Pune: At least 10,000 veterans and experts from the NCC and Scouts and Guides will provide ‘military-style’ training to students in govt schools across the state from Feb 1 to instil patriotism, Maharashtra’s school education minister Dada Bhuse said on Tuesday. They will also receive lessons on becoming better citizens, and girls will be given self-defence training, he added.

When asked about the age at which it would start, Bhuse replied that it would be age-appropriate. The instructions will encompass standing at attention and at ease, marching, and participating in parades, he added. Bhuse was speaking at the 60th anniversary celebrations of Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum Research (Balbharati).

The programmes will be on a trial basis. A timetable for all this will soon be issued, the minister said. “Lessons on becoming responsible citizens will be conducted by experts from different faiths and social sectors, with a focus on developing a ‘nation first’ outlook and creating awareness of issues like alcohol addiction,” Bhuse said. Students will get a health card so that wellness parameters are registered for a student in case of any emergency.

Bhuse had announced the ‘military-style’ training initiative in Mumbai last June. The announcement had left teachers and education experts aghast and they had called such training illogical. Some experts had said that their views on the matter were not taken into consideration and the announcement had no outline or plans. Others had asked how could a six-year-old child understand patriotism as it was beyond his or her ability.

Rahul Rekhawar, director of Maharashtra State Council of Educational Research and Training, spoke about the difficulties faced by people preparing textbooks for students. “It is not as easy as 10 to 15 experts coming together and write a book. People think every burning issue in society must be reflected in textbooks. It is a difficult task for experts to meet all aspirations, ensure that everything academically required is present in the textbook, and also ensure that all of it is teachable within the fixed hours of school,” he added.

New textbooks for Std II, III, IV & VI

From the upcoming academic year, all students of Std II,III, IV and VI studying in state board schools will get new textbooks according to the National Education Policy, Rekhawar said. Balbharati director Anuradha Oak spoke about the institute’s rich history with many renowned writers and artists contributing to its books, and how it was the first-of-its-kind in the country set up following the recommendations of the Kothari Commission to produce quality, affordable textbooks

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