Brahma Kumaris to take value education classes

There is no dispute over inclusion of value education in school curriculum but when that is outsourced to a religious or spiritual organisation, it is bound to raise eyebrows.

The Central government-run Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), which presides over a chain of thousand-plus schools, has done just that by directing all its schools to allow the nearest Brahma Kumari Academy to hold a weekly class on Peace Education.

In a letter to all its regional offices, the KVS has said each school must contact the nearest Brahma Kumari Academy so that “representative can take one period in a week in classes VII, VIII & IX in KVs free of cost”.

Kendriya Vidyalayas across the country have quickly followed the directive, touching base with the nearest Brahma Kumari centre. The Brahma Kumaris too have lost no time in contacting the nearest KVs.

The Brahma Kumari organisation describes itself as a socio-spiritual and educational institution of international repute with over 8,000 centres in 132 countries and committed to the cause of moral and spiritual uplift of mankind. The KVS maintains that they have tied up with the Brahma Kumaris for value education lessons and also ensured that the content on offer is going to be "completely secular"

"This is not a religious programme. We have thoroughly checked the training module which will be used in the classes and it has no religious element at all. It is centred on core human values and is a simple awareness programme. All due precautions have been taken before allowing the Brahma Kumari Academy to hold lessons in our schools. They had done a workshop for our primary school teachers last year and that is when the proposal for this school programme came up,” M M Joshi, Deputy Commissioner (Academics), KVS, told The Indian Express.

Brahma Kumaris to take value education classes in Kendriya Vidyalayas

Posted: Fri Jun 11 2010, 01:37 hrs
New Delhi:

Interviewing to put an end to the tie-up between the Brahma Kumari organisation and Kendriya Vidyalayas for value education lessons after an Indian Express report on the issue, the HRD Ministry is set to evolve a full-fledged Value Education curriculum for schools. A Rs 100-crore plan to partner with the Ramakrishna Paramhans foundation to develop Value Education content for schools has also got in-principle approval, sources said.

Meanwhile, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal is learnt to have sought a response from the Kendriya Vidyalya Sangathan over their tie-up with the Brahma Kumaris to impart weekly lessons in Value Education. He has directed the KVs to put a stop to any further association with the organisation pending the new Value Education format being prepared by the Ministry.

The National Committee on Commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekanand chaired by the PM Manmohan Singh has reportedly suggested a partnership with Ramakrishna Paramhans Maths and Missions to propagate the Swami’s teachings in schools. A Swami Vivekanand Chair is also proposed to be set up in the University of Chicago to commemorate Swami Vivekanand’s famous lecture at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago on 11th September 1893. The high-profile committee includes a number of cabinet ministers and academics on board besides UPA president Sonia Gandhi. “The proposals have got in-principle approval from the National Committee on the Celebrations and will roll out soon”, sources said.

The issue of value education had figured prominently in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s address when the Committee met for the first time last month. “I am happy that among the proposals we have received is one from the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission in Belur that is based on this theme... I think that thought should be given to how we can mainstream some of Swami Vivekananda’s ideas on education into our school and college curricula,” the PM had said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/No-Brahma-Kumaris--HRD-wants-Ramakrishna-Mission/632381