Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, in association with the Rotary Club of Tripunithura Royale, organised a webinar titled Value Added By Value-Based Education: Meeting the Need of the Hour on Monday, 28 September 2020 at 3 pm to conscientise the public on the importance of value-based education and discuss the challenges, possibilities and best practices in the value-added aspects of the Indian educational system.
Prof. Nagaraj Neerchal, Vice Chancellor, Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, (CVV), in his introductory address distinguished between value-based education and value-added education and reiterated that the idea of values should be thought about tangibly as value-based education adds value to our life.
Rtn. M. Jose Chacko, District Governor Rotary District 3201, in his keynote address outlined the various Rotary programmes aimed at the empowerment of youth and spoke on the youth perspective in terms of value-based education leading a person from self-centeredness to being an integrated personality.
PDG Rtn. Adv. Baby Joseph, District Trainer, reiterated the values that Rotary upholds in terms of ethical standards in profession and public life. PDG. Rtn Venugopal.C. Govind described the concept of values from different realms of life reminding that the concept of service to humanity is greater than the service to God and illustrated the importance of value-based education as including personal, social, community and ethical values as well as virtual ethics.
Prof. Gauri Mahulikar, Dean of Faculty, CVV, emphasised the importance of the axis of dharma—duty, the way of life in various dimensions of life—quoting from the Mahabharata and the Panchatantra. She also highlighted the value addition in life through value-based education.
PDG. C. A. B.Jayaraj, Zonal Chair, Rotary India Literacy Mission emphasised the necessity of value-based education as a prerequisite for the realisation of the Self in humans. PDG. Rtn. Balagopal. B., District Director, echoed the responsibility of the Rotary as well as CVV to prepare the youth with values for a brighter future. Rtn. Meena Vishwanath, District Chair, T.E.A.C.H, urged the participants to ‘live’ the values we value and specifically described self-awareness and empathy as two essential competences.
The webinar was compered by Dr. Vanisree Ramanathan, Head of School of Ethics, Governance, Culture and Social Systems. Dr. Pramod Dinakar, Faculty of Education, introduced the Vice Chancellor and Dean. Dr. Leela Ramamurrthy, Programme Coordinator for the Integrated B.Ed courses, who is also GGR and Immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Tripunithura Royale rendered the Vote of Thanks.
The webinar had over 325 participants that included Rotarians, teachers, students, parents and the general public. The deliberations were well received by the participants and the programme ended with a shanti mantra.