Module 1: The problem
  Lecture 2: Role is value education
 

Issues in imparting value education

Department of education, Government of India has raised a number of issues regarding imparting value education. First of all, in any society there are several values in different domains of life, then how does one select which values should be selected to be included in value education? The other issues are: How is value education different from moral education and myths and beliefs? Can they be incorporated in the curricula itself? Who are the most effective teachers for value education? Lastly, how does one deal with confusion created in children’s mind if they are taught one thing at home or in school and another thing in the class on value education. In this context the following questions raised by Department of Education, Government of India (2010) are worth pondering:

  1. There are certain age old traditions such as preference for the male child, notional advantages of a large family, religion as the sole guiding principle in personal and social life, caste as identity, etc. There is another set of values relating to attitudes and behavior such as caring and sharing in the family and society, obedience to and respect for elders, respect for argument and reasoning, non-violence and personal hygiene. In contemporary society some of these values may need to be reinterpreted or replaced while some others may require reinforcement. In the context of these concerns, what values will reflect a national ethos?

  2. Very often value education and moral education are considered synonymous. In many cases, it has been observed, moral education serves as a gateway to religious instruction and reinforcement of caste models. Will this contradict the social desirability of secularism and removal of social barriers?

  3. How should education and school practices be kept apart from myths and beliefs?

  4. How should value education be done? Can it be done through preaching, sermonizing and pontificating or is it reasonable to assume that values education is best imparted through process itself?

  5. Should we consider a separate time slot for value education or integrate values in education through teaching learning methods, instructional materials, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities?

  6. Very often there is a basic contradiction between what is school and family as value education and what children actually observe in society and through the media. This contradiction leads to confusion and vagueness and teaching of values is reduced to ritual. How should this question be answered to make value education meaningful and effective?