The Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) is one of the premier institutions working in the field of linking education with culture. Established in 1979, it functions as an autonomous organization under the aegis of Ministry of Culture, Government of India. At the philosophical core of the CCRT lies a commitment to holistic education, encompassing the cognitive, emotional and spiritual development of children. To this end the CCRT conducts education grounded in cultural knowledge and understanding as conducive to clarity, creativity, independence of thought, tolerance and compassion.
CCRT's main thrust is to make variety of training programmes for in-service teachers, teacher educators, educational administrators and students throughout the country. It also organizes special training programmes for children with special needs. The training programmes provide an understanding and appreciation of the philosophy, aesthetics and beauty inherent in Indian art and culture and focus on formulating methodologies for incorporating a cultural component in curriculum teaching. The role of culture in science and technology, housing, agriculture, sports i.e. in all aspects of development and growth is emphasised.
Following are the statistics of the main results achieved by CCRT during 2016-2020:
1. Conducted 3979 Orientation Courses for middle, secondary and senior secondary school teachers.
Orientation Courses are organized for in-service Middle/Secondary/Senior Secondary School teachers and Teacher Educators from all parts of the country. They are approximately of three weeks duration and consist of a variety of programmes such as lectures, lecture-demonstrations, practical classes and educational tours to places of natural and cultural interest. The Training Programme introduces the participating teachers to the rich fabric of our artistic and cultural heritage. It is designed to give the teachers an idea of the variety of creative expressions in India and how children can be exposed to the same.
2. Conducted 9076 thematic workshops on subjects like 'Role of Puppetry in Education', 'Our Cultural Diversity', 'Integrating Craft Skills in School Education', 'Role of Schools in Conservation of Heritage', for school teachers throughout the country. Through these workshops, teachers are introduced to innovative methods in classroom teaching that encourage creativity and sensitivity in children. They also aim at creating awareness about natural and cultural heritage of India, incorporating new methodologies for creative work in classroom teaching, using specific art forms and puppetry as an aid to education.
3. Trained 16976 teachers in remote and rural parts of the country through its workshops for 'District Resource Persons'.
District Resource Persons workshops are specifically designed for teachers working in remote and rural parts of India. These Workshops stress on the need to present India as a cultural entity to the teachers and students. Various themes covered under these workshops are architectural and sculptural heritage, folklore and lifestyle of rural and tribal India, visual, and oral performing arts and other fine arts of India. The emphasis is on the need to go beyond the political and geographical boundaries and encourage the participants to share heritage and values. The participants are also trained to conduct short term workshops in other districts of the country under the guidance of respective Principals and District Education Authorities.
4. Established 798 'Cultural Clubs' for school students throughout the country
The promotion, preservation and dissemination of information on India's cultural heritage have been the prime concern of CCRT. With these objectives in mind, it has undertaken the task of setting up Cultural Clubs in schools across the country. These Cultural Clubs provide an avenue to students to form a collective voice to raise awareness of prevalent concerns and encourage active participation in fostering a welcoming, caring and sensitive community.
5. Conducted 7 training and capacity building workshops on 'Cultural Management' for students and professionals in collaboration with various universities.
These workshops are specifically designed to provide regular training and mentoring opportunities to professionals working in the culture sector, such as museum curators, librarians, archaeologists, administrative staff and teachers. These are held in collaboration with public authorities and civil society organizations.