CHENNAI: Former Mayor and Manithaneyam IAS Academy chairman Saidai S Duraisamy called on new curriculum design committee chairperson Mylswamy Annadurai and urged him to introduce health and medical education, including AYUSH, for school students from Classes 6 to 12.
In the representation handed over to the former ISRO scientist on Thursday, Duraisamy congratulated the committee and said curriculum reforms should go beyond preparing students for employment and income by giving equal importance to teaching them how to lead a healthy life.
He said students should be taught the basics of diet, water intake, sleep and other aspects of maintaining physical health. He suggested that a team of medical experts prepare a structured AYUSH curriculum covering Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy. Basic lessons from allopathic medicine should also be included.
Duraisamy said such education would benefit not only students but also their families and society at large by creating awareness about preventive healthcare.
He also said health education could help protect students from growing substance abuse, including alcohol, tobacco and other forms of addiction.
"Preventive healthcare education is the need of the hour to reduce the hardship of people spending their hard-earned money at pharmacies and hospitals," Duraisamy said.
He urged the committee to bring together eminent persons, doctors and educationists to formulate the curriculum, citing the Thirukkural couplet that stresses the importance of preventing illness before it occurs.