The overarching aim of education is the holistic development of children. The changes in the society like urbanization, technological advancement and effects of mass media has led to the need that schools should not only be for nurturing the cognitive development of its students but also for fostering their affective and psycho- motor abilities which would equip them for life.
Samagra Shiksha envisages that education imparted in schools should be such that the learners will be able to develop their talents to the fullest potential. By placing equal importance to both scholastic and co scholastic abilities, children and young people will acquire life skills that will help them to, know their rights, articulate their concerns, build self-esteem, develop self-confidence and resilience and counter negative emotions of stress shame and fear. It would also enhance their ability to take on responsibility for self, build relationships with others in the society and contribute in nation building. These skills can be enhanced through an experiential rather than theoretical approach.
Under Samagra Shiksha, in the year 2019-20, for the first time grant for Youth Club and Eco Club from primary to
senior secondary has been provided. This provision has been made in Samagra Shiksha for government school students to have fun and be productive while meeting with friends and to make a positive impact on their local community and the world. The financial support for conducting the youth club and eco club activities is Rs. 5000 for stand alone primary schools, Rs. 15000 per annum/school at elementary level and Rs. 25000 per annum/school at secondary level.
Youth Clubs in School:
Youth clubs in schools are an instrument to develop life skills, build self-esteem, develop self-confidence and resilience and counter negative emotions of stress, shame and fear. Youth clubs in schools after school hours are an instrument to develop student skills other than academic abilities in different areas. Students can excel in their skills as per their choice and abilities in the clubs. The learning enhances their capability to combat the challenges in their future life.
- The learning of children along with peer group provides fun and also makes a positive impact on their local community and the world.
- The diversity among children in terms of urban, rural, caste, class, religion, region, language, cultural beliefs, disability, gender, sexual orientation need to be appreciated.
- Children need to be trusted, appreciated and respected.
- School is a place for identifying and nurturing the inherent talents in children.
- Activities will empower learners through participatory, process-oriented, non-judgmental approaches.
- Children will be provided opportunities to think critically and solve problems logically.
- Activities will enhance the physical, mental, emotional and social well-being of learners.
- Learners need to be provided an open, non-threatening and conducive environment.
- Involvement of all stakeholders, particularly teachers, parents and community is crucial. They should be sensitized to the needs and concerns of children and young people so as to respond to them in positive ways.
- It will lead to better utilization of school infrastructure and other facilities such as play ground, library, sports equipments etc.
- The students can participate in activities such as debates, music, arts, sports, reading, physical activities after school hours and during vacation. These would help in utilising the ideal school infrastructure particularly playing fields, sports equipment and libraries which interned will help the students to develop hobbies, skills and interest they might not otherwise be able to explore.
- The school principal will in-charge of Youth & Eco Club. One teacher will be assigned as a nodal person on rotation basis, who would stay back after school hours to facilitate the club activities.
Eco-Clubs in school :
Eco clubs in schools will empower students to participate and take up meaningful environmental activities and projects. It is a forum through which students can reach out to influence, engage their parents and neighbourhood communities to promote sound environmental behavior. It will empower students to explore environmental concepts and actions beyond the confines of a syllabus or curriculum. While everyone, everywhere, asserts the importance of ‘learning to live sustainably,’ environment remains a peripheral issue in the formal schooling system.
Objectives of Eco-clubs in school:
- Motivate the students to keep their surroundings green and clean by undertaking plantation of trees.
- Promote ethos of conservation of water by optimizing the use of water.
- Motivate students to imbibe habits and life style for minimum waste generation, source separation of waste and disposing the waste to the nearest storage point.
- To develop skills of observation, experimentation, survey, recording, analysis, reasoning needed for conserving environment through activities
- Organise seminars, debates, lectures and popular talks on environmental issues in the school to motivate the students to keep their surroundings green and clean.
- Promote ethos of conservation of water by optimizing the use of water and cleaning of water body in the adjacent area.
- Motivate students to imbibe habits and life style for minimum waste generation, source separation of waste and disposing the waste to the nearest storage point.
- Educate students to create awareness amongst public and sanitary workers, so as to stop the indiscriminate burning of waste which causes respiratory diseases.
- Sensitize the students to minimize the use of plastic bags, not to throw them in public places as they choke drains and sewers, cause water logging and provide breeding ground for mosquitoes.
- Organize tree plantation programmes, awareness programmes such as quiz, essay, painting competitions, rallies, nukkad natak etc. regarding various environmental issues and educate children about re-use of waste material & preparation of products out of waste
- Campaign against use of loud speakers, motivate students not to use crackers and fire works, recycling of glass and metals, use of unnecessary horns.
- Field visit to environmentally important sites including polluted and degraded sites, wildlife parks, etc.
- Organise rallies, marches, human chains and street theatre at public places with a view to spread environmental awareness.
- Action based activities like tree plantation, cleanliness drives both within and out side the school campus.
- Grow kitchen gardens, maintain vermin-composting pits, construct water harvesting structures in school, practice paper recycling etc.
- Prepare inventories of polluting sources and forward it to enforcement agencies.
- Maintenance of public places like parks, gardens both within and out side the school campus.
- Mobilise action against environmentally unsound practices like garbage disposal in unauthorised places, unsafe disposal of hospital wastes etc.
- Beautify selected road side area with plants and flowers and put campaign boards to generate awareness.
- Any other innovative programme on environmental issues.
On one side, the Youth club will provide a platform for individual student to translate knowledge, attitude and values into action/ behaviors and develop healthy life styles and emerge as confident and responsible citizens. The Eco Clubs in schools will play an important role in creating environmental awareness amongst the future generation. Together these two activities will fulfill students desire to have joyful learning and be productive while meeting with friends and to make a positive impact on their local environment and the country.
