There is a need to impart value education to school students to make them responsible citizens with values of honesty, transparency, discipline, compassion, harmony and unity, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday.

“When I was a student, I was taught lobh-ey paap, paap-ey mrityu (greed is sin, sin leads to death),” she said.

“These are some values a student will never forget in life if taught in school. But schools do not inculcate such values nowadays…. I think value education needs to be imparted in schools,” she said while addressing school students, teachers and guardians at Nazrul Mancha.

Beltala Girls’ High School, a state-aided girls’ institution in Kalighat, had organised the event to celebrate its 100 years.

The government will provide a grant of Rs 1.25 crore to the school for its development, the chief minister announced .

Mamata advised teachers working in state-aided schools to ensure young students are taught to go beyond narrow-thinking. They should never indulge themselves in envy and negativity, she said. Teachers will have to bear the key responsibility of preparing the next generation with ideals of honesty, transparency, discipline, compassion, harmony and unity, she said.

The government provides bicycles to students between classes XI and XII in the districts except for in the Hills. The scheme is not meant for the students in Calcutta. “Bicycles are not meant for city roads. I was not aware of this (about the scheme not applicable to city). We will soon announce a scheme for city school students,” she said.

In the Hills, students are provided with raincoats and shoes. “We can follow the Darjeeling model in Calcutta schools. Or they can be given something they will benefit from... a final decision is still to be taken,” a department official said.