Give value-based education to students, Partha urges teachers

Kolkata: State Education minister Partha Chatterjee urged the teachers to give value-based education to the students, to help them become useful citizens.

He was addressing a youth convention to mark the conclusion of the year-long programme to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Chicago addresses of Swami Vivekananda, at Nazrul Mancha on Friday morning. The programme was organised by the Ramakrishna Math and Mission.

Chatterjee said: "We will have to follow the man-making education principle of Swami Vivekananda and the teachers should give value-based education to the students in addition to following the syllabus. We need good and sensitive human beings and the students should learn the role of Swamiji, Vidyasagar and Netaji in removing the negative traits from society."

Swami Balabhadranandaji, assistant general secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Mission, referred to the selfless service which Swamiji had mentioned in his letters and speeches.

Talking about the relevance of his addresses at the World Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893, he said Swamiji's words inspire the youths even today to lead a meaningful life based on service and sacrifice.

Swami Divyanandaji, secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Pith, said Swamiji's lessons help a person to love his country and society. Inspired by his philosophy, the youths in pre-Independent India had taken up several projects to help the homeless and the downtrodden and this trend in still continuing.

He urged the students to get themselves involved in social service, which will help them to expand their minds. Professor Raikamal Dasgupta and Vinayak Lohani also spoke at the session. Some youth delegates spoke on the life and work of Swamiji.