The Madras high court has directed the school education department to take a decision on a representation seeking introduction of moral studies as a separate subject in primary education and review the entire primary education system.
S Prabakaran, the counsel for the petitioner, advocate V Kasinatha Bharathi, cited the recent instances of students committing suicide and involving themselves in crimes.
Earlier, moral studies was a separate subject and separate classes were conducted for it, he pointed out.
Those days, teachers approached students with kindness and the intention of helping them build a future. However, nowadays moral studies was not included in the educational system in the state, he said.
In several schools, sports classes were not conducted, though physical education was essential to help students counter depression. Beisdes, schools should insist that students use the library, the petitioner contended.
The education provided to the students up to fifth standard creates the base for their future. The Kothari Commission constituted by the state government recommended kindergarten education system, but the state government has not introduced it.
If it was implemented, teachers will learn about the background of the students and can handle them properly, he said.
The petitioner said that he gave a representation to the authorities to review the primary education system but there was no response.