Fifteen years ago Ekya Schools took upon itself an unprecedented initiative by asking the question “What if school was different?” This forward-looking inquiry became a dynamic educational philosophy with a focus on community, action and purpose. From its inception, Ekya has been committed to changing education from rote memorisation to real life application and fostering an environment to create students who are thoughtful, caring and engaged as learners.

At Ekya, it is our belief that every child deserves a kind of education which will prepare them not just for examinations, but also for life. Our story is one of relentless innovation, rooted in a determination to create a learning environment, where every child can thrive. The following exposition outlines the important turning points that have made our unique educational philosophy and made Ekya one of the preferred educational institutions for Bangalore parents looking for high quality education.

The Early Years: Planting the Seeds of Excellence (2010 – 2012)

Our journey started in 2010 with a vision and the inauguration of our first campus in JP Anonymous in Bangalore. The arrival of our first student in 2011 was the real start of the Ekya community and the excitement was easily measurable. That same year, we opened the ITPL campus and the pioneering Ekya Learning Center and therefore signifying a shift from rote learning of facts to understanding and application of knowledge.

 Through our engaging ‘Love to Read’ programme, we instilled a lifelong love of reading. The warm and welcoming culture typical of Ekya was well established with our first Annual Day and Orientation events in 2012, when the ITPL campus was fully operational.

Developing Character and Creativity (2013-2015)

The year 2013 was dedicated to the elaboration of the core values of our institution. Through the use of affirming statements and formal social contracts, we were able to develop a strong culture of care that made it clear that all children felt valued and respected. The Ekya Quest programme encouraged critical thinking and exploration and thus took the journey to change education into an exciting journey.

The addition of Design Thinking in 2014 was a major step forward in enabling our students to solve problems creatively. In 2015, our scope was broadened when the BTM campus opened To ensure that our children are receiving an optimal education, we also made a significant investment in our teaching community through the Professional Development Institute (PDI), which delivers over 75 hours of more training to each educator every year. In an acknowledgment of the creativity of the students, the JP nagar campus saw its first ever Design Challenge.

Expanding Horizons, Connecting to the World (2016-2018)

The 2016 “Each to Excel” off-site built our team spirit and encouraged collaboration within our dedicated staff. By using Rubicon Atlas and Understanding by Design (UBD), we worked on refining our planning of curriculum and making sure that each lesson had a purpose or objective that was clear and specific. A common curriculum was introduced in all Ekya campuses in the landmark year of 2017, therefore ensuring a consistent excellence.

Through over 533 internships with famous companies like CRY, Qshala, Genex Space, we closed the gap between education and the real world by introducing the Work Exposure Programme (WEP) first in the world. The Ekya community grew even more in 2018 with the opening of Byrathi campus. The Student Leadership Programme (SLP), which included initiatives such as Accelerate and Aryaman, which raised over INR 15 lakhs for worthy causes, brought our classrooms together through PowerSchool, revolutionized the teaching of mathematics through Singapore Math and gave voices to the students.

Adaptability and Deepening Connections (2019-2021)

The introduction of Schoology, our digital learning platform, in 2019 played an important role in enabling a smooth transition during the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic. Design Thinking pervaded the entire school as such which, by extension, led to an increase in creativity even under difficult circumstances.

Our Community Connect programmes enhanced the depth of engagement in 2020 and the poignant Roshni campaign done in the midst of the lockdown raised INR 2.7 lakhs to show the extraordinary generosity of our community.

The goal in 2021 was to make education more immersive and relevant by making learning experiences more rich through Deep Dives. In order to foster empathy and develop close connections between students, we have also adopted SEE Learning (Social, Emotional, and Ethical Learning).

Charting the Future: Innovation Continues 2022-2025.

In 2022, Ekya embarked on reinventing its identity and commitment to providing superior education. Our FIND (Festival of Innovation, Networking and Design) event in 2023 reaffirmed the renewed focus on purpose-driven learning for students and their ability to recognize their passions and future trajectories through job shadowing, exploration days and reflective journals.

Looking ahead, 2024 promises exciting developments with the bold launches of Ekya Nava and Ekya NICE, opening up new avenues for creativity and global learning, including collaborations with Genex Space and initiatives that raised INR 15 lakhs. The future continues to unfold in 2025 with the grand opening of Ekya Nava, the launch of Ekya Vana at the FIND festival, and the much-anticipated opening of Ekya Vana Early Years in December, welcoming our youngest learners into the Ekya family.

Conclusion

With an overarching goal of nurturing thoughtful, caring and engaged individuals, Ekya Schools have been persistently challenging the conventions of traditional education in the last 15 years. Each milestone is a commitment to creative teaching, holistic development, and a strong sense of community. As Ekya looks into the future, its direction is still defined by a steadfast focus on developing students who can make a significant impact on the world.