Happy days await school students
Basic education director says his department will approach SCERT to develop a module on happiness for students
With top officials and teachers of various schools fully supporting the idea of incorporating happiness as part of school curriculum, the Uttar Pradesh basic education department is game for the ‘happy’ idea and has decided to explore the possibility of the same, soon.
“There will be no additional books to teach happiness. Instead, the officials will look to integrate happiness through activity-based learning,” said director, basic education, Sarvendra Vikram Bahadur Singh here on Tuesday.
Speaking at a panel discussion organised by Hindustan Times on introducing happiness as part of curriculum in basic education, Singh said, “It is not necessary to do something big to make students happy. Even small things can bring smiles on their faces. Happiness is a state of the mind. The school can provide an ecosystem where students can stay happy and blessed.”
He further said, “We will approach the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), which is the highest academic body of the education department, to develop a module on happiness that can be easily practised in our government primary and upper primary schools in UP. I am sure we will be able to come out with a workable module.”
Founder chairman of St Teresa’s group of institutions Peter Fanthome called upon government school teachers to play the role of Pied Piper of Hamelin. “If teachers can impress the students and become role models for them, kids will always rally around them and make their task much easier. The teachers must work on improving their personality to impress the young students.”
“To keep students happy, it is paramount that teachers must stay happy. A happy person is the one who makes passion their profession and, therefore, excels. If a teacher is happy, pupils also remain in happy. The formula for keeping students happy is simple. Teachers should stop making negative remarks about students in the classroom because it suppresses the child’s enthusiasm and talent,” said Fanthome.
He said he runs two schools in the heart of Lucknow and another in Itaunja, the city’s outskirts. “Believe me, my own experience suggests that students of city outskirts are a happier lot than those studying in the Model House and Aashiana branches. The kids in Itanuja see happiness in small things,” he said.
Sarvest Kumar, head master at the Model Primary School, Moorghat, in Basti district, said his school starts at 9 am but students starts coming in from 7.30 am. “You will spot them either playing in the compound or laughing and enjoying with other classmates. Tell me if this is not happiness than what is it? To me happiness is a state of mind,” he said.
Snehil Pandey, head teacher, English Medium Primary Model School, Nawabganj block, Unnao district, said she has introduced a concept called positive punishment to discipline students who come late to school. Meenu Singh Panwar, assistant teacher, Upper Primary School at Wazidpur Dhanaura in Amroha district, said introduction of happiness course can bring a positive change in students’ personality.
Yatika Pundir, assistant teacher, Primary English Model School, Kamalpur, Rajpura block in Meerut and Surabhi Sharma, assistant teacher, Primary School, Sarojininagar block in Lucknow district also said there was need to bring about happiness in school curriculum to make teaching more interesting.
There will be no additional books to teach happiness. Instead, the officials will look to integrate happiness through activity-based learning.
SARVENDRA VIKRAM BAHADUR SINGH, director, basic education