The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has announced that it will introduce a ‘happiness curriculum’ in Delhi’s government schools from the coming academic session.
As per reports, the ‘happiness curriculum’ is ready and will be launched by Dalai Lama on July 2, 2018. It will be taught to around eight lakh students from nursery to class 8.
The curriculum will lay emphasis on moral values, meditation, and will teach mental exercises to the children. Its core idea is to produce sarvagun sampann (versatile in every aspect) professionals and human beings who’ll serve the society with happiness.
Given this mental health epidemic we are living in, and the increasing number of mental health issues our generation is battling, especially students, these courses might actually play a vital role in improving the condition. Students in India face a tremendous amount of pressure of scoring good grades, clearing numerous competitive exams, secure admissions in reputed colleges, and deal with peer-pressure, competitiveness, seclusion, and various other problems. The students who ‘fail’ in this system or can’t cope are more likely to have a mental health issue. Statistics show that every hour, one student in India commits suicide.
While our academic system is failing on many counts to educate in the true sense, such endeavours are a welcome change to ease the pressure off the students. It would not only lead to their holistic development, but would also help them achieve balance and preserve their mental peace. Such happiness courses, instead of being corrective in nature, act as positive reinforcements, seeking to create a healthy and positive learning environment.
Such courses and sensitization programs have proven very efficient in other countries. This idea originated on Deputy CM Manish Sisodia’s visit to Harvard University where he saw such courses as an intrinsic part of the curriculums.
Such courses and sensitization programs have proven very efficient in other countries. “After ten years or more, these children will become professionals like doctors and engineers filled with happiness and serve the society.” Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said.
The success in achieving the happiness remains to be seen, but the effort definitely is laudable.
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