Absence of value education is the root of all evils in the society.How far fetched is the statement! I am yet to read a report where in students are taught to do the vices that are rampant in the society.

In a simulation( only a game) of democracy of the Greek times , in class VII ,children asked whether they could bribe ( influence) the citizens to give the verdict in their favour. How ( ill?)well are they informed about the government!!?? What impact will the lessons on Indian governance have on them.?

The syllabus that the people of the city and the village study are the same. What sense do the lessons on conservation of water , hygiene and cleanliness make to the children who themselves have to fetch water from far, or have very minimum supply of water. Or the schools they go to have no sanitation or drinking water facility??

Also we have elite schools who have exhibitions on water harvesting and for all you know the children come from homes where precious water is drained for washing their cars, lush lawns, porticos…….. When asked the children said “ what to do , our parents do not mind !? So what is done in school is not supported at home.
What is the message that is conveyed … what you read in books is to pass exams…. not to bring any behavioural change as education is supposed to do. The adult population also passed their school exams. .. with no behavioural change! So the cycle goes on……
Coming to environmental education less said the better. How do you have classes when children reel out celebrities name who flout wild life laws… with what moral authority can a teacher discuss these lessons? How do we convince the children about the justice of the land?

The row about history textbooks time and again has done at least the teachers one great help. A conscientious teacher can take this opportunity to educate the children about the different perspectives to an event .. thus the children will be introduced to the concept that history is interpretative. This could help the children take decisions, analysing the events critically and not just swayed by vote wooers.
Have u ever wondered why ID DAY, REP DAY , world environment day…. Are all meant for mostly school,going kids.??These are all reduced to ritualistic ceremonies … and to be forgotten soon after school! There is a talk of introducing human rights education to children in schools…… but where does the power of exercising it lie??
There is a strong mismatch about what the child reads in the text to what it experiences outside. Since experience is the best teacher what gets repeated in the society is what the child learns through experience.