“Bal Vikas (Sai Spiritual Education) is the primary basis of the great movement to restore righteousness (dharma) in the world....The ideal of the [program] is to raise a generation of boys and girls who have a clean and clear conscience.”
WatchFrom the Founder | Need for Sai Spiritual EducationYouTube Classes for 2026–27 are open
Free. Open to all families. Ages 4 to 18 (TK through Grade 12).
Parent Orientation
Sunday, September 13 · 11:00 AM
Required for all parents.
First Day of Classes
Sunday, September 20 · 11:00 AM
What
A program for children, built on five values
Sai Spiritual Education is the Sri Sathya Sai Organization’s program for children. Sri Sathya Sai Baba began it in India in 1969 as Bal Vikas, “the blossoming of the child,” and it now runs in Sai Centers around the world.
Classes are for children aged 4 to 18, on Sunday mornings, from September to May.
The curriculum is rooted in the five human values: Truth, Right Action, Peace, Love, Non-violence. The primary objective of the program is to awaken the latent divine qualities within each child.
Why
“If a question is put, what is education? People say, it is the acquisition of knowledge. But it is not merely acquisition of knowledge; it must be in action. What is the end of education? Character is the end of education. What is the essence of education? Concentration is the essence of education. What is the aim of education? The aim of education is not only cultivating human qualities, but attaining divinity. Education is meant for life, not for a living.”
“Education has two aspects: The first is related to external and worldly education, which is nothing but acquiring bookish knowledge. The second aspect known as ‘Educare,’ is related to human values. The word ‘Educare’ means to bring out that which is within. … ‘To bring out’ means to translate them into action.”
How
What to expect in a class
“The actual syllabus is not so important as the creation of an atmosphere where noble habits and ideals can grow and fructify.”
Prayer and meditation
Every class opens with prayer and a few minutes of silent sitting.
Devotional singing
Songs from many traditions, learned by heart and sung together.
Value-based stories
Stories chosen for the value inside them, and talked through afterward.
Sai literature
The teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, at each group’s level.
Life stories of inspiring heroes
People from every faith and every era who lived a value all the way through.
Dramas, public speaking, presentations
Children write and perform skits, speak in front of the group, and present what they have learned. Through the year they lead parts of the center’s festivals, for example a drama at Maha Shivaratri. Watch a Shivaratri drama
Community service and leadership
For example, sandwich service for neighbors in need. Read about the sandwich service
Life application
Each lesson points to something to practise at home during the week.
When
Sunday mornings, September to May
9:30 · Bhajans
Children sit with their families for the morning devotional singing.
11:00 to 12:00 · Class
Children go to their groups while adults join the study circle.
Where
Pleasanton. Address and directions on Visit Us.
“These noble qualities have to be developed from childhood itself. Only then will they stand in good stead in later years.”
Who
Child, parent and teacher
The teacher, the parent and the child are the foundational three-legged stool of the SSE program.
What we ask of the children
The Student’s Pledge
I pledge to follow my conscience and to follow the five human values: Truth, Right Action, Peace, Love and Non-violence.
I will respect my parents and teachers and love and serve my fellow brothers and sisters.
What we ask of parents
The Parent’s Pledge
As the parent(s) of a child (children) attending the Sai Spiritual Education Class, I now pledge:
- My child’s regular and timely attendance to the classes, group activities, and excursions.
- My personal interest in what the child is taught in the class and my assistance to the teacher in reinforcing the benefits of each class between classes.
- That my child wears appropriate and modest clothes to class.
- My encouragement to my child in practicing daily prayer, silent sitting, and devotional singing at home between class meetings.
- My encouragement to my child to maintain a spiritual diary as directed by his or her teacher.
- To regulate my child’s friends so that he or she keeps good company.
- My attendance at meetings and events arranged by the SSE teachers, including parent group meetings.
- My cooperation with the teacher if she or he should make a home visit and when solving problems pertaining to my child.
Questions and answers
What parents ask
What is SSE, and what is it not?
Sai Spiritual Education is a free Sunday program for children aged 4 to 18, begun by Sri Sathya Sai Baba in 1969. Its aim is character development.
What it is
- Love God
- Discriminate and follow conscience
- Unity of Faiths and all religions are pathways to ONE God
- Purity and harmony in Thought, Word, Deed
- Character development
- Self Discipline and ways to control the mind
- Self-reliance and Self-confidence
- Service to all humanity
- Revere parents, Nature
- Ceiling on Desires
What it is not
- Not about grades
- Not just one religion or another religion
- Not just Hindu chants or devotional singing: prayers and songs come from all faiths
How is SSE different from school?
Sri Sathya Sai Baba explained it this way: “Just as two wings are essential for a bird to soar high in the sky, and two wheels for a cart to move; so also two types of education are needed for man to attain the goal of life. … Spiritual education is for life, whereas worldly education is for a living. … Worldly education makes man great, whereas the spiritual education makes man good. … Worldly education is information oriented, while spiritual education is transformation oriented. … Man should become a composer, not a computer.” (Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 32, July 26, 1999)
What happens in a class?
Every lesson has five parts: a prayer or a spiritual principle, a story, an activity, group singing, and a life application to practise at home during the week. Classes are Sundays from 11:00 to 12:00, September to May, after the morning bhajans at 9:30 which children attend with their families.
Which group will my child be in?
There are five groups, by school grade.
| Nursery | TK and Kindergarten, ages 4 to 5 |
| Group 1 | Grades 1 to 3, ages 6 to 8 |
| Group 2 | Grades 4 to 6, ages 9 to 11 |
| Group 3 | Grades 7 to 9, ages 12 to 14 |
| Group 4 | Grades 10 to 12, ages 15 to 18 |
Who are the teachers?
Volunteers from the center. All teachers are trained by SSSIO and periodically retrained through enrichment workshops to stay up to date. “The SSE teacher must be a living example of the values and virtues being taught,” and our teachers try to live what they teach. We believe every child is God’s child.
The teachers wear Indian clothes and the children sing bhajans. Is this a Hindu class?
No. The songs, stories and festivals come from every faith, and children are encouraged to go deeper in their own. Many of us are from India, and it shows in how we dress and what we sing first; it does not narrow what we teach.
Why “Sai”? Do children have to worship Sathya Sai Baba?
No. The program carries his name because he began it and his teachings shape it. What children are asked to do is follow their conscience and practise five values every faith shares.
How do we register, and is the parent orientation required?
Through the Region 7 registration form, choosing “Tri-Valley” as the center. Parent Orientation is Sunday, September 13 · 11:00 AM and is required for all parents. First Day of Classes: Sunday, September 20 · 11:00 AM.
Is there a fee?
No. SSE is free. There is no fee.
What if we have to miss a Sunday?
Attendance is highly encouraged, just as it is for any other class. Discontinuity means the child loses connection to the program and to the teachers, and it is hard for a teacher to bond with a child they rarely see. Unlike other classes, SSE has only about thirty hours in a whole year. When you do need to miss, tell your child’s teacher as soon as you know.
Can my child come to SSE and skip the bhajans?
The whole point of SSE is to help a child grow their relationship with God. The devotional program at 9:30 is one of the ways that relationship is built, so we encourage families to come for it.
I cannot always drive my child.
Talk to your child’s teacher or the SSE coordinator. Families help each other.
What should my child wear?
Modest, clean, simple and comfortable clothing, for example a long skirt or pants with a loose sleeved top, or formal pants and a shirt. Whites are encouraged. We remove our shoes at the door.
Parenting is hard. Is it harder here?
Parenting is hard, and it is harder in the Bay Area, in a different culture. But human values are the same in every culture and in every generation. The Sai Parenting Forum meets on Sundays while the children are in class, and that is where parents talk about how to raise children on those values.
Across the Organization
SSE runs in Sai Centers across the country and around the world.
Dates and details are in the Weekly Bulletin. Plan a first visit