SUPW

          Socially Useful Productive Work may be described as purposive, meaningful, manual work resulting in either goods or services which are useful to the community. Purposive, productive work and services related to the needs of the child and the community will prove meaningful to the learner. Such work must not be performed mechanically, but must include planning, analysis and detailed preparation, at every stage, so that it is, educational in essence. 

          The aim of the curricular area is to provide children with opportunities of participating in social and economic activities inside and outside the classroom, enabling them to understand scientific principles and processes involved in different types of work and in the setting in which they are found in the physical and social environment.

The criterion for selection of activities should, thus, be that the work involved is productive, educative and socially useful.

The objectives of Socially Useful Productive Work will be to:

(i) prepare pupils to practise and perform manual work individually and collectively;

(ii) acquaint children with the world of work and services to the community and develop in them a sense of respect for manual workers;

(iii) develop a desire to be useful members of society and contribute their best to the common good;

(iv) indicate positive attitudes of team work and socially desirable values like self reliance, dignity of labour, tolerance, cooperation, sympathy and helpfulness;

(v) help in understanding the principles involved in the various forms of work; and

(vi) lead children to participate increasingly in productive work as they go from one stage of education to another and, thereby, enable them to earn while they learn.

Thus, productive manual work situations relating to production of goods and services will have to be drawn from the areas of:

(i) health and hygiene;

(ii) food;

(iii) shelter;

(iv) clothing;

(v) culture and recreation; and

(vi) community work and social service.