Jaipur: The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Vasundhara Raje government in Rajasthan is known for its weird tactics when it comes to reviving academics. This time the state education department has come up with the idea of teaching moral lessons to students every third Saturday by spiritual ‘saints’.
In a report published by The Indian Express, the state Directorate of Secondary Education has made it mandatory for the school authorities to invite the religious saints to deliver lectures in order to make students a better “Sanskari” person. According to the initiative taken up by the education department, there should be an “extra-curricular activity”, under which every third Saturday, spiritual lessons will be imparted to students.
Not only third Saturday, but each Saturday of the month there will be a different schedule, which the school authorities will have to follow based on the newly released yearly calender of the education department – Shivira Panchang. The schedule states that in the first Saturday, lessons of great persons’ inspirational life will be imparted to the students. The inspirational stories can be taken from the lives of Veer Savarkar, Swami Vivekanand, former President A P J Abdul Kalam or anyone suitable.
In the second Saturday, the old women or teachers will read inspirational stories, that are ‘educating’. The fourth Saturday of the month will be a day for the quiz competition. Additionally, if there is a fifth Saturday in the month, the school authorities will have to organise ‘inspirational plays’ and students will have to participate in singing patriotic songs, says the calender.
Speaking to the media, the State Education Minister Vasudev Devnani was of the opinion that this initiative will impart moral values and make the students a better human being and also good citizens of the country. The new initiative will have to be strictly followed both by government and private schools affiliated to the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education.
Clarifying the move, a senior official said to IANS, “We want them to learn how family as an institute remains united no matter what the circumstances are. The senior citizens of the family once were guiding lights of the family and kids used to enjoy their story-telling sessions.”
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