Value Education Programme (VEP): Inculcating Values in Our Young Learners
Value Education Programme (VEP): Inculcating Values in Our Young Learners
“Good values are like a magnet – they attract good people.” – John Wooden
Imagine a world where the young generation is not only academically brilliant but also emotionally intelligent, practising virtuous traits such as kindness, compassion, respect and empathy. That is what VEP is all about! Value Education Programme, or known as VEP in IDRISSI is more than just a curriculum; it is a character-building programme that emphasises on social-emotional learning skills, where students learn to create meaningful connections with everyone around them. Engaging in meaningful activities like organising a charity bake sale to raise funds for the less fortunate or visiting a charity home can be an enriching experience to instil self-awareness. Experience is indeed the best teacher!
As IDRISSI places a great emphasis on values, students will graduate from this programme in Year 9 with a certificate of completion endorsed by the UMCCed. During their final year of undergoing VEP in Year 9, students will participate in training and programmes conducted by the UMCCed. This is an extra point for IDRISSI students to turn into well-rounded individuals! Why is it important to instil good values in your children from a young age?
1. Emotional Intelligence
Everyone, including children, has worries. Children who learn to understand and manage their emotions, as well as recognising the feelings of others can form healthy relationships. We still remember one of our VEP classes titled My Bag of Worry and Sadness, where students were given bag colouring sheets. All they had to do was to colour the bag and fill it with their worries and sadness. One child wrote he was worried of not being good enough to his parents, while another expressed being scared of saying words that may upset others. The lesson helped them to identify, overcome and reflect on their emotions with the teacher’s guidance.
2. Character Development
Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education. – Martin Luther King Jr.
Educating children with good values is crucial for their character developments. Traits like kindness, compassion and empathy play a significant role in their personal success. While problem-solving, critical thinking and intellectual capacity are essential in today's world, moral and ethical aspects are equally important. During our VEP, we organised a Kindness Mail Activity, where students wrote letters to their chosen friend or teacher. This lesson taught them that kindness can take many forms, including through writing. Words are powerful and they can have an impact on someone’s life. Even a simple word can make a BIG difference!
3. Social Skills
As children grow, they will encounter people from diverse backgrounds. Cultivating values such as honesty, humility and humanity from a young age helps them establish positive relationships with others. VEP goes beyond character development and extends to social skills enhancement to prepare them for success in a global society. This includes building bridges of understanding and appreciating different perspectives. During a visit to a charity home, our students had the chance to improve their teamwork skills and form positive connections with everyone. This experience helped shape them into compassionate and empathetic individuals.
4. Conflict Resolution
Conflicts can occur anywhere and anytime. However, handling them appropriately and efficiently can result in improved comprehension and cooperation. Virtuous traits like tolerance and patience can be helpful in resolving conflicts. Let's have a little flashback during our End-of-Term Cookout Session for the Year 9 students! It was a fun time spent together as they collaborated to cook and exchange cooking tips and recipes. The activity encouraged them to develop skills like attentive listening, compromising and finding peaceful solutions to any issues that arose during the cooking process.
Success goes beyond academic achievement. Parents and teachers need to start inculcating good values to the young generation, in order to prepare them for the outside world. May all the students excel in both their academics and character, fostering a well-rounded growth!
