Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Hemant Kotalwar, charge d'affaires at the Indian Embassy, urged the academic community to empower their pupils to make available of the fruits of development to the poor people through inculcating in them values of education and contributing to developing their skills. He made these remarks while delivering the keynote speech at the valedictory function of the 25th conference of the principals from schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) at the Boys' section auditorium of the International Indian School, Jeddah (IISJ) on Monday evening. A total of 32 principals from schools all over the Kingdom attended the three-day event. While reemphasizing the need for holistic education, Kotalwar called upon teachers to make students know the real meaning of values that form the foundations of the society and the country. "Students should be made to know thoroughly the meaning of values and implications of our country's basic tenets of secularism, pluralism and peaceful coexistence. Apart from enabling students to score high marks, they should be helped to embrace these values." "Teachers have big roles and major contributions to make them understand the value system and thus enabling the future generation not to get carried away by propaganda." Underscoring the importance of skill education, he said that school should be the first place to learn about crafts and trades, and teachers have to work toward removing the stigma in society toward doing manual jobs. He strongly recommended skill-based education over theory-based one. He cited the experiment of Indian company of Cipla to drive the idea home that how value based education will help children to contribute significantly in developing and serving the country. Cipla, one of the world's largest generic pharmaceutical companies, saved lives of millions of people around the world by making available of drugs at cheaper and affordable prices. Cipla's founder Dr. K.A. Hamied made, for example, HIV treatment affordable by making available of the antiretrovirals (ARVs) at $300 per year instead of $15,000. "The value-based education enabled Hamied to revolutionize the health sector and the poor people are the major beneficiaries of this," he said, adding that several African heads of state praised Hamied and India for this at the India-Africa Summit held recently in New Delhi. "Hamied, now a philanthropist billionaire, challenged the UN to step up efforts to make the drug available at $350 instead of $15,000. The government of India did not give in to the pressures of drug companies to raise the price as it affected them heavily." Congratulating the principals for the outcome of the session, he proposed such sessions for teachers of each subject to know the latest development in each discipline. "The conference gives a very good message to the community that our schools and principals are not living in silence. They are ready discuss the problems, sharing their ideas and learning the best practices so that they can improve and implement these practices." International Indian School-Riyadh (IISR) Principal Dr. S.M. Shaukat Parvez, International Indian School-Dammam (IISD) Principal E.K. Mohammad Shaffe, and Jeddah's New Al Wurood International School Principal Sreedevi. V. Menon shared with the audience their observations on the conference. Parvez said the little contributions that students can make serve great cause. "Qualities inculcated in you, especially the sportsmanship and leadership abilities will make you able to face the challenges in life and become resourceful citizens," he told students. Shaffe congratulated the IISJ managing committee and school staff for the excellent, meticulously planned and marvelous arrangements for the conference and the Cluster Meet. Sridevi Menon, Principal of New Al-Wurood School, stressed on the great responsibility of the Indian schools in Saudi Arabia, for their service to the expatriate community. Referring to the relevance of the conference theme "Education for peace and development," she said. "The world is not in peace but in pieces, and hence it is the youngsters who can change it." She wanted redefining of education to give the best of the best to the new generation. While lamenting on the decline of moral values and extravagance, she found the conference as an eye opener by sitting together to ‘draw up action plan to make our younger generation in safer hands.' In the session, held in the presence of the Head of Chancery and School observer Mohammad Raghib Qureshi and IISJ Managing Committee Chairman Mohammed Raziq Abdul Wahid, IISJ Principal Syed Masood Ahmed delivered welcome speech while IISJ Vice Principal (Boys) Dr. Najeeb Qais Ammar proposed a vote of thanks. Kotalwar felicitated all the participating principals with a memento and certificate.
