Prayer routine won't promote secularism in schools: Experts
Such religious practices should be discouraged in schools, experts said.
Hyderabad: In the backdrop of the Supreme Court serving notice on the Centre and Kendriya Vidyalayas on Wednesday on the prayer routine conducted in schools where children are expected to fold their hands and close their eyes, education experts said such routines do not promote secularism at the school level.
Such religious practices should be discouraged in schools, experts said.
National vice-president Nagati Narayana of the School Teachers Federation of India said, “Anti constitutional practices in educational institutions should be avoided and not only in KVs, there are a large number of state government schools where this is practiced.”
He said Hindu religious prayers are read before having food in Navodaya Vidyalayas and in government residential schools and hostels in the Telugu states. Ganesh festival and Navaratri are organised in residential schools and hostels in Telangana state.
“These religious practices should be discouraged in all educational institutions. Educational institutions, except madrasas and vaidika schools, are imparting education to children irrespective of their religion, caste, gender, and region. To preserve secular values and communal harmony through education, any one particular religious practice should not be entertained’’.
Education expert Chava Ravi said, “Educational institutions are meant for all communities and all religions and these prayers do not promote secularism.”
All prayer routines should be discouraged in schools as they do not promote secularism’’.