Social Awareness Programmes :
ICWA -
April 2014
Value Education Seminar
Introduction
The ICWA, as part of its programme for the uplift of its college women, in the area
of human and moral values, holds a seminar for them on a relevant topic twice a
year. This has been a very successful programme, in that it gets the students deeply
involved, through discussion, role play, braining storming and other techniques,
with the corresponding deepening of their human and moral consciousness.
The seminar in each college is conducted by an inter-college teacher team which,
for the students, no less than for the teachers, provides newness and variety and
adds to the excitement of the seminar.
Recently, there was a proposal to publish on our web site each time, the results
of the first college to conduct the seminar within the limits of the days permitted..
Hence, we give here the details of the first college to conduct the latest seminar
on, "The Need of the Hour ? Re-invention of Moral
Values."
The "winning" team this time is Ganga Devi Mahila College. The topic was proposed because of the incidents of violence and corruption, heinous crimes against minors, stories of murder and rape, loot of public money, which have become a daily affair in our society. Why has our ancestral rich culture, which puts spiritual and moral values above material wealth, developed hatred, intolerance, violence against the other, be it a gender 'other', a religious 'other', a national or political other ?
The Seminar Resource Persons in Ganga Devi Mahila College, the winning team, were
1. Professor Sidhi Verma, Retd. Head of the Dept. of English, Patna Women's College
2. Dr. Aruna Choudhury, Head, Dept. of Maithili, Magadh Mahla College
3. Dr. Prem Kumari, Dept of Zoology, Sri Arvind Mahila College
4. The convenor of the Seminar was Dr.Rimjhim Sheel, Dept of Botany, Ganga Devi Mahila College.
Prof. Sidhi Verma started by arousing in the students an interest in the purpose of the organization, ICWA, and its many activities, among the most important being the instilling and strengthening of moral values in the college students. She then went straight to the day's topic, asking,
- "Why has the beast in man overshadowed the humanity ?" We always talk about peace, humanity, brotherhood. Do we actually bring them into our daily life? Why are we becoming a sick society ?
- Why has the young generation become intolerant and seek irrational freedom ? Why do they not believe in hard work ?
Dr. Aruna Choudhury narrated a true story of two girls, who were raped and were so upset that they committed suicide. We must develop our sixth sense, gifted to us by God, to save ourselves. Even if close male relatives misbehave, they must be denounced before the family and neighbours. We must appeal to women police, Helpline etc and not remain silent through shame
Dr. Prem Kumar urged the students not to feel inferior for being girls. She cited her own example, where her father alone encouraged her to take her Master's Degree, though she was the only girl in her college and there was no transport to get there easily. Everyone else in the family and neighbourhood discouraged her.
The convener, Dr. Rimjhim Sheel, pointed out that the new technology has opened all sorts of windows and the new generation comes to know a lot at a very young age, because of easily available information. But today's youth, in the race towards independence, enjoyment, liberation and success, makes major mistakes.
It should strive towards maintaining a balance between modernism and our long- standing cultural identity and ethical values. The foundation of our strong moral values should be established as the basis of primary education and continue at every stage, including higher education.
Class Involvement
The class was next divided into three groups and given the following questions, to be worked on, groupwise, and presented to the class in the form of either a group discussion report or a role play :
1.What do you mean by freedom ?
2.Are the values of the past outdated? In what way ?
3. How can you challenge the corrupt practices?
4.How will you positively reconstruct the society ?
5.What is the importance of value education ?
Target Group: Selected groups of students from Women?s Colleges of Patna
Strategy :
- Inputs/materials on a topic dealing with the socio- economic milieu related to women or children is prepared. This material usually includes suggestions for brainstorming, group discussions, role plays, sessions etc.
- Resource teams are put together. Each team includes three teacher members ? 1 from the college where the programme is to be held, and 2 from other colleges. One team visits only one college.
- Dates are fixed for the sessions to be held in different women?s colleges of Patna, and they are held in the respective colleges on the given dates.
- The group selected for the session may consist of 25 to 100 students.
- A report of the session is given to the secretary.
- A collated report is prepared.
- Introduces the students to vital issues related to women and children.
- Provides a platform where young women students articulate and share feelings and experiences.
- Leads to discussions which are very illuminating and encouraging.
- Gives an experience the students find educational and inspiring.
All Teacher Members of the Association.
Themes of Social Awareness Programmes held down the years:
- 1994: Social Awareness
- 1995: Economic Independence ? a Must for Women in India
- 1996: Women ? Agents of Social Change
- 1997: Law and the Girl Child
- 1998: Women?s Reservation Bill
- 1999: The UN Decade for Human Rights Education ? A study with special reference to Women
- 2000: Child Abuse
- 2001: Choose Life ? The Right to be Born
- 2002: The Global Movement for Children
- 2003: Money
- 2004: Union Budget
- 2006: Happiness in Family Life
- 2009: Dare to Dream
- 2010: Parachutes
- 2010: International Youth Year