Compulsory yoga, moral lessons in Chhattisgarh schools

CHHATTISGARH state is going to introduce Yoga and Moral Education as part of the school curricula from the current academic session that is scheduled to commence from mid-June. The new classes will be compulsory.

The purpose behind the move, according to officials, is to create awareness among schoolchildren about health, hygiene, cleanliness, besides inculcating a better understanding about fairness, caring, respect and becoming a responsible citizen among them. “We have planned to make such education compulsory from the current session. The education shouldn’t just end up as mere academic note but it should equally lead to building a good character with sound moral values. However, there will not be any examination for these two new courses,” said Alok Shukla, secretary, school education.

“The feedback about children and students often showing indiscipline, becoming irritable during the pandemic and lockdown made us realise that the thrust be also given to indoctrinate self-discipline and good behavior,” said an educationist associated with SCERT. Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation has published the school books on Yoga and Moral Education. “It would soon be distributed in the schools along with the other academic books to the students. Besides building moral character, it will help students perform better,” said Shailesh Nitin Trivedi, chairman, Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation.

Intended Goals 

Yoga education: To improve concentration, meditation, learn benefits of types of yoga workout
Cleanliness: on how to accomplish it at home, school, in the vicinity where students live
Discipline: its importance in schools and home. Significance of discipline in student’s life