A 'realisation curriculum' will be introduced in over 150 schools in 15 districts in Uttar Pradesh from the next academic session 2022-2023
A 'realisation curriculum' will be introduced in over 150 schools in 15 districts in Uttar Pradesh from the next academic session 2022-2023, as a pilot project. The 'realisation curriculum' is similar to the happiness curriculum started by the Delhi government in July 2018. The 'realisation curriculum' in Uttar Pradesh will be implemented in primary (from Classes 1 to 5) schools initially.
The government has appointed a media expert, Saurabh Malviya, as a nodal officer for the project. He has been entrusted with the task of getting teachers on board for a brainstorming session that will be held later this week, organising a physical workshop, and selecting a core team comprising 30 best brains who will finalise the draft of the realisation curriculum.
The contents will be finalised by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) before textbooks are printed. The curriculum will be implemented in Varanasi, Deoria, Gorakhpur, Siddhartha Nagar, Prayagraj, Amethi, Ayodhya, Lucknow, Moradabad, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Agra, Mathura, Jhansi, and Chitrakoot from the next academic session.
The state government has also roped in Shravan Kumar Shukla, an Uttar Pradesh government school teacher from Gorakhpur, who was the core member of the happiness curriculum in Delhi. He will make a presentation before the teachers during the brainstorming session scheduled later this week.
"Like any other subject, students will have a realisation period every day. Much like getting well-versed in subjects like English, mathematics or history, students also need to lead a happy and peaceful life. This realisation curriculum is just a stepping stone towards establishing a better, positive and vibrant society," he said.
In February 2020, Shukla's happiness curriculum got him international acclaim when the then-US First Lady Melania Trump visited a happiness class in Delhi and spent time with children. Shukla, who was on deputation to Delhi since 2016 to develop the concept, returned to his home state this January.
Shukla said the "purpose to launch the curriculum in UP was to support students in their journey to sustainable happiness through engagement in meaningful and reflective stories and activities."
"Happiness is key to all relationships. Since childhood, I have believed that all human beings share similar values. Sadly, instead of nourishing those human values, the education system today has put happiness on the backburner," he added.
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