With cases of violence and sexual assault on children making headlines of late, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has observed that this exhibited lack of moral foundation in society. Moral education to students was the need of the hour, the court said.
A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and S.S. Sundar pointed at news headlines from the State that sent shock waves across the country, including the Pollachi incident.
Sexual abuse and murder of a minor girl, sexual abuse of students by a woman teacher, neglect of parents by children, murder of children due to illicit affairs, violence exhibited by youngsters at school and college levels, school students consuming liquor, students beating teachers and teachers abusing girl students were some of the incidents mentioned by the court.
The court blamed the shocking incidents on the current education system, observing that there was something fundamentally wrong. It was shocking that such incidents were taking place in our country, which was supposed to be spiritually and morally rich. Moral Education was the need of the hour, the court said.
“Unless moral values are sown in the minds of the people, we cannot have an orderly society and peace. Sadly, academic excellence alone is focussed upon, ignoring moral aspects and physical education. We are coming across so many heinous crimes committed by children, because of non-inclusion of moral subjects in syllabus,” the court said.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by O. Homerlal of Kanniyakumari, who sought a direction to the State to take steps for implementing compulsory National Cadet Corps and moral classes at schools and colleges.
The court suo motu impleaded the Human Resources Development Department (HRD) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), asking them to respond to the queries on introducing NCC and moral classes. The case was adjourned till April 11.
