INTACH to revive heritage education programme at govt, aided schools

A heritage education programme designed to help schoolchildren of Bengaluru connect with the history and culture of the city is set for revival two years after a pandemic-forced break.

The Bengaluru chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is rebooting its Nammoora Kathe (Stories of Our City) programme.

In its new edition, it will engage more government and aided schools. The programme is scheduled to start in the coming week.

Nammoora Kathe is aimed at introducing the participating children to the cultural heritage of the city, its origins, evolution, traditions and landmarks.

Designed for students of class six to eight, the programme will run for six weeks per school, with two hours of classroom sessions per week, and a field trip.

“There are gaps in understanding the history of the city that we hope to cover with the programme. The participating schools from the previous edition have also been very keen (to restart)”, Meera Iyer, convenor of INTACH Bengaluru, told DH.

The programme, which complements the social studies syllabus, will feature the evolution of the city traced through multiple facets, including its petes (markets), selling products ranging from rice to bangles.

It will also look at the city’s past through its lakes and trees and how at a point in history they created professions. Sessions on civic planning will also discuss how differently the city was organised under the British. The curriculum will incorporate games and elements of experiential learning.

INTACH Bengaluru has been collaborating with mainstream schools on similar programmes but the participation of more government and aided schools could reposition the initiative.

INTACH has developed the curriculum with the help of educationists. This year, the programme will open with GHPS Cholanayakanahalli, GHPS Manorayanapalya and GHPS Vishwanatha Nagenahalli. The organisers call it a quiet start, but hope to cover at least 10 schools in the first phase.