Dear Editor,
Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I would like to share my concern on today’s children. Nowadays, most of the children definitely are less respectful of their elders, foul mouthed, disobedient and even deceitful. Proper etiquette is no longer forced in side of homes and schools. And some parents these days are just plain lazy or have no patience or time for their children. Even in schools, teachers only focus on completing the subject syllabus and rarely discuss about manners, moral values and human connection. School has a very important role in developing moral awareness among students. Extra emphasis must be imposed on moral education to help children develop as individuals and in raising the next generation of young people. Parents and teachers must have the desire to encourage kindness and respect for living things to make children learn how precious life is by taking care of animals and plants etc at homes and in schools. We must aim to help youngsters to care more about nature, their families and their communities for cultivating a greater sense of morality and citizenship in the young minds.
We can learn from Japan on how to promote culture of respect. In Japanese schools, children aged 8-9 years are in charge of mid day meal (they serve the meals ),outdoor activities like vegetable gardening etc are allowed to enable children to explore the natural world. Also at homes, children are involved in household chores. It is one of the ways which encourages sense of duty and responsibility. The basic objective of every Japanese school is to harmonise the balance of the mind, the heart and the body. Among the mind, the heart and the body, the heart is presently the most troubled area, therefore the education of the heart is very important.
Therefore, moral education lessons in schools should also be a part of our ministry of education’s strategic vision so that the tradition of respect and sense of public duty could be carried on for generations.
Yours,
Annu Gamnoh
Ruksin