Archive · 6 Nov 2025
Ekya Schools Launches Nature-Based Educational Initiative Ekya Vana
Ekya Schools has opened a new kind of school called Ekya Vana, which means 'forest' in Indian languages.
This school believes that kids learn best when they are close to nature and connected to the environment.
Kids will spend time outdoors, learning about plants, animals, soil, and water in a fun way.
It's not just a subject, but a whole way of living and learning.
The school offers programs for little ones from 18 months old all the way up to 12th grade.
They will learn by asking questions and exploring the world around them.
The school campuses are designed to be like interactive nature spaces with gardens, outdoor classrooms, and special labs.
One campus is built with eco-friendly materials and is located near a protected forest area, showing a strong commitment to caring for our planet.
Ekya Schools has launched Ekya Vana, a new nature-based educational initiative.
The school aims to foster curiosity, compassion, and earth stewardship in young learners.
Ekya Vana offers programs from daycare (18 months) through Grade 12, affiliated with IGCSE and IB boards.
Campuses are designed as interactive environments with features like Sensory Pathways, Eco Labs, and Outdoor Classrooms.
The Bannerghatta campus incorporates regenerative materials and Miyawaki forest techniques, reflecting a commitment to sustainable living.
- Who
- Ekya Schools
- What
- Launched Ekya Vana, a new nature-based educational initiative and school for children from 18 months to Grade 12.
- When
- The formal launch was on Saturday, 15 November 2025.
- Where
- Bengaluru, at Ekya School, NICE Road, with campuses in RMV, Manyata, and Bannerghatta.
- Why
- To integrate academic excellence with environmental consciousness, fostering curiosity, compassion, and earth stewardship in young learners by connecting them deeply with nature.
Advocates of Nature-Based Education
Concerns for Traditional Academic Rigor
Educational Philosophy
Advocates of Nature-Based Education
Ekya Vana's philosophy, 'Growing Earth Sense in Every Child,' emphasizes hands-on observation, inquiry-led learning, and experiencing environmental care as a way of life to foster curiosity, compassion, and earth stewardship.
Concerns for Traditional Academic Rigor
Some may question if a curriculum deeply integrated with nature can adequately prepare students for the standardized assessments and comprehensive academic demands of IGCSE and IB boards, potentially raising concerns about the depth of traditional subject mastery.
Curriculum Design
Advocates of Nature-Based Education
The curriculum is designed to be interdisciplinary and inquiry-led, with learning actively integrated through environmental experiences like nurturing plants and observing wildlife, rather than treating environmentalism as a standalone subject.
Concerns for Traditional Academic Rigor
Questions could arise about the balance of time spent on nature-based activities versus structured academic instruction necessary for preparing students for future higher education or careers that may not be directly related to environmental fields.
- School Name
- Ekya Vana
- Parent Organization
- Ekya Schools
- Educational Approach
- Nature-based, inquiry-led, interdisciplinary, fostering curiosity, compassion, and earth stewardship
- Age Groups Served
- 18 months (daycare) to Grade 12
- Affiliations
- IGCSE and IB boards
- Campuses
- RMV, Manyata, and Bannerghatta (Bengaluru)
- Launch Event Date
- Saturday, 15 November 2025