We must inculcate sound values for education to be meaningful

Source: The post is based on the article “We must inculcate sound values for education to be meaningful” published in “Live mint” on 12th October 2023.

Syllabus: GS4: Ethics- Human values (role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values)

News: The article discusses the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for School Education 2023 in India, emphasizing the development of various values and dispositions in students through ethical, democratic, and epistemic values, and highlights the importance of implementing these principles across all school stages and subjects.

What are the aims of education in the NCF 2023?

The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023 in India has five aims of education. These include independent thinking, health, democratic participation, economic participation, and cultural involvement.

How are values categorized in the framework?

The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023 categorizes values into three main types:

Ethical and Moral Values: This includes attributes like empathy and courage. For example, a school’s behavior towards parents and students should embody these values, demonstrating integrity and sensitivity in real-life situations.

Democratic Values: These involve a commitment to principles like liberty and equality, and embracing diversity. A fraternal spirit and social responsibility are highlighted, with practices like classroom discussions to foster democratic and communal participation, ensuring that students understand and appreciate the significance of equal rights and duties.

Epistemic Values: Pertaining to knowledge and truth, it includes aspects like scientific temper and recognizing valid sources of knowledge across various domains. Curricula in subjects like science and social science often emphasize these values, teaching students to value truth and approach knowledge with a scientific mindset.

How can the values be developed?

Embedding in School Culture: Values should not only be taught but also visibly practiced in schools. Examples include the manner in which school administrations treat parents and how teachers interact with students and amongst themselves.

Incorporating into Curriculum: Different school subjects and activities are designed to enhance specific values. For instance, regular classroom discussions might be utilized to nurture democratic values and rational thinking. Additionally, sports activities can promote values such as honesty and endurance.

Concrete Examples in Content: The content, including stories or historical episodes that highlight pluralism, equality, and justice, implicitly and explicitly influences values.

Addressing Value Conflicts: Schools need to manage conflicts in values, like disparities between school-taught values and those practiced in communities, by deploying dialogue and empathetic actions, rather than looking for simplistic solutions.

Community and School Responsibility: The onus of fostering values in students is squarely placed on schools and communities, utilizing non-judgmental assessments of the development of values in students.

What are the challenges in developing the values?

Conflict of Values: Sometimes, the values promoted in schools, such as equality, may contrast with practices in students’ communities, which might exhibit discrimination based on gender or caste.

Implementation in Schools: The practical embedding of values into school culture and practices, ensuring that interactions among school staff and with students consistently demonstrate the preached values.

Training for Educators: Teachers might need training and resources to effectively impart lessons on values, which might be tricky, considering the non-pedantic and engaging materials required.

Real-Life Application: Enabling students to understand and apply complex moral and ethical reasoning in real-world scenarios poses a substantial challenge.