfish as their were essential. The idea of beginning the school came first from their Local Spiritual Assembly, and it was their persevering faith and actions which kept the school alive through those difficult first years. Mrs. Kermani, like Mrs. Mobedzadeh, was young and inexperienced. Mrs. Manavi was older but equally new to the task. Nevertheless the three ladies, with the unfailing help of the school committee, began classes and simultaneously made plans for expansion. By October of that year, the school enrollment had increased to forty and a regular schedule of moral classes was begun. A large bungalow named 'Manivilla' was rented and served as both classroom and dormitory for the years 1945 to 1953. The name was changed to Bahá’í Boarding School in 1946, and then again to New Era in 1948 after Indian Independence forbade the use of religious names for schools.

Problems facing the new school were numerous and seemed to come from all sides. Mrs. Kermani was called back to her home in Poona and Mrs. Mobedzadeh was left to shoulder many of the responsibilities alone. Prayer and selfless determination were the keys to survival in these years. The late Mr. Rustom Sohaili generously provided much of the financial support required. In 1947 Mr. Kaikhosrove Akhtarkhaveri came to Panchgani as a pioneer and lent his hand to the development of the school. He served for many years as secretary of the schools committee and trustee.

Miss Shera Irani joined the school staff in 1947. A Zoroastrian, she accepted the Baha'i Faith after coming to New Era and continued to serve energetically for fourteen years. It was she who, visiting the Holy Land in 1953, returned with messages from the Guardian concerning plans for the school.

In 1953 the present school site, 'Woodland', was purchased. The land was uneven and covered with trees. It contained four old and shabby bungalows and four out-buildings. Plans for development and expansion began immediately with the clearing of land, renovation and construction of buildings, extension of the school curriculum and increases in staff members. 'Haddon House', a teachers' dormitory, was added in 1959. In this same year Mr. Habib Behi, the brother of Mrs. Mobedzadeh, joined the school as language master. At the request of the National Spiritual Assembly he left his business in Poona and came, with his family, to meet the expanding need for teachers. The Behis have served greatly throughout the years in both the school and in building the Bahá’í community in Panchgani.

As the school developed it was continually under the supervision of Government inspectors whose approval was necessary not only for accreditation but also so that the ext grade could be added each year as the children progressed. Mrs. Mobedzadeh relates stories of how the various inspectors would be so impressed with the spirit of service of both the staff and students that they would give glowing reports despite the great material deprivation that the school was under. Every day there was a change. As a result of the prayers and energetic efforts of those responsible for New Era the school assumed greater proportions.

Mrs. Mobedzadeh attributed all these successes and seeming miracles to the confirming powers of Bahá’u’lláh. For example, she told how the beloved Guardian encouraged the admission of non-Bahá’í Indian students in 1953. This development, once impossible in a country where different castes and religions did not mix, had been suddenly made possible after India achieved independence in 1948, but attracting non-Bahá’í students to the Bahá’í school proved to be difficult. Many prayers were said but for months nothing could be done. Then one day a man appeared in the office wishing to enroll seven refugee children of Hindu background. They were admitted and the way was open for many more such enrollments in the future. Over one half of the school in 1975 was comprised of non-Bahá’í Indian students.

Another answered prayer in the growth of the school was the arrival of Mr. George Menezes. George, as he was affectionately known by the majority of Panchgani residents, has served the school in almost every way imaginable.

Throughout the years from 1953 onward, spiritual and material support began to or into the struggling institution. The Guardian encouraged the expansion of the school at the beginning of the Ten Year Crusade, and a number of the Hands of the Cause, including Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khanum, took a special interest in New Era's development. Mrs. Gloria Faizi came to the school in 1959 to serve as director. During this six-month period she began to recruit much needed financial support for the growing institution. In 1967, after the generous contribution of Mr. and Mrs. Misaqieyeh, construction of the large present-day school building was begun. The cornerstone was laid by the late Hand of the Cause Ṭaráẓu’lláh Samandarí. The building was designed to contain twenty-four classrooms, offices, science labratories and a spacious library. Work was finally completed in 1975.

Site and facilities

View of a classroom in New Era High School.

The present site was moved into in 1953 and consisted of five buildings. A play field and several added dormitories in 1980s gave the school the room to add over 500 students bringing the total student population to over 1000. In the 1990s the campus went through massive infrastructure growth and renovation - gaining its own power plant, campus fencing, intercom system, phone system for students, parents and staff, three wells, solar heating for the dining hall and a large garden. Computers handle student records, accounts, maintenance, personnel, and other administrative areas as well as facilitating student-parent communication.

Programme

Special attention is given to academic excellence, moral education, specifically noted by the Universal House of Justice, values for world citizenship, and social and economic development in rural areas. Subject areas significantly expanded through the 1990s to include advances across the K-12 curriculum with peace and cooperative learning programs, computer training programs and extracurricular sports clubs and educational field trips.

Accreditation and awards

The school was registered with the state in 1954 and the first students took their external examinations in 1958. Gloria Faizi, Abu'l-Qásim Faizi's wife, helped bring the school onto a more financial status by providing leadership and attracting investments. The current accreditation includes the standard ten high school exam of the Central Board of Secondary Education though it is increasingly switching to Indian Certificate of Secondary Education.

The Secondary Section in 2007 received top awards for all of Panchgani (with additional high marks in specific subject areas)

• 100% passed result with average score of 73.54%
• Set a new record of highest average 94.6%
• Number of students appeared - 102
• 48 students (47%) secured Distinction ( above 75%)
• 43 students (42%) secured First Class (above 60%)
• 11 students (11%) secured Second Class

The Secondary Science program won awards in 2003 (National Level Science Talent Search Examination and Best Participation Award in the NSTSE)

The Secondary Computer Science curriculum serves the International General Certificate of Secondary Education.

The Secondary Arts program can support students reaching for the annual Government of Maharashtra Elementary and Intermediate Art Exams.

All topic areas have vocational courses

The school is ranked 64th across India by a broad range of criteria.

In 2005/6, New Era High School two students ranked 857th and 1824th (over 2000 were ranked) across all Indian students competing for the Amul Shakti Vidyashree award.

Primary Section

Along with standard academic and arts subject areas, and multilingual programs begin, a featured area is values education (including Peace Education, Conflict Resolution, and Environmental Education.)

Secondary Section

In addition to the awards winning academic and arts subjects areas, most subject areas develop extension programs - poly-lingual plays, student quiz teams, and community outreach.

The computer system, especially present in the Secondary Section, is Open Source based - highlighting Mandriva 2007 and Fedora Core 7, OpenOffice.org, and GIMP.

School culture

The school developed a residential prefect-oriented system. The prefect body consists of thirty-two students who represent four virtues - Peace, Respect, Harmony and Wisdom. One of the senior students is appointed as Head Girl or Head Boy.

In popular culture

The second half of Aamir Khan's film, Taare Zameen Par was shot in the school.

External links

• Official Website
• Bahá’í Schools in India

References

• "New Era High School". Retrieved 2008-05-24.
• The Universal House of Justice. The Bahá’í World - An International Record Vol XVI 1973-1976. Haifa, Israel: World Centre Publications.

• Rowley, Elizabeth Anne. (1980) New Era High School: an ethnographic study of an International Bahá'í school in India. Thesis (M.A.) -- University of Georgia (Athens), 1980.

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