BANGALORE: Students of 60 government schools in the State will soon start learning human rights from Class six onwards.

The Department of Public Instruction, South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM), Institute for Human Rights Education (IHRE) of People's Watch, Tamil Nadu, and the Directorate of State Education Research and Training (DSERT) have come together to start human rights education in schools from this academic year.

The programme, which was formally launched on Tuesday by the former High Court Judge, A.J. Sadashiva, is part of the World Programme for Human Rights Education initiated by the United Nations.

Success

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sadashiva said the success of the programme depends on its continuity. "Humane behaviour is the essence of human rights. So it is important for human rights education to emerge as a continuous campaign," he said.

Pointing out that several important programmes are discontinued on the second day itself, Mr. Sadashiva called upon teachers to train the students in human rights and also help them to propagate the values.

Executive Director of People's Watch, Henri Tiphagne, said that the World programme makes it obligatory on the State and civil society organisations to introduce human rights education in the school system.

Network

Ten non-governmental organisations in India have formed a network to introduce a pilot programme in 10 states. This programme is being implemented in collaboration with the respective Departments of Primary and Secondary Education in each State. In Karnataka, SICHREM has taken up the responsibility, he said.

Giving details of the programme, Mr. Henri said following a consultation workshop jointly organised by the Department of Public Instruction and SICHREM on June 13, 60 schools were selected to start the programme from sixth standard. These schools include those from Bangalore Rural, Bangalore Urban and Kolar.

A day's orientation programme was conducted on October 5 for Block Resource coordinators and Block Resource Persons and heads of the schools at the District Institute for Education and Training. "Now, we are having a five-day residential programme for 60 teachers from the above schools. The training has started on Tuesday," he said.

IHRE chairperson Vasanthi Devi, journalist Patil Puttappa, DIET Principal Rehamathunissa and SICHREM president Koshy Mathew also spoke.

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