Constitution campaign in Delhi schools soon

According to the note, “This campaign is a unique approach to educate students about the values enshrined in the Preamble to the Constitution of India — not just as a theoretical but as a practical concept.”

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Up till now, more than one-third of the teaching capacity of Delhi government schools comprised guest teachers recruited on a contract basis. (Representational image)

Starting August, the Delhi government is set to launch a three-month-long ‘Constitution Campaign’ in all its schools, with a focus on ‘Liberty, Equality and Fraternity’, to commemorate 70 years of India’s Constitution.

In January, The Indian Express had reported that the government was planning to start a campaign to help students connect with “constitutional values”. On Monday, Education Minister Manish Sisodia sent a detailed note to the Director of Education spelling out the details of the campaign which will be launched on August 8.

According to the note, “This campaign is a unique approach to educate students about the values enshrined in the Preamble to the Constitution of India — not just as a theoretical but as a practical concept.”

The campaign will be taken up for one hour per week for three weeks. Each month will be devoted to Liberty, Equality and Fraternity and all students from classes VI to IX and XI will participate in it.

The government has tied up with organisations such as We the People, ComMutiny — The Youth Collective, Hubhopper and Newslaundry to develop programme content and podcasts around each of the themes, which will be shared with the teachers for their understanding.

The first week of each month is for the teachers to explain the theme of the month to the students. Students will also be given worksheets for each theme that will include “questions which are based on self-exploration with reference to each concept, survey of others, reflection of survey”.

The remainder of the month is for the student to reflect on the findings of the assignment. At the end of each month, an event is to be organised on the theme for which students may also invite parents, alumni and other members of the community.

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The note on the campaign also includes outreach to the public through different media. Mentor teachers are to create podcasts or videos with students, teachers and parents on conversations being created during the campaign, to be shared on YouTube. Radio and newspaper advertisements are also to be circulated at the end of each month based on key findings of the students for each theme.

The Delhi government has also chosen to weave symbolism into its selection of dates for the launch and conclusion of the campaign. The launch date is August 8, which the government claims was chosen as it marks the launch of the Quit India Movement of 1942. The concluding ceremony will be on November 26, the day the Constitution was adopted in 1949.

The concluding ceremony will include a declaration by students selected on the basis of their level of participation during the campaign. This declaration will be “on the society that they wish to create based on the principles of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity…”