UP introduces 'social education' in primary school curriculum

Lucknow, Oct 22 (UNI) Basic education in Uttar Pradesh is in for a major makeover with introduction of 'social education' along with formal education as part of a unique project being pursued for the first time anywhere in the country.

The project undertaken by UP Basic Education department in assistance with the UNICEF and NGO, Pratham, would help developing basic tenets of the students' personalities other than academics.

Personality grooming, decent behaviourial patterns, common etiquettes and the communication skills would be part of the education for the two crore students of government schools.

A Government Order (GO) in this regard has already been issued which suggests the government primary schools of the state to make a list of 'Do's and Dont's' for children to follow.

These are some of the basic etiquettes, the society would like to see in the students and the parents, many of them having limited resources to their credit, are finding unable to teach.

This GO precedes another important GO issued early this month putting an official ban on any form of corporal punishment like abusing or beating in primary and upper primary schools of the state.

The morning prayers, already mandatory in the government schools, would culminate after repeating these tanets like 'don't pick the nose, cough with hand on the mouth, don't scratch in public and others.

''To make the education wholesome, these personality development meausres are necessary to be inculcated among the students,'' Rohit Nandan, the Principal Secretary , Basic Education, UP told UNI here.

''It would be worthwhile if the government takes up the cause of less priviledged students inb such a way,'' he added.

Apart from these, the plans are afoot to remove the fear of science and maths from children's minds by introduction of some audio-visual methods.

A special emphasis was being given to teachers' training in the subjects, including English, Mathematics and Science. For practical training of science, the batches of the teachers have been sent to Home Bhabha Institute, Mumbai, Mr Nandan said.

UNI