Vice President Naidu bats for value-based education

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday stressed on the need to impart value-based education for all-round development of children.

He also called for moving beyond academics and making value-based teaching and learning an integral part of the education system.

Naidu was speaking at the online launch of the 'Heartfulness All India Essay Writing Event'. The event is held every year to commemorate the United Nations' International Day of the Youth between July and November.

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The vice-president appreciated the National Education Policy-2020 for focusing on value-based education and said emphasis on values has been an "integral part of all our teachings since ancient times".

Value-based education assumes greater importance in the present day and fast-paced IT-driven world where access to an explosion of information, technologies, tools and news can be very overwhelming, and confusing, and misdirecting too at times, Naidu said.

Expressing the need to rebuild foundations based on universal values, he called for returning to the roots and draw upon the wisdom of India's traditional methods of teaching, an official statement said.

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Naidu also called upon governments, parents, teachers, institutions and voluntary organisations to take the lead in imparting critical life lessons to students.

He expressed confidence that if the country moves in this direction, India will lead the resurgence of value-based education for the world to follow.

Describing education as the key to fully leverage demographic dividend, the vice president asked universities to improve standards to make India a leading hub of knowledge and innovation.

Calling for greater thrust on research and collaboration between the academia and the industry, Naidu felt a need for greater investment in research by both public sector and private sector institutions.

Drawing attention to the challenging situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, he observed that nations have shown strong resolve and are working together in emerging out of the challenge.

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Observing that adversity is the time when one's character is tested, Naidu said that no problem is insurmountable when "we work together with strong values".

Naidu also said that the pandemic has caused some stress in people's minds and the best way to release this is to live together with one's family and practice meditation, the statement said.

Describing "share and care" as the core of Indian philosophy, the vice president called for inculcating values of compassion, empathy, respect for elders and religious tolerance.

He also appealed to provide help to the needy and marginalised people in times like the current pandemic.