During the third meeting of the State Advisory Council on Monday, who has the responsibility to implement the provisions of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, officials discussed the implementation of Happiness Curriculum to MCD Schools.
“The proposal to extend the Happiness Curriculum to municipal schools was discussed in the meeting. Officials from the corporations have given a positive response and it should be done soon,” said Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia.
Talking about the curriculum, officials clarified that the decision is at its primary stage and the process will take some time.
“The matter has just been discussed… We do not really know what ‘Happiness Curriculum’ is. It is only something that we have heard and read about in a scattered way. For now, we will work on familiarising ourselves with books and other curriculum material, and how it is being taught in classrooms. No detailed programme on its implementation has come from the government’s side,” said an official in the education department of the North corporation.
An official in the East body said that they are “very optimistic” about this initiative, adding that they need to study it well. “The discussion with the education director yielded the suggestion that teams from our corporations visit a few Delhi government schools to see how the curriculum is being implemented there and what it entails. Following that, we can develop a workable methodology based on what content and how much of it can be incorporated. Since children in our schools are only from nursery to class V, we have to adapt it to age-appropriateness,” the official said.
Officials informed that Happiness Classes include mindfulness, storytelling, and activities involving interaction between teachers and students. It was launched in July 2018 in Delhi government schools to encourage mental well-being and “human-centric education”.
Director of Education Sanjay Goel informed that as soon as the approval from the principles is received from the municipal bodies, the directorate will establish the process of implementation.
“The education director of only one of the bodies was present. The representatives who had attended in their place will have to discuss with their seniors. Once their approval comes through, we will support them with the help of happiness coordinators and the SCERT,” he said.