The Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) directive to schools to celebrate International Day of Yoga on June 21, following a declaration by the United Nations, has upset many private schools in the State.
Besides having to ask students to come to school on a Sunday, many CBSE schools re-open only on June 22 (Monday), after closing for the summer holidays. In addition, yoga was only an optional subject and many schools lacked yoga teacher.
The circular, a copy of which is with The Hindu , to all the schools, stated: “You are called upon to organise activities and programmes to sensitise and encourage everyone to yoga. As part of your observance, you may encourage students and motivate them to participate in the yoga demonstration from 7 a.m. to 7.35 a.m.”
Further, it added: “This being a momentous occasion, you are requested to offer your full cooperation and devoted efforts in making the celebrations a grand success.”
Report to CBSE
All the schools must also submit a report to the CBSE over the conduct of the celebrations and the participation of students, which put pressure on private schools, says an office-bearer in the Association of Management of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu, which has 265 CBSE schools in the State as members. Tamil Nadu had 509 CBSE-affiliated schools.
A CBSE school correspondent said that they had been offering yoga as an optional subject for the past five years as part of the co-curricular activities. The yoga instructors would be utilised to teach all students in batches. The circular directed the schools to conduct contests and give prizes on Yoga Day.
However, Central government schools do not seem to be facing the pressure. The Principal of a Kendriya Vidyalaya in Coimbatore said that he had no plans to call the students to turn up ahead of the school re-opening.
“As the school lacks a yoga master, we will invite a private practitioner. Only those staff in the school’s residential quarters will be invited to take part in a practice session,” he said.
The State government has also made it optional for the government and private schools in Tamil Nadu following the State Board. Only the schools with National Service Scheme (NSS) units have been asked to celebrate the event and it was optional for them too.
