Why Schools Must Focus On Value Education For The Holistic Development Of Students?

Values like empathy, gratitude, kindness, respect, integrity, benevolence, etc. make us what we are, i.e., humans. Values lay the foundation for a strong character, good habits, sound decision-making skills, a broader perspective, and the ability to distinguish right from wrong. Having strong values is important because it influences our personality, professional actions, and relationships. Therefore, value development, a product of initial conditioning during early childhood, is crucial to child development. Several early childhood studies have stressed the need for value education in the foundational years. Research mentions that a child’s family, school, teachers, and peers play an important role in imparting value education through everyday actions, behaviour modelling, mentorship, hand-holding, etc.

Read on to learn about the importance of value education in a student’s life. Also, discover how Ekya Schools, one of the best CBSE schools in Bangalore, blend value education in the school curriculum to help children attain their personal, professional, as well as academic goals and grow up into responsible, thoughtful leaders.

What Is Value Education?

Value education aims to build a strong belief system, an ethical disposition, moral values, and associated skills in individuals through activities like reading, storytelling, discussions, practice, etc. The idea is to help individuals live an upright life and maintain a healthy social structure.

Purpose of Value Education:

Value education is important, as it:

• Ensures the holistic development of a child by strengthening their spiritual, emotional, mental, social, psychological, and physical aspects,
• Develops good habits and manners,
• Makes children understand the importance and application of values in personal life, professional space, or international; national & social levels
• Inculcates the spirit of inquisitiveness, curiosity, patriotism, nationalism, democracy, etc.,
• Grants a broader perspective by developing mutual respect, tolerance, etc., towards other cultures, faiths, religions, cults, etc.
• Helps children make the right decision in life, considering the ethical aspect of situations.

Importance of Value Education: Why Schools Need To Incorporate Morality Into Their Curriculum?

Schools function as a window to the outside world for children. They create opportunities for students to imbibe values by observing, listening to, and interacting with people beyond their family. E.g., friends, teachers, school staff, other parents, etc. Peers and educators greatly influence children during their developmental phase, i.e., between 6 and 16 years. When peers and educators model ethics & morals, have positive discussions around them, and offer appropriate guidance, they can help a child transform into a good human being and discover the true meaning and purpose of his/her life.

By including value education in the school curriculum, educators can shape a good future and career for students. They can empower children to practise values in real-world situations where they can solve critical social issues and build strong relationships with people around them. Value education in schools aids in strengthening the socio-emotional intelligence, creative thinking, spirituality, and adversity quotient of students.

Different Verticals Of Value Education In Schools

1. Personal: The personal aspect of value education aims to develop values, good habits, attitudes, and behaviours in individuals. It helps them discover their strengths, weaknesses, and areas that require improvement.
2. Spiritual: It focuses on helping people understand their inner selves and how they’re connected to others, as well as the universe. It develops spiritual beliefs and values like inner peace, harmony, gratitude, compassion, forgiveness, etc.
3. Social: Social values (like dutifulness, justice, integrity, cooperation, etc.) help individuals grow into responsible citizens who make meaningful contributions to society.
4. Cultural: This aspect of value education aims to foster a sense of belonging to one’s community. It builds an individual’s cultural identity by helping them understand, respect, and take pride in their nation, heritage & traditions. It also aids children in respecting other cultures and understanding the importance of diversity.
5. Environmental: This branch of value education develops environmental consciousness (or awareness) and promotes the concept of sustainability. It helps children understand their duty towards the environment and follow practices that don’t hamper the ecological balance or threaten the quality & quantity of natural resources.

How Do Ekya Schools Impart Value Education?

As one of the best preschools in Bangalore, Ekya Schools implement several personal and group interventions to help students develop strong values and beliefs from an early age.

Some of their notable practises include:

• Creative co-curricular activities (like role playing, storytelling, theatre, puppetry, cultural programs, etc.) that include moral lessons for children.
• The Quest program for early years (which covers information on a variety of topics ranging from personal safety to environment, family, society, etc.). The program aims to develop students as thinkers, researchers, decision-makers, problem-solvers, risk-takers, and inquirers.
• Reading program that fosters a love for reading a variety of materials and books based on different cultures, values, etc.
• Meaningful discussions & question-answer sessions in classrooms with students aim to nurture their curiosity, creativity, self-reflection, analysis, and other skills.
• Service-learning initiative helps students stand up for a social cause (like education, hunger, deforestation, public sanitation and cleanliness, etc.) and create opportunities for them to give back to the community.
• Outbound learning program, which includes trips and excursions to famous sites around them, enables students to experience their lessons by connecting them with the outside world.
• A structured sports program followed at Ekya Schools not only aims to develop specific sports skills in students, but also essential skills like organisation, collaboration, discipline, and values that develop a good character.

Merely educating children about values doesn’t help. Schools must create opportunities for children to understand how to use values in real-world scenarios for the betterment of society and the world. Ekya Schools, one of the best IGCSE schools in Bangalore, upholds great integrity and strong values in its day-to-day proceedings to set a positive example for students. If you’re looking for a school that takes ownership of your child’s education, you must visit us to know how we do things differently.