NEP 2020: The Ministry of Education, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, gives high priority to promoting health education, hygiene practices, and environmental consciousness among school children through various schemes and initiatives such as Samagra Shiksha, Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN), School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP), Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) and Eco Clubs for Mission LiFE, the Minister of State for Education, Jayant Chaudhary, said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
According to the official release from the ministry, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has incorporated themes related to health, nutrition, hygiene, air pollution and environmental sustainability in school curricula, textbooks and learning material at different stages of school education in an age-appropriate manner.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme, about 10.23 crore students of Bal Vatika and Classes 1 to 8 in about 10.33 lakh government and government-aided schools are served healthy, hot cooked nutritious meals on all school days, the official document stated.
The importance of eating a healthy and balanced diet, knowledge of junk foods, nutritional fortification, sanitation and hygiene practices such as handwashing and the importance of School Nutrition Gardens (SNGs) are also promoted under the scheme, the official document added.
Under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, states and UTs are supported to set up Eco Clubs for Mission LiFE in all schools in order to sensitise students to environmental and climate change concerns and inculcate environment-friendly attitudes and behaviour among them.
The ministry is also promoting sports and physical education in schools through multiple policy and programme interventions aligned with the NEP 2020, according to the official information. The policy emphasises sports-integrated learning and recognises sports as an integral part of the curriculum for holistic development, promoting physical fitness, teamwork, and lifelong healthy habits. To operationalise these objectives, the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) integrates sports and physical education across all stages of schooling through sports-based pedagogy, it added.
The framework also places special emphasis on yoga in schools. The textbooks introduce students to the concepts of physical education, Yoga for Daily Life, and basic Yog Sadhana in an age-appropriate manner, the official document highlighted.