NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday launched a comic book on good health and wellness, which will be accessible in 11 languages, including Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odiya, Tamil, and Telugu.
Launching the comic book, developed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and UNESCO, the minister hoped the book would motivate students to prioritize holistic well-being while entertaining them through storytelling, with a key focus on good health and wellness.
He also stressed the importance of stories in conveying important messages such as mental health and hoped that more such comic books would be developed in the future.
“Good stories are extremely important for developing societal harmony and well-being,” Pradhan said.
He also mentioned the importance of the partnership with UNESCO at the time of India’s G20 Presidency and the subject of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) which can be spread with the help of comic books.
Pradhan urged UNESCO to spread Indian stories so that it benefits not only the youth of India but the entire world.
It will be distributed across various educational and health institutions nationwide and will also be disseminated to the 29,000 schools affiliated with the CBSE.
“This comic book signifies a significant stride towards augmenting the goals of the School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP),” according to a statement issued by the education ministry.
The SHWP, initiated under the Ayushman Bharat campaign in April 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is an initiative undertaken by the Union Education Ministry and Union Health Ministry.
Its primary objective is to impart health education, prevent diseases, and enhance access to health services through wellness centres within educational institutions.
The comic book ‘Let’s Move Forward’ is designed to cater to the diverse requirements of adolescents and encapsulates crucial information pertaining to the 11 thematic components of the School Health and Wellness Programme.
These encompass a comprehensive range of subjects, including emotional well-being, interpersonal relationships, gender equality, nutrition and health, substance abuse prevention, healthy lifestyles, reproductive health, internet safety, and more.
It also imparts life skills essential for fostering responsible and health-conscious behaviour among adolescents.
“This innovative approach serves to not only disseminate health-related knowledge but also facilitate the acquisition of life skills necessary for comprehensive personal development,” the statement said.
The book is accessible in multiple languages, including Hindi, English, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odiya, Tamil, and Telugu, to ensure inclusivity across linguistic diversity, the statement said.
An electronic version of the comic book will also be accessible on the ministry website and also on the websites of NCERT, UNESCO, and DIKSHA platforms.