Veteran theatre artiste Prasanna calls for theatre education in school curriculum

Mysore/Mysuru: Veteran theatre personality Prasanna said that theatre education enriches learning and is an important component in personality development of children and hence should be part of school curriculum. He was speaking at the valedictory of the six-day National Festival of Children’s Theatre at Kirurangamandira here on Sunday.

He noted that every school and Anganwadi should have theatre education as part of the curriculum as it is theatre alone which enlivens learning and make it more meaningful. Maintaining that the demand for theatre education was not new and it has been already accepted in the educational system, he observed that the educational policies of the country acknowledges the benefits of theatre, but what is lacking is its implementation.

Prasanna further asserted  that the theatre preceded all art forms and it was the basis for a child to feel, dance and sing.

Former Karnataka Chief Secretary Sudhakar Rao, who is also the Chairman of the  State’s Seventh Pay Commission, said that he was supportive of the children’s demand that called for protecting their childhood and ensure that it was not sacrificed at the altar  of learning.

The 6-day event featured plays performed by adults for children and also plays performed by children for children, a National Colloquium on educational theatre as well as exchange of ideas on children’s literature. The drama festival was held simultaneously at Kirurangamandira, Rangayana’s Bhoomigeeta and at Natana in Ramakrishnanagar.