Starting for tomorrow, the Delhi government schools will have a 45 minutes of 'Happiness' periods for students studying from nursery up to class 8. This is part of Delhi Government's latest initiative to start "Happiness Curriculum" in all the schools run by the state. The entire curriculum will be purely activity-based and no formal examinations will be conducted on it. However, a periodic assessment of children's progress will be made using a happiness index.
The 'Happiness Curriculum' includes meditation, value education, and mental exercises, and it was designed and prepared by a team of 40 Delhi government teachers, educators and volunteers over a period of six months.
Each class will begin with a five minute meditation practice. For nursery and KG students, the classes based on 'Happiness Curriculum' will be held twice a week.
"The curriculum will include components that will instill self awareness and care, reduce stress and anxiety, help manage depression, build ability to focus on education & work and encourage creative critical thinking. Such a holistic approach in education will result in building healthy minds of our children that will enable them to lead a happy life," said the Delhi Government Budget 2018-2019.
This initiative will involve 10 lakh students and around 50,000 teachers from Delhi's Government schools.
According to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, there was a need to "overhall" the present education system that has not been able to produce "good human being" and added that 'Happiness Curriculum' was a "solid step" towards this aim.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, "It is our belief that the modern day problems like terrorism, corruption and and pollution can be solved through schools and a human centric education".
He also said introduction of happiness curriculum in schools will help enhance personality of children and influence the direction in which we are heading as a society and nation.
Congratulating Delhi government for its initiative to include 'Happiness curriculum' in its schools, while launching it, the Dalai Lama said "only India has the ability to combine modern education with ancient knowledge which is necessary for fulfilment of human emotions." He said such a combination will pave way for physical and mental well being, solving troubles caused due to negative and destructive emotions like anger, hatred and jealousy.
(With PTI Inputs)
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