International Education Day: How to build a compassionate and capable India through social, emotional and ethical learning

By Aditya Nataraj, CEO of Piramal Foundation & Founder of Kaivalya Education Foundation

The word “education” finds one root in the Latin “Educere”, which means to lead out. In other words, bring out what is within us, beyond acquiring knowledge. Regretfully, foundational learning has remained confined to basic literacy and numeracy.

To enable children to navigate the world, it is vital to build their social emotional skills to tap their latent capacities -- intellectual, social, physical, and emotional, and help them develop into well-rounded individuals. Individuals with critical capacities fit for the 21st century, who can steer through relationships, decision-making, aspirations and intentions.

I read about a young student from a government school in Delhi, where a holistic curriculum has been integrated, that said, “I have learned to notice my mother’s emotions of happiness, sadness, and anger, and when she looks sad, I have learned to support her and be there for her.”

Her testimonial reaffirmed my belief that a holistic curriculum going beyond literacy and numeracy is a must.

While there is widespread recognition that Foundational Skills are critical to ensure children do not fall behind, that they understand concepts behind solving problems and apply skills practically, much more attention needs to be paid to laying the building blocks for children to thrive in an increasingly complex world.

The big disruption in education Covid-19

The pandemic has further deepened age-old societal issues such as violence, inequity, poverty and marginalisation. Children are confined to their homes, with no outlet for their boundless energy.

Those from low-income households find themselves in the midst of a new struggle as their parents’ already meagre incomes dipped further, with dire physical and emotional manifestations, affecting their mental health and wellbeing.

Foundational learning, focused only on literacy and numeracy, has failed to impart coping abilities to children.

Given the growing uncertainties, the need of the hour is education that empowers children to develop a better understanding of self and the world around them and manage this world with equanimity and compassion.

Social, emotional and ethical learning (SEEL), is exactly that. Grounded in the principle of compassion, and inspired by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, it promises education of both heart and mind. It is a universal, non-sectarian approach to bring ethical development of the whole child into education.

This article was first published on India Today, a weekly Indian English-language news magazine. 

Read the full article here: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/featurephilia/story/how-to-build-a-compassionate-and-capable-india-through-social-emotional-and-ethical-learning-1903870-2022-01-24