The morning assembly is not a mere formality—it is the fountain from which all-round development springs. Yet teachers discuss family issues during assembly. A single student anchors all year. Houses exist only on paper. If your own heart is a volcano, how can you expect flowers to bloom in your hands?
Muntashir Kifayat
The schools of our valley begin their work early in the morning, around 9 a.m. It is the tun tun tun from the bell that urges staff and students to assemble. The morning assembly is the epitome of holistic development and sets the tone for learning. The recitation of religious verses, poetry, and news all make it charming. Students from different houses get the responsibility of showcasing their talent and maintaining discipline.
The morning assembly is not a mere formality but the fountain from which springs the concept of all-round development.
Allama Iqbal beautifully captures the importance of morning:
“The blot of night’s ink from time’s page has been removed!
The star from the sky, like a spurious picture, has been removed!
When your beauty appears at the balcony of heaven,
Our eyes are freed from the drunkenness of sleep!”
The Loopholes
The following loopholes can often be observed during the conduct of morning assembly in government schools:
A Mere Formality
In many cases, the morning assembly is treated as nothing more than a routine to pass the time. The class IV employee can often be seen arranging the lines. Teachers can be observed either sitting idly, waiting for the assembly to finish, or preparing lessons for classes, thereby killing the very essence of the assembly. In some schools, the entire responsibility of conducting the morning assembly is placed on the shoulders of the physical education teacher alone.
Houses And Clubs Exist Only On Paper
The houses and clubs created for the smooth conduct of morning assembly exist on paper only in many schools. The cornerstone of holistic development gets destroyed. The concept of community development—bringing the entire staff and teachers together to strengthen bonds—suffers severe degradation.
The ‘Bold Speaker’ Syndrome
In some schools, a single staff member is tagged as the “bold speaker” and is given the responsibility of speaking during morning assembly every single day. Other teachers watch and label themselves as shy. Ironically, these same shy staffers then encourage students to come forward and speak. As Kahlil Gibran rightly says, “You can find a treasure when you dig with the confidence of a peasant.” If your own heart is a volcano, how can you expect flowers to bloom in your hands?
Personal Conversations During Assembly
In some cases, teachers can be seen discussing family issues in the lawn where morning assembly is being conducted—and that too loudly—forgetting that this platform is meant to teach moral ethics, civic responsibility, and good character.
Monopoly Of A Single Student
Often, a single student can be seen anchoring the morning assembly programmes throughout the entire academic session. As teachers, we fail to create opportunities for others. We fail to groom the majority.
Poor Audio Systems
The microphone systems in some schools are pathetic and below standard. Minimal interest is given to upgrading or maintaining the sound system, which severely hampers the effectiveness of the morning assembly.
The responsibility of the Head of the Institution is to give as much importance to the morning assembly as to regular classwork. It is the bedrock of holistic development. Students who actively participate in morning assemblies often secure brighter futures. It is an observed fact that most leaders, politicians, and advocates were very active in morning assemblies during their school days.
Inspections during morning assembly by higher authorities are rarely expected, as the office timings of government offices (other than schools) do not align with school timings in the morning. Regular early-morning inspections could infuse new life into the assembly.
Last year, monitoring teams comprising educationists from higher secondary schools were formed under complex heads. These teams had the potential to rejuvenate morning assemblies in government schools. The documents they were supposed to fill out and the domains they were advised to check had “conduct of morning assembly” as a main component. They were also providing on-the-spot assistance to teachers on effective ways of conducting morning assembly.
Students are roses, and their day in school begins with the morning assembly. They will refresh the atmosphere with their rosy fragrance if handled properly with a little more care and push. This reminds me of Kahlil Gibran’s Song of the Flower:
I am a kind word uttered and repeated
By the voice of nature;
I am a star fallen from the
Blue tent upon the green carpet.
At dawn I unite with the breeze
To announce the coming of light;
At eventide I join the birds
In bidding the light farewell.
The plains are decorated with
My beautiful colours, and the air
Is scented with my fragrance.
As I embrace slumber, the eyes of Night watch over me,
And as I awaken I stare at the sun,
Which is the only eye of the day.
I look up high to see only the light,
And never look down to see my shadow.
The writer is an educator
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