INCULCATING DEMOCRATIC VALUES IN SCHOOL CHILDREN

In October 2001, Saswad witnessed attacks on the minority community. In the wake of these attacks, MASUM brought together organisations from the taluka to form a forum to promote inter-religious harmony. This forum led a fact-finding investigation to probe into these attacks and published a report regarding the same. S adbhavana yatras were organised in 40 villages under the umbrella of this manch and during the course these yatras , one of the principals of a local school suggested that the manch should talk to the children about democracy as a value in the value education class. This laid the foundation for MASUM's value education programme. This programme aimed at introducing the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution so that children are able to protect and promote/cherish these values as well as other relevant issues.

MASUM's staff identified nine topics - gender equality, democracy, discrimination, national integration, social injustice, domestic violence, secularism, we want peace and not war and de-addiction to convey these values to the children. Trainings were organised for the staff to enable them to develop their understanding about these topics and their skills to present the topic. They divided themselves in different groups according to topics chosen by them and in July 2003, the programme was initiated in 18 secondary schools in Purandar taluka with the children studying in standard ninth. In the year 2003 - 2004 the programme reached out to around 1000 children