EDUCATION -II

 

EDUCATION-II

Even to-day people wait and wait for a government job. They have their preference for a “protected” employment until death or retirement terminates the job. Our people are more conscious of protection for self than associating with hard and productive / involved work any how or somewhere. As a nation, we are tuned to looking at education merely as a prospect of employment, that too government employment. Even our Doctors and Engineers look for government placements. Only if avenues are supersaturated, people are willing to look for alternatives. With such a target in mind they get qualified but not educated. In the process, the finer aspects of education get relegated. Here in I try to survey these aspects.

Historic events:

All human exercises like, Prayer, Yoga, Pilgrimage, Dance, Learning the Vedas, Music, Martial art, Mathematics, History, Using of war weapons, Art, Painting, Architecture, Building  massive temples and so on have been part of  Indian culture. Epics and Scriptures of the highest order have been handed down to the generations of our people.

All these were in vogue long before the British history on the Indian soil. My reference to these items is to remind ourselves that ‘Education’ has been in vogue. The British imparted the western form of education which was essential for their style of administration. The derivatives of the British brand of education have been Science education, use of special tools and technology, Education in Law and Medicine in their present form. As a corollary, our infrastructure for these were created and amplified. Another major thrust was the use of English in these activities. People may dispute the value of English, but, for the discerning it is a boon. It has been our window to the world.

The Purpose of Education:

Education in any form has the ultimate purpose of refining and moulding the individuals to be worthy citizens of integrity and character. In all civilizations, these values have been considered essential for social progress and all round development. In order that an individual acquires or undergoes the right transformations, a methodic learning of lessons is essential. Such values are progressively infused into the receptive mind. Any receptive mind clearly understands the idea[s] at least over a period of time. All other benefits from education are secondary and useless unless our character stands upright. It is here that our people have misled themselves in to believing that getting a remunerative job in a government –controlled system is the ultimate. All the plethora of evils that pervade our public administration can be traced to persons of dubious character. Ironically strict morals are expected of everyone else, but not from self. This malady also springs from the character that has no concern for others. It destroys order and tranquility in general.

Mental elevation and social concern are products of proper learning from any study.

High offices held and ruined by persons of doubtful integrity cannot be blamed on education. It is a sign of moral decadence or profound selfishness with no concern for others.

To continue                                                                                            Prof. K. Raman