TLC closed

On April 17th, the SAIIER board informed TLC (The Learning Community) that SAIIER has decided to withdraw all financial support for TLC (facilitators’ maintenances and running budget), to reclaim all assets accumulated over the years, and that the TLC Base Camp has to be vacated by July 2024. TLC has been functioning for 16 years.

SAIIER stated that it is responsible for ensuring that its sub-units align with and work toward the ideals of Auroville; that they serve the current and evolving needs of the community; and that their use of collective resources is reasonable and fair in the context of an overall shared economy. “Since the school split, seven years ago, the enrolment of Auroville children in TLC has been decreasing, in the case of both new students and continuing students. We have reviewed the data of not only the number of students, but also how long they stayed before moving to other schools and in some cases moving out of Auroville. SAIIER has supported TLC over the years in the hope this trend will change. However, the enrolment for the coming year 2024-25 is the lowest since the opening of the school, with only six Auroville students. After meeting with parents, facilitators and TLC management, and given the current situation and the current financial constraints, the SAIIER Board has decided that TLC as it currently functions will be closed at the end of this academic year (July 2024),” wrote SAIIER.

The TLC facilitators have taken the closure as an opportunity for TLC to go on a different journey, stating that “Discontinuing under the SAIIER umbrella will enable us to continue our active research in Integral Education without having to justify or compromise on our visions, goals and their implementation, which clearly do not fit with the definitions of a school as set down by SAIIER.” They are in communication with the GB-FAMC to move TLC to another umbrella under the Auroville Foundation.