Page 28 - The Insurance Times July 2020

the curriculum presently being taught or proposed for being prevention and reduction dimensions of risk management.
taught to the students. May be their narration may have
to change so that the idea of living with these risks by While studying, students will automatically relate to what
managing them well becomes evident in the narration. was studied earlier and will have their learnings of perils and
Therefore, there may not be a need for separate insurance risk management reinforced.
course/topic for those subjects which are already being
covered else where in the prescribed syllabus. There is no shortage of live cases in all these areas, stories
have to be developed based on these live cases.
The crux is to start each topic positively and end positively.
Ending negative events with a positivity is the most difficult All these three stages have to be compulsory and not
art. But I have often seen, talent capable of doing it. PGDM optional. May be another optional stage with little intensive
students of one of the batches at National Insurance content on topic of insurance may be planned for students
Academy Pune presented a beautiful skit very effectively beyond secondary school (beyond middle level).
exhibiting the plight of a poor farmer suffering from crop
failure, and being cruelly exploited by a heartless Money- Project – “From Drawing Board to
Lender. Contrasting his plight with another farmer who held
his own because of the protection offerred by the insurance Schools”
cover he had availed. A project inviting, from different stakeholders, particulary
from young minds who can come out with novel ideas, the
Stage 2 – Risk Management topics to be included, the development of stories / games
and suggestions on the levels at which such teaching has to
After the first stage there has to be a gap of at least one take place and other pedagogical tools for teaching these
year before the second stage of teaching.
drab and dull subjects in an interesting manner, will help a
lot in clearance from the drawing board and in developing
Suggested Topics: In the second stage, children should be a satisfactory prototype.
taught about the Safety and Risk Management. It should
not only cover Road Safety (including safety features built Competitions on a large scale may be organised. Good
into the vehicle) but also Home Safety (including topics like write-ups have to be duly rewarded with prizes. Practices
earth-quake resistant buildings) and Work-Place Safety in other countries can offer good examples for being
(including use of helmets, goggles etc, and the idea of a place
replicated. Compile, analyse, select and assimilate them
for every thing and every thing in its place). Safety in digital
into the final scheme ready for rollout. Local language
life, role of discipline and compliance with rules / regulations translation is a must. For few initial years model templates
is another area of importance. Assessment, Prevention, and on contents of each topic may be maintained at a central
Reduction strategies have to be covered. All topics to be
repository so that state educational authorities may chose
illustrated with good true stories of personalities from the the ones they find suitable for being incorporated in the
field of sports, films, and science.
curriculm.
While studying these topics students will automatically
realte to what was studied in the earlier stage thus the Training Teachers
system will reinforce their earlier learning. Motivated teachers will always deliver far in excess of
expectations. The project is incomplete unless these crucial
Stage 3- Insurance elements of implementation are trained appropriately.
Again there has to be gap of about a year (at least) between Initially for a year or two, a team of good faculty should
the second and third stage. undertake massive exercise of training school teachers in
different states /zones.
Suggested Topics: Basics of life as well as non-life insurance.
Care should be taken to see that the contents are free from Views expressed above, some may feel to be elementary
technicalities and legalities. Contents should not be intensive and premature or may not be to one's liking. Yes it is
and have to be more moderate than the earlier topics of possible. Unless all the persons who do matter take interest
perils and risk management. Even while introducing students and express their views and counter views, how can such a
to the topic of insurance, the emphasis should be on challenging task / dream will ever become a reality? T

28 The Insurance Times, July 2020