Teachers and parents ‘discover’ future leaders at Times School Parliament

| Nov 14, 2017, 05:52 IST
Nagpur: Passion, aggression, succour and outrage — the Times School Parliament (TSP) saw it all. It was engaging not only for the student legislators but also for the spectators.

For students, it was the best first-hand experience in parliamentary democracy. Their parents and teachers couldn't agree more. "The Town Hall provided a perfect setting. This platform, provided at the right age, will help students in their careers ahead," said Sejal Dholakia, coordinator teacher of Central India Public School (CIPS).

Parents were surprised to witness a new personality trait in kids. "The opportunity provided by TOI to the students is commendable. I was surprised to see the aggression in kids. To respect and tolerate the view of others is a rare quality among today's youth. Aggression, if channelized properly, can help solve numerous issues faced by our country," said a parent, Dr Kajal Jaiswal.

Teachers appreciated TSP for teaching students "what books and classrooms can't". Coordinator of Montfort School Phalguni Maitra said, "Lack of practical knowledge makes people develop wrong perception. TSP aided in destroying such perception about politics by providing a hands-on practical experience as kids learnt a lot about the parliamentary proceedings."

Meena Chowdhari of School of Scholars (SoS) said, "With opportunities like these, students learn to communicate effectively — how to listen, how to take on an argument, how to present statements and how to debate. This session taught students that interrupting people makes things difficult and the best way is to discuss and cooperate with others."

Calling it a one-of-its kind event, Sunil Doifode of Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) Durga Nagar Marathi High School said, "The best part, according to me, was the enthusiasm among students and heated debates. Students got a real-world experience of parliamentary proceedings. Moreover, proper research and understanding the pros and cons of the topics helped them a lot."


The event swelled many hearts with pride. "I am proud to see how enthusiastic the future leaders of India are. To sum it up, the event assured me that our nation is in good hands," said a parent, Vijay Hardas.


Students who had come to just watch their friends participate in the debate said that it was the best learning experience for them too. "The set-up and proceedings were same as a real parliament. It was surprising to see our friends in the shoes of politicians and the way they behaved while the session was conducted. We also realized the importance of voting for bringing the right leader in power," said students of Modern School.


(Reporting by Simran Saini & Tanuja Ratnaparkhi )



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