Students should spend 50 per cent of schooling hours outside classrooms

M. Venkaiah Naidu

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said that students should spend 50 per cent of their schooling hours outside classrooms and that sports education should be accorded greater importance by educationists and parents.

Addressing students of Jubilee Hills Public School on the occasion of their annual day function, Naidu said, 'Studies are important but equally important are sports, fine arts, dance, music, art and culture. In fact, I have been advocating that students should spend 50 per cent of their schooling hours outside classrooms and that sports education should be accorded greater importance by educationists and parents.'

The Vice President said the school curriculum should be oriented to make students think rationally, independently and express cogently. He also called for a complete revamp of the school education system to ensure that children enjoy schooling and become life-long learners.

'The education system needs to focus on making a child curious, creative, caring, communicative, confident and capable. It should prepare each child to be an active, caring citizen ready to participate in the world of today and capable of shaping the world of tomorrow. Such an environment will instill confidence in children, apart from inculcating a spirit of tolerance and accommodation in them,' the Vice President said.

Pointing out that education was the foundation for all efforts to improve the quality of our lives, Naidu said, 'Our life is multi-faceted and so must education be.' He said life encompassed a range of activities which help us to acquire new knowledge and skills, make us physically strong and healthy, please our hearts and bring out the finest qualities lying dormant in each one of us.

Referring to the Indian tradition of the Guru Shishya Parampara, Naidu said, "Teachers and students used to live together and engage in a constant dialogue. These discussions were recorded and have been handed down to us from the ancient past in the form of Upanishads."

Emphasising that there should be a constant dialogue between students and teachers, he said teachers must guide students not just in academics but also enable them to "develop life skills, which are essential to successfully navigate in the increasingly complex world of today."

He further asserted that an education which balances the head, heart, body and spirit alone can be called a truly holistic education. The child should not only be able acquire and absorb knowledge, but should also be able to apply the knowledge in real life situation.

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