The well-being of the masses is
dependent upon the capability, sincerity, vision and wisdom of the king or
ruler. It is rightly said in Samskrit “Yatha
Raja, Tatha Praja”, which means that the residents of a country are a
reflection of the type of rule they experience. Conversely, it is also true
that the subjects get a type of ruler that they deserve. The linkage between
the ruler and the citizens is beautifully explained in the words of Chanakya, “If a king is energetic, his subjects will be equally
energetic. If he is reckless, they will be reckless likewise.” It is important
to have a visionary leader as well as sensible followers for the whole machine
called the ‘society’ to run properly without any glitches.
India has a continuous tradition of
illustrious kings such as Lord Ram, Yudhishthir, Chandragupta, Vikramaditya,
Krishnadevaraya, Maharana Pratap and Shivaji Maharaj, whose reigns were
characterized by freedom, progress, peace and prosperity for their subjects. Indians
have also time and again united to overthrow oppressive and inefficient kings.
In today’s era of democracy, the quality
of life of the citizens and the development of the nation greatly depend upon
the type of policies framed by the government and implemented by the
bureaucracy. Enlightened citizens will vote for a capable government and a
capable government will further enable its citizens. Thus, it is very important
to groom the future citizens from a young age, so that they can exercise their
democratic right in a judicious manner, later as adults. Exposing school
students to the workings of a democracy is a good way to start this process.
The Students’ Parliaments conducted in MIT Vishwashanti Gurukul Schools (VGS)
are a good example of such an effort to mould leaders and followers of tomorrow.
To
Groom Informed Citizens
Students’ Parliaments are conducted in MIT
VGS primarily to introduce the students to various social, educational,
economic and environmental issues at the local and global levels, which require
good governance to tackle. Further, this activity aims to create awareness
among the youngsters about parliamentary democracy that is followed in our
country, since sustainable solutions to problems depend upon how good the
government functions.
As said by Bernadette Devlin, an Irish
civil rights leader, “My function in life is not be a politician in Parliament;
it is to get something done.’ Taking inspiration from the Inclusive
Neighbourhood Children’s Parliaments run by Neighbourhood Community Network
(NCN) in Tamil Nadu under the leadership of M R Ravi Shankar and Edwin John,
Students’ Parliaments in MIT VGS are elected by the students themselves. Students
from standard 8th to 10th participate in this, which serves
as a platform to express their issues and concerns. The objective of this
activity, which expands the students’ horizon, is to help them understand the practices
and processes followed by elected representatives to live up to the aspirations
of the people. It also makes them responsible, disciplined and motivated future
citizens that are aware of their rights and duties.
Students’ Parliaments are expected to
bring systematic thinking and working styles among the participating students,
along with character development. They are also expected to develop attributes such
as problem solving, effective decision making, team spirit and effective communication,
leading to personal growth.
Extra-curricular
Experiential Learning
Students’ Parliaments in VGS are conducted
under the title “Ignited Minds – Future Leaders of the World”. This activity is
a part of the ISA (International School Award) of British Council, which is
followed in VGS. Typically, about 120-130 students are involved in this
activity spread over two months during an academic year.
This activity is a good example of
experiential learning, since students get hands-on opportunity to run a mini
parliament. Apart from covering subjects such as social sciences, science,
maths, ICT and English through real-life applications, the various tasks
undertaken in the parliamentary sessions enable holistic learning by understanding
the linkages between different disciplines and the need for a broader outlook
to find lasting solutions. For instance, problems and solutions pertaining to
school issues such as sports participation, computer proficiency, waste
management on campus, transportation options and student health and
development, are discussed, which enable students to apply multi-disciplinary
theoretical knowledge in practical situations.
After a prayer, the introductory
sessions create a grounding before the actual activity begins. Objectives
behind conducting the Students’ Parliament and the need for setting up various
ministries, are discussed. Thereafter, the members of the parliament are
elected by students through the system of sociocracy (everybody’s consent).
Portfolios are assigned, including the Prime Minister, Deputy PM, Speaker, and
ministers for Parliamentary Affairs, Health, IT, Food, Transport, Art &
Culture, External Affairs, Organic Farming, Sports, Student Development, etc.
This is followed by an oath-taking function.
Action plans are made by various
ministries depending upon the requirements, budgets are discussed and allocated
and an implementation strategy is chalked out through relevant policy formation.
Each ministry comes out with a manifesto, while the Prime Minister typically
undertakes responsibilities such as providing leadership, smooth functioning of
the parliament, reading out inspiring biographies, signing resolutions, ensuring
interaction among ministers, keeping updated about new developments and attending
trainings. The various ministers perform tasks pertaining to their portfolios.
MIT outdoor session
Use
of Innovative Methods
Group discussions and brainstorming
sessions among teachers and students are an integral part of these parliaments,
based on the NCN method. Skits and plays are organized. Sociocracy principles
are used to find solutions through discussion and consent among students. Everybody’s
opinions are important and are accepted. A facilitator explains the qualities
expected from various ministers. After understanding the same, all participants
play their role in electing the Prime Minister and his council of ministers,
under the guidance of the facilitator. They write the names of their preferred
candidates on paper. This is followed by open discussions and each student can
reconsider the names he has written. After as many such rounds as are required,
the ministers are chosen based on mutual consensus and the facilitator’s
guidance.
In line with the NCN practice, the
following type of questions are asked during the activity: What kind of a world
would you want to live in? What do you think needs to be done to achieve that
world order? What prevents that world from becoming a reality? What does it
mean to have power? How would you gain the power?
Every year, a link school or a partner
is chosen for give and take of information. Recently, Ambassador School, Dubai
was the partner for the activity. Their students participated through Skype
sessions to share their experiences with VGS students. Some of the initiatives
of Ambassador School during their Students’ Parliament were as follows. Ministry
of Environment handled tasks such as waste management, feeding pet animals and
running a solar energy campaign, while Ministry of Sports conducted inter-house
matches, inter-school matches (cricket and basketball) and the sports day.
To understand the actual working of
parliaments, including the procedures followed, videos of the parliament
sessions of India, UK, USA and some African countries are shown to the
students. Internet is also widely used to gather relevant information. Outdoor
group activities in the serene school campus, including the election process
through sociocratic principles, are conducted in groups of about 30.
Outcomes
As they say, “The proof of the pudding
is in eating.” Any successful activity stands in testimony of the original
action plan. It has been observed that most of the objectives set by the
organizers of the Students’ Parliaments are realized. Most importantly, students
are enthusiastic about the whole initiative and emerge as confident, young
leaders. This is very much evident from the action witnessed in the question
hour of the Students’ Parliament. They realize their capacity to handle tasks,
which will propel them towards responsible and successful citizens that
together build a great nation.
Meticulous records of the activity are
maintained through report book, attendance register, minutes, PPTs,
correspondence emails, etc. for future reference and improvisation. Mr Ravi
Shankar found the PPTs made by students to be very impressive, while Mr John
found the entire proceedings to be encouraging. Documentation through
newsletters, social media, feedback forms, etc. also goes a long way to assess
the success of the activity. Experience till date shows that activities like
Students’ Parliaments play a vital role in perpetuating and enhancing the
democratic spirit of the country.
Author works as the Content Developer-Curriculum & PR, MIT Group, Pune.