Value Based Education - A Must For Society!!!!!!!

Education is the movement from darkness to light. It is most powerful tool which we can use to change the world. It is learning of what u didn’t know.Swami Vivekananda points out "Education is the manifestation of perfection already existing in man". According to him that Education is required by which character is formed, strength of the mind is increased, intellect is expanded and by which one can stand on one’s own feet." Dr. S. Radhakrishnan emphasizes the role the heart needs to play in aiding the intellect. He says "Education to be complete, must be humane. It must include not only the training of the intellect, but the refinement of the heart and the discipline of the spirit".

The Phrase 'Value Based Education', in wide use in present times comes closest in meaning to the Sanskrit word 'Vidya' as it was used by the Gurus or preceptors of ancient India. 'Vid - ya' means that which illumines. As such, it was identified with knowledge that illumines the mind and soul. Since the imparting of knowledge was the aim of education, over a period of time, education also came to be known as 'Vidya'. But, the highest goal of Vidya as visualized by the seers and seekers was to understand the Ultimate Truth or Reality.

I believe that value based educations are mandatory in all aspects of life.It is said that you may not be the very best person in the world but the day you have values in you a person may not like you as person of good behavior but a person of values.And the day you start taking your values seriously the goodness follows, ill thoughts stop coming in your mind and you all the more relaxed than before.Criminals of our society may be good at heart but it is because they lack values they end up themselves in various crimes.Children need to be taught basic skills that will help them make a living and get along in life, of course. But if they come from homes that seem to be without values or with bad ones, a values based education can help them see each other's humanity and contribute to a more peaceful world in which they can use these skills for profit and for good.Good morals from early childhood, from family and society, help the people to grow as good citizens. These moral values enable them to distinguish the right from the wrong. If one understands the situation with patience, he can avoid many problems. Moral values are an essential part of our culture and by not adopting these moral values, we destroy our culture. A country's first impression is its culture and by neglecting moral values we neglect our culture and by neglecting our culture we neglect our country

I believe that we are making our new generation, who are studying in thousands of schools across India, engage in nothing but crude cramming. We are taught how to solve complicated mathematical problems, how to speak English without any errors, how to create a web page for oneself, how to apply managerial skills, but we are not taught how to handle stress, how to overcome fear, how to face difficult situations without being shaken.Value based education is a tool which not only provides us a profession which we can pursue but also a purpose in life. The purpose of our life is undoubtedly to know oneself and be ourselves. We cannot do it unless we learn to identify ourselves with all that lives. It is very aptly said that:

“The true value of an education is in providing a wisdom tool to each and every student to make a good life than merely making a living out of the acquired knowledge from the school”.

The author of this article is Assistant Professor, Pioneer Institute of Professional Studies