‘We have the right to know’: Young learners visit the Indian Parliament

The great politician Abraham Lincoln once said, “The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” Rightly so, as citizens provide power. Their voices and opinions matter through elected representatives in the Indian Parliament. These members form the Lok Sabha, the seat of power, where bills convert into laws for progress and betterment of people.

An enriching educational trip was taken by a batch of 60 students of class 9 at Apeejay School, Saket in Delhi to the Lok Sabha, Parliament of India. During the visit, students were accompanied by three teachers, Ms Mahasweta Sen, Ms Aishwarya Nair and Ms Shivali Ghalot who coordinated for the trip and provided valuable guidance to the students. This opportunity was carved out by the school’s Principal Dr Sujeet Eric Masih.

During the trip, students received first-hand experience on how the elected representatives of the country function, why the Hon’ble members of Parliament play an instrumental role in nation-building, and much more. The Political Science chapters of these motivated learners came to life by witnessing the grandiose of the Central Hall of the Indian Parliament.

According to Ms Mahasweta Sen, a TGT Geography teacher, “In class 9, students have a chapter in their syllabus about the proceedings of the Indian Parliament. Following the guidelines of the Central Board of Secondary Education, we helped students bring to life these theories. They got a chance to see how the Lok Sabha functions. They learnt a lot and followed all government protocols. The most special part? This was the first time they visited the premises.”

She further continued, “A chance to experience events of national importance is a great way to learn for our students. Such visits get imprinted in their memories and going forward, each time they will be asked something about the functioning of the Parliament, they will be able to put a face and structure to it. Our students are our ambassadors and they carried the name of the school with them during the visit. In the Parliament, they observed utmost discipline and cooperated with the security personnel.”

As per Ms Sen, at the time of the visit, dignitaries such as Mr Shashi Tharoor and Ms Mahua Moitra were present, amongst others. Students also watched a documentary based on the history of the Indian Constitution. Many found themselves fascinated while learning about its various stages of formulation.

Overall, the trip proved to be a unique learning experience as it integrated the practical exposure with theoretical knowledge.

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“At Apeejay, Saket, we leave no stone unturned to provide a learning exposure to our students…and what better than the front leadership of the nation!!”

-Dr Sujeet Eric Masih, Principal, Apeejay School Saket