Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said that the students should spend 50 percent of schooling hours outside classroom and sports should be given equal and greater importance by educationists and parents in a speech addressing the students of Jubilee Hills Public School on the occasion of their annual day function.
“Studies are important but equally important are sports, fine arts, dance, music, art, and culture. In fact, I have been advocating that students should spend 50 percent of their schooling hours outside classrooms and that sports education should be accorded greater importance by educationists and parents.” V.P Naidu said.
The Vice President said that the school curriculum should be oriented to enhance and develop the thinking of children towards rationality and independence. He also called for a reconstruction of the school curriculum for students to become life-long learners.
“The education system needs to focus on making a child curious, creative, caring, communicative, confident and capable. It should prepare each child to be an active, caring citizen ready to participate in the world of today and capable of shaping the world of tomorrow. Such an environment will instill confidence in children, apart from inculcating a spirit of tolerance and accommodation in them,” the Vice President said.
Education, being the foundation of innovative and creative thinking, Mr. Naidu said, “Our life is multi-faceted and so must education be.” He asserts that life teaches you to acquire skills in diverse fields, makes you strong enough to face hardships and bring out the qualities which lie hidden inside each one of us.
He also referred to the Guru Shishya Parampara, Mr. Naidu said, “Teachers and students used to live together and engage in a constant dialogue. These discussions were recorded and have been handed down to us from the ancient past in the form of Upanishads.”
Referring to this statement he said that the teachers should guide the students at every step of the way, not just academically but practically help them make wise decisions.
He emphasized that true education is the one which balances the head, heart, body, and spirit. He also emphasized that the students must lead a practical life where the skills they acquire shall be applied in real life situations.