Kochi: ‘Harmony clubs’ in schools to promote secularism

Kochi: The schoolchildren in the state will have a chance to develop life skills, sociological mindset and secular values, thanks to the initiative taken by the Chavara Cultural Centre.

They will receive training in these aspects through 'Harmony Clubs' being set up in over 1,000 schools, including government-run, across the state by the Kochi-based World Fellowship of Inter-Religious Councils (WFIRC) in association with the Chavara Cultural Centre.

The clubs, which will have two to three representatives from each division and four to five teachers, have been established in nearly 600 schools, including 15 government-run, in Wayanad.The activities of the clubs include awareness classes, creating work models to save nature, story-telling, outreach programmes, essay, elocution and poster competitions, traditional dance expositions, music, skits, mimes and other art forms.

"The Harmony Clubs are being established to act as a catalyst in creating a noble society wherein all live in peace and harmony. They will help impart ideas of secularism and national integration as well as promote a culture of tolerance, equality and non-violence among students," said Fr Roby Kannanchira, director, Chavara Cultural Centre.

The clubs have one-hour regular classroom sessions once or twice every month. The curriculum will focus on developing personal skills like creativity, self-confidence, power to say 'no'; inter-personal-social aspects like happiness, peace, family relationships, legal awareness as to constitutional rights, laws relating to PoSCO, social media and Right to Information; and transpersonal knowledge like understanding religions and inter-religious thoughts.

A regular review mechanism will be in place to monitor the activities and rate their performance."The present education system gives more impetus to imparting subject knowledge while life skills and sociological mindset are lacking in our youngsters. It's time to inculcate the secular values envisaged and enshrined in our Constitution once again in the minds of the younger generation," Fr Roby said.