Moral value education, a need of the hour among children

Hyderabad: Video on how moral education has become an integral part of Japan's education system has caught the attention of parents and teachers all around the world. Getting inspired by the moral education system, few teacher associations and parents said that there is a dire need of implementing moral education in the Indian education system, especially for kindergarten schools.

They said that as complete education is only achieved in a child when it leads to the all-round development of an individual, which encompasses not only mental but also moral development. Moral education influences the social thinking of students and makes them distinguish between right and wrong. Two years back, the Telangana government planned to include moral education in schools but that all only seems to be on papers.

Asif Hussain Sohail, president of Telangana Parents Association for Child rights and safety said, "Moral values are extremely important for the success of an individual at the personal and social level. They help them build a positive character with traits such as compassion, respect, kindness, and humility. These values were earlier instilled by the elders in the family when we used to live in a joint family system. But due to the nuclear family system being prevalent in society, these values are most preferred to be taught at school."

We have been seeing a huge deterioration in the moral values which is leading to an increase in rapes, juvenile crimes, drug abuse, addiction and many more to name. The Indian system of education does teach about the wrong doings but misses out to inculcate the moral values among students. The teaching of moral values can never be done, they have to be practiced. Same like Japan, moral education should also be adopted here for the development of an individual. At least once in a month, children should be taken to various orphanages and old-age homes and every school teachers should organise mock plays in regard to moral values.

"It is necessary to teach children moral values as today's generation children are often seen disrespecting elders and not caring about anyone else. For example, students who travel in public bus, never opt to give their seat to an elderly person and are never bothered to serve a helping hand. If the Indian education system adopts this method, students will know about moral habits. Schools should have a separate hour for moral values at least thrice a week," said Anu Reddy, a parent.

"Other states like Karnataka and Haryana recently made moral education compulsory for higher-class students then why has the Telangana government no implemented it yet. So that students will enable in a way learn to respect elders and. Education doesn't only mean bookish knowledge, every student must also know general awareness. They must learn ethics and school is the only platform where they can learn," said Mamata Sarkar, a private school teacher.Ethical and moral education is an important skill that we must bestow upon students. Ethics and morality are values that should be given equal importance as the other regular subjects. The State government should think about this and try to implement special classes for moral education in schools, said N Sravani, another private school teacher.