SUPW Workshop

Socially Useful Productive work (SUPW)  and field work with community based programmes are organised in the college to help the teacher trainees to develop healthy attitudes towards manual labour and cultivate the spirit of social service as a compulsory part of the Teacher Training Programme.

Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW) bridges the gap between life and education, education and work. It makes learning effective and valuable. It correlates knowledge with craft and theory with practice. It may help to increase national pro-ductivity and self-employment. It leads to apposite articulation between life and education. It enriches the personality of the child and helps to develop the creative faculties and diverse abilities.Socially useful productive work is defined as purposive, meaningful, manual work resulting in goods or services which is useful to the society. The term “Social ” refers to the child who has attained a minimum level of education would be able to work efficiently in his/her community in respect of social and work skills and also in terms of adjustment to the immediate group. The term "useful" refers to the functional nature of the activities and the products resulting from the activity. This means, the work should lead to something that is useful to the child and also to the general group in terms of returns.The term “Productive work ” Any learning activity ( acquisition of skills) in Education that result in some product or service that is consumable by society.

SUPW prepares pupils to practice and perform manual work individually or in groups, acquaints the children with work and services prevailing in the community, develops a sense of respect to manual workers, develops a desire to work and contribute to the society, inculcates positive attitudes of team work and helps in the development of values like tolerance , cooperation and helpfulness.

SUPW believes in dignity of labour and self – reliance, helps in understanding the principles involved in various forms of work,motivates active participation of students in productive work in different stages of school education and enable them to earn while they learn. It is helpful in applying classroom learning and knowledge to solve day -to - day problems of the community. It encourages learners to participate in Nation building activities and in the realisation of goals of the state and national development.

GCTE Thycaud organised a two day workshop on SUPW. The workshop started at 2.15 PM on 24th january 2023. Mr. Praveen Kumar (Chairman of the college union) welcomed everyone to the workshop.Principal Dr. V K Santhosh Kumar sir  shared his thoughts on this programme. Sukumaran sir and Ummar sir were the chief guests and they led the workshop.They talked on the importance of nature and Gandhian principles.

Recommending education through craft, Mahatma Gandhi said, "The core of my suggestion, is to give skills and knowledge in craft to students from 8th standard and goes on until the students have reached the 12th standard. It is for both production of work and for developing intellect of the pupils".This idea was taken forward by the Kothari Commission (1964–66), which suggested introduction of 'work experience' in education. Subsequently, after the recommendations of 'Ishwarbhai Patel Committee' (July, 1977), which first coined the term 'Socially Useful Productive Work' or SUPW, the subject was first introduced to the school curriculum in 1978, by Ministry of Education, Government of India.

On the first day of the workshop ,  proper instructions regarding the preparation of lotion and detergent powder were given accompanied by demonstration and hands-on-experience on the same. The session was informative  and of great utilitarian value.

The second session of the SUPW workshop started at 1:30pm. Sukumaran sir and Ummar sir led the class  and we learnt how to make  soap . 

They explained the importance of Gandhian principles and meditation.A meditation session was also arranged for us. Mr. Krishnakumar and Ms. Keerthana Anil rendered reflections on the workshop. Program coordinator Dr. Jayakrishna  ma'am also shared  her reflection. Mr. Amal delivered the vote of thanks and the programme concluded with national anthem.