In the history of Value Education, we see rather slow development of the system in India. In the 1980s, the government was more responsive to the needs of Value Education in our schools. Ancient India: Value Education in India from ancient times has held a prime place of importance. From the gurukul stage, the child not only learnt skills of reading and archery but more the philosophy of life in relation to its impermanence. Hence education in India was born of this vision to achieve one’s experience in the absolute as a spark of the divine and in this process practice of one’s duty accompanies the acquisition of knowledge. In the modern school system value education, was termed moral education or moral science. British were absolutely neutral in their policy towards religion and value education.

• CABE – (1943-46) emphasized spiritual and moral education. It was the responsibility of the home and community.
• Committee on Emotional Integration (1961) pointed out that the science students should have at least some background of humanities; it opined that there should be a compulsory paper on India’s cultural heritage.
• Education Commission (1964-66) recommended moral, social and spiritual values at all levels.
• UNESCO (1972) felt that the education system should promote values of world peace and international understanding and unity of mankind.
• National Policy on Education (NPE 1986) proposed readjustments in the curriculum to make education a forceful tool to inculcate social and moral values; to eliminate obscurantism, fanaticism, superstition, illiteracy and fatalism. The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 envisages a national system of education based on a National Curricular Framework containing a common core along with other components that are flexible.

The common core includes the history of India’s freedom movement, the constitutional obligations and other content essential to nurture national identity. These elements will cut across subject areas and will be designed to promote values such as India’s common cultural heritage, etiquette, egalitarianism, democracy and secularism, equality of the sexes, protection of the environment, removal of social barriers, observance of the small family norm and inculcation of the scientific temper.

Environmental Education

Environmental education has been defined and redefined over the last twenty-five years. Definitional issues are inherent in a field this broad and encompassing. It is generally agreed that environmental education is a process that creates awareness and understanding of the relationship between humans and their many environments – natural, 17 man-made, cultural and technology. Environmental education is concerned with knowledge, values, attitudes, application and has as its aim responsible environmental behaviour (NEEAC, 1996). Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem-solving and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions. The components of environmental education are:

• Awareness and sensitivity to the environment and environmental challenges
• Knowledge and understanding of the environment and environmental challenges
• Attitudes of concern for the environment and motivation to improve or maintain environmental quality
• Skills to identify and help resolve environmental challenges
• Participation in activities that lead to the resolution of environmental challenges

Environmental education does not advocate a particular viewpoint or course of action. Rather, environmental education teaches individuals how to weigh various sides of an issue through critical thinking and it enhances their own problem-solving and decision-making skills.