Ground report: INTACH aims for heritage education in schools

The Amritsar chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), under the aegis of INTACH Punjab, has launched a programme aimed at schools to integrate heritage education in classroom teaching.

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INTACH, as part of its year-round activities, conducts workshops specifically designed for teachers, often incorporating interactive sessions and heritage walks to local sites. Now, INTACH Punjab has initiated this campaign, beginning from Amritsar and Tarn Taran.

It recently organised a heritage tour of 50 school teachers from Amritsar, who were taken on an educative walk in and around the walled city, offering participants a deep dive into the city’s rich cultural and historical tapestry. The objective was to equip teachers with the knowledge and resources to effectively integrate heritage education into their teaching methodologies. The teachers were given an insightful tour of Partition Museum, Town Hall, havelis and heritage structures inside the walled city, besides areas surrounding the Golden Temple.

Convener of INTACH Amritsar, Gagandeep Singh Virk, led the group while several stakeholders, including local tour guide Gurvinder Johal and historian Surinder Kochchar, too have been engaged in expanding the programme.

Gagandeep Singh Virk explained that the primary objective of the walk was to familiarise school teachers with Amritsar’s cultural heritage, enabling them to impart this knowledge to their students. “Preserving our rich heritage requires creating awareness among the masses and students are the most effective medium for this. INTACH has been playing a proactive role in engaging schools and teachers in promoting heritage education and suggest ways to integrate heritage awareness into various subjects through the establishment of heritage clubs in schools.”

INTACH’s Heritage Education and Communication Service (HECS) division plays a key role in developing and implementing programmes that promote heritage awareness in schools. These programmes often involve activities like heritage quiz, cultural performances and visits to historical locations. In Amritsar, the team from Springdale School this year, had won the INTACH heritage quiz, which is held at regional and national level.

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