It's not the school wall, it's the whole environment that makes or breaks our children: A thought towards holistic education-

- How can the head of an educational institution change the environment?

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Imagine for a second that there is a person who is a police officer and who is basically also a bribe-taker, a haram eater (Haram is an Arabic term meaning forbidden), a blackmailer, a politician's spoon ... Etc. 

Now his son is going to school. A few years later, the child grew up to grade 6/7. Now the lazy principal of this school has been transferred to another branch of the school or he has left the scene in any case. The new principal came with professional training as well as passion and enthusiasm. 

As soon as the new principal came, he instilled such a spirit in all the teachers that they all started performing better with self-motivation. At the same time, the wise man actively involved the children's parents and the community in this whole training process; he knows that the child's overall personality is affected by everything. These are all important stakeholders.

How did you get involved? 

-         By sending excellent feedback about children. 

-         By recognizing children’s abilities and giving opportunities to children according to abilities.

-         By touching upon the feelings of the parents by getting them to perform, and by sending a report on such performances.

The excitement of the child himself is enough to draw the parents to school.

Now that principal met with the policeman and inspired him to tell children and parents:

What are their rights as citizens?

What are the factors that make some people guilty?

What should they take care of and stay alert while living in this community?

What are the duties and responsibilities of the Police Department? 

What rights do people have over them? And what right do the police have over them?

A policeman who has met the children and parents of his community, who has a bad temper, who is called to school functions, who attends PTM, will be forced to change himself by considering what rights he has in the community and with the community. He does not want people to point fingers and make it difficult for their child to face school.

His child should be connected to parents for subjects such as English, Math, Science, etc., who can teach him well for free or for a small fee. You start teaching his child executive life skills with great enthusiasm, that is, good habits and manners which he expresses every day by going home to some degree. So in Arabic, it is said: اَلاحسانُ يقطع الّلسان; In return, that police officer's thinking, his character will definitely change to some extent. He will be automatically ashamed if he is still involved in such acts.

With this kind of networking, such social pressure can create a good principal.

Similarly, another person is a doctor. The third person is a businessman, the fourth is an official in the municipality, the fifth is a journalist, the sixth is a petrol pump operator, the seventh is a food restaurant owner. All of them are invited to the school to give important information about their respective departments and are forced to attend PTM, even going to the specific "base" of each of them, staying connected to the school. 

Children complete one project each quarter, which helps them connect with real-life and reach mental maturity. So how will all these personalities come into good contact as parents and also in favour of each other as a community, and stay active? 

Working with parents and the community is all about getting to know each other, connecting with each other, and staying consistent. The child's health, his tendencies, his grades are all improved. There are many surveys, researches and reports on this subject in developed countries. Repeatedly involving children in community work in those countries, and linking the community to the school, has emerged as a new, positive trend in educational institutions today. Our educational institutions should also pay attention to this aspect.

Why is it not possible for two or three principals of different institutions to coordinate once a month? The children of these institutions visit the bazaar in collaboration with the municipality and the police. Share your handwashing and other hygiene instructions with staff at dirty hotels and restaurants there. By practising such principles. Give a message of cleanliness to the staff who are kneading flour (make bread) and baking bread with dirty hands by dripping sweat. 

Image source: https://www.amonco.org/maria-montessori-holistic-approach/

What else can be done to engage children with the local community and society at large:

Place dustbins made of chart paper at 20 or 30 places in the bazaar with the acronym of your school name written on them. If it is not good to write the name, then each institution should allocate a colour for itself, such as blue, yellow, red. Why isn't it possible for an educational institution to set aside one hour a day for cleaning the adjoining neighbourhood? Make the people of the neighbourhood aware of the need for proper cleaning and lighting in the streets, installation of cameras in the affected areas. 

It is their responsibility to set aside a small ground or some space for children's sports and to put pressure on the city government in this regard. Children and boys who do not have access to sports fall prey to drug dealers. It is said, increase the number of playgrounds in the country and will reduce the number of drug addicts.

Community work has to be done. Institutions that guarantee the lives and property of citizens, law and order, and sanitation must be activated. It's not the school wall, it's the whole environment that makes or breaks our children. There is nothing to change here without mobilizing the community. 

The school can enrol itself into organised programs such as scouts and guides or NCC- National Cadet Corps (It has Army, Navy and Airforce wing). The National Cadet Corps (NCC) is the Indian military cadet corps which works to inculcate the qualities of discipline and patriotism among the youth of the nation. It is open to school and college students on a voluntary basis.

On the other hand, the schools can collaborate with the City Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club or Rotary Club or Environment protection club or any established NGO organisation of the city. It will be beneficial to the students as well as schools, as all these organisations mentioned, are already into projects which are positively impacting the local community and society at large, in their own capacity and interest.

Educational institutions get out of the race to get more admissions by scrolling through books and passing exams and hanging advertisements of grades on the walls. Heads of educational institutions sit together, plan for the next year how the households of the children who come to school, with the help of them and their parents can keep the various departments of the city government activities and the way of life Can be improved.

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By: Humayun Mujahid Tarar (Translated, edited and elaborated by Maaz Mohammed AQ)

Note: The above write up originally received through Whatsapp forward thread in the Urdu language. The CLF tried to translate and publish it in English. The ideas of this write-up are held by the author, we have done only translation, little elaboration and publication.