The Times of India
When teachers turn preachers
A Subburaj, TNN Jul 29, 2011, 05.42am IST
COIMBATORE: Nisha Vijayan was shocked when the head of a primary school at Ettimadai in Coimbatore told her that the school was not for children of an inter-religious marriage. Vijayan had left the the columns for religion and caste blank while filling the application form to admit her son into the kindergarten of a well-known educational institution run by a Hindu charitable trust.
"The headmistress was irked by my explanation that I had married outside my religion and wanted my on to choose for himself when he was ready. She said my son would turn into an anti-social if I did not choose one religion," says Vijayan. She finally admitted her son in an international school that did not demand details on religion.
"I am not against my son learning religious values. But I don't want the religion of the school management imposed on my child," says Vijayan. With Coimbatore known as an educational hub, more institutions promoted by religious groups are cropping up. And with it comes the uneasy issue of forcing students to follow the religion of the management.
Tamil writer and educationist Kovai Gnani is concerned by the lack of secular space in educational institutions. "Money-minded managements first need to follow the religious perceptions they propagate.No educationist can support the use of morning assemblies to spread religious fundamentalism," he says.
"School and colleges should expose children to different philosophies and values.They must not be centres that promote divisive values," he says.
Another parent, Aparna Gopalakrishnan, also faced this problem. During the morning assembly at the Christian school her eight-year-old son attends, there was a lecture stating that there could be no salvation for those who were not Christians. She says her son was upset when some students made fun of him for not following the path of salvation.
Last week, students of a deemed university near Siruvani went on a protest saying that the morning assembly was used by the Christian management to preach the Bible. "We are not enforcing religion on anybody. There are attempts by vested interests to portray the morning assembly as a gospel preaching session. It is a counselling session to impart good values to students," says J Jabasingh, media relations officer of Karunya University.
Parents cite a number of instances of educational institutions propagating religion. Muslim and Christian parents of students of a new school were unhappy when the management insisted on their presence with children for rituals preceding a building inauguration.
"They can conduct rituals without making our presence compulsory. Why should they force their religion on students and parents? It is not right in a pluralist society," says V Abdurahman, a parent.
"Religious education is okay if it does not deteriorate to unilateral imposition of rigid philosophies. We welcome lessons on universal values that would help each child grow as a responsible citizen," says M Mohammed Abubac-ker, city president of People's Union for Civil Liberties. Institutions say the instruction is needed for overall development.
"We teach students are all religious values and yoga.There is no attempt to teach one religion," says a professor of Amrita University. "Why do educational institutions teach religion? That responsibility should be left to parents. The government should take over institutions that spread communalism," says educationist and Tamil poet Sirpi Balasubramanyam. Some parents are comfortable with educational institutions imparting religious lessons.
"I attended a Ganapathy homam at my son's school recently. He chants the Gayatri mantra that he learned at school. At home, we are practising Christians. I am sure the exposure to Hindu philosophy will only widen his horizons," says S Joseph of Vadavalli, adding that school managements are bound to propagate their ideals among students.
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