Media Release
Mangaluru, May 29: St Agnes School CBSE, Bendore, successfully organized a two-day capacity building programme on ‘Ethics and Integrity’ under the guidance of the Central Board of Secondary Education on May 26 and 27 in the school auditorium. The seminar served as an enriching and thought-provoking platform for educators to deepen their understanding of ethical practices, reinforce professional values, and cultivate empathy, integrity, and compassion within the educational environment. The programme aimed at empowering teachers with meaningful strategies to nurture responsible, morally grounded, and value-oriented future citizens.
The programme commenced on a reverent note with a prayer service led by teacher Vijetha, invoking divine blessings and creating an atmosphere of serenity and positivity. Teacher Josephine Ignetto warmly welcomed the distinguished resource persons and participating educators. As a token of appreciation and respect, the resource persons were felicitated with potted plants by the principal, Sr Jenifer Moras AC, along with teacher Janet.
The seminar featured two eminent resource persons who brought with them rich experience and valuable insights. Praveena C Shetty, principal of Raj Academy High School, Ganjimath, Mangaluru, is a passionate educational leader with over 23 years of teaching experience and seven years of dedicated service as principal. She also serves as the assistant district commissioner for guides in Bharath Scouts and Guides and is a renowned CBSE resource person who has conducted several CBSE Centre of Excellence workshops.
The second resource person, Shubhalakshmi, is a committed educator with 17 years of experience in CBSE-affiliated institutions and currently serves as a TGT Social Science teacher at Vidyadayinee English Medium School. As an empanelled CBSE resource person, she actively conducts various capacity building programmes focused on innovative pedagogy and ethical perspectives in education.
The academic sessions began with great enthusiasm and active participation from the teachers. Shubhalakshmi conducted an insightful session on 'Promoting mental health and wellbeing among students'. She emphasized that teachers are not merely instructors but also mentors, guides, and wellness ambassadors who shape young minds through their words and actions. Highlighting the importance of emotional wellbeing, she encouraged educators to use positive and affirming language while interacting with students and cautioned against the adverse effects of negative remarks on a child’s emotional growth and self-esteem.
Elaborating on the themes of ethics and integrity, she explained that ethical conduct is rooted in values such as trust, patience, kindness, empathy, compassion, and strong character. Through discussions on Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development and the Heinz Dilemma, teachers gained deeper insights into moral reasoning, ethical judgement, and value-based decision-making in real-life situations.
Praveena C Shetty led an engaging session on 'Integrity', which began with interactive group activities fostering reflection, collaboration, and meaningful participation. She elaborated on the various dimensions of integrity and stressed its indispensable role in both personal and professional life. Through thoughtfully designed activities and discussions, participants reflected on their responsibilities as educators and the importance of aligning actions with values.
A major highlight of her session was the explanation of the five steps involved in ethical decision-making, which enabled participants to understand the significance of making fair, responsible, and principled choices in challenging situations. The sessions inspired teachers to introspect on their personal and professional wellbeing while strengthening their commitment to ethical practices in education.
The learning journey continued on the second day with equally engaging activities and discussions. The concept of integrity was further explored through video presentations, role plays, and collaborative group activities that encouraged active participation and reflection. Teachers were also introduced to the concept of the 'Circle of Concern', focusing on how educators can positively influence and guide students within the school environment. Discussions on creating space for integrity in classrooms through practical action plans enabled teachers to explore effective ways of fostering ethical behaviour and value-based learning among students.
Both the resource persons actively engaged the participants throughout the programme through interactive methodologies, collaborative learning activities, and reflective exercises, making the sessions highly meaningful and impactful.
The programme concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks proposed by teacher Kirthi, who expressed sincere gratitude to the resource persons, organizers, management, and all the participants for their invaluable contributions in making the seminar a grand success.
The two-day capacity building programme on 'Ethics and Integrity' emerged as a profoundly enriching initiative that reaffirmed the pivotal role of educators in promoting values-based education. The seminar highlighted the importance of teacher wellbeing as the foundation for creating joyful, emotionally secure, and intellectually stimulating learning environments.
Above all, the programme inspired educators to uphold the principles of ethics and integrity in their professional journey and strengthened their resolve to nurture compassionate, responsible, and ethically grounded future citizens.