Value-based education needs to be an important pillar of NEP: Swami Advaitananda Giri
Oct 18, 2022
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], October 18 : Value-based education must be an important pillar of the National Education Policy, 2020, which has been one of the biggest highlights in the Indian education system under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chairman of International Meditation Foundation Swami Advaitananda Giri has said.
"The NEP 2020 has the potential to transform the education system. Our several recommendations have been included in the new policy, especially with regards to the value of education. Now we need to make sure that it is implemented on the ground in true letter and spirit," Swami Advaitananda said while addressing the 'National Seminar on Contribution of Saints in the Preservation of Nature and Culture' organised at Raj Bhawan, Uttarakhand.
Governor of Uttarakhand Lt. General Gurmeet Singh hosted the "National Seminar on Contribution of Saints in the Preservation of Nature and Culture".
Yoga guru Ramdev, Chairman of International Meditation Foundation Swami Advaitananda Giri, Swami Chidanand Muni of Parmarth Niketan, Acharya Lokesh Muni, and Chairman of Dream & Beauty Charitable Trust Anil Monga were among those who attended the national seminar, the International Meditation Foundation said in a statement.
Swami Advaitananda Giri, who made several recommendations and played an instrumental role in inclusion of value education in the National Education Policy, 2020, said: "Education is, that which Liberates. Education is that which leads us to the flowering of our utmost potential as human beings. If what we study in our schools and colleges is Education, then education must lead us to a loving, joyful, and peaceful life. It should make us compassionate, truthful, honest, pure, and content human beings. Education should not be limited to means of livelihood it should teach us how to live life to its fullest potential."
Swami Advaitananda Giri stated that "the aim of education should not be to impart literacy and skills to enable them to earn a livelihood only but the overall objective of education should be to develop children as good and skillful human beings. Children should learn the right way to lead their lives."
Swami Advaitananda Giri further added that "Every child should plant a tree, and grow the tree he should get marks for it. Government of India started doing it in central schools, it should be done in all the state schools and private schools as well. The budget given to the forest department should be given for growing a tree, not just planting a tree.
Speaking at the event, Governor Lt. General Gurmeet Singh said: "All the great beings like Lord Mahavir, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, etc. gave the message of preservation of Nature and Environment. I am glad that today a ceremony has been organized at Raj Bhavan on the Renunciation Day of a saint who has dedicated his whole life to the protection and promotion of nature and culture."
Addressing the national seminar, Ramdev said, "one can have one acre of land in some areas where it's not so expensive, have a small house in it, you can grow what you need in one acre sufficiently, you can have a few cows for milk and life is well settled. Rest one can go on behind desires and there is no end to it."
Anil Monga, Chairman of Dream & Beauty Charitable Trust, said "the way Swami Ramdev contributed and brought Yoga back into everyday life to millions worldwide, and the way Adi-guru Shankaracharya re-established the Sanatana dharma, we need to have a vision of that type to address current challenges to uplifting humanity. Hunger alleviation, care for Orphan children especially after Covid, care for senior citizens, livelihood for vulnerable youth in rural areas, and Healthcare for most marginal people like in the slums inspire me and I will continue to work on it as DBC Trust has been working on these agendas from the last 27 years."
