Curious Case Of Our Education System
Saratchandra Ayekpam *
According to Martin Luther King Jr.: "Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education." And according to Aristotle: "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."
What is education? Is it just book-learning? No doubt, our education system has provided enough meritorious students with good marks.
But the purpose of education is not only to prepare students for academic success but also to create good values with social awareness, relationship, innovation and creativity, responsibilities etc.
Learning without wisdom is of no use. I am not saying that students with good marks are all lack in good values and moral. Looking to our current society trend, why do so many intelligent, educated, respected bureaucrats, doctors, engineers etc. succumb to corruption though I am not blaming all bureaucrats, doctors and engineers.
So what is the exact purpose of education in our education system? In our education system, it seems rather to make man a more clever devil.
According to Nelson Mandela: "Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world."
For any lasting change to happen in the society, society has to change in terms of its behaviour, attitudes and values.
According to 2011 Census, our state has a literacy rate of 79.8 % which is above all India average (73%) but still there are so many crimes, hatred, corruption etc. Yes, a lack of a set of good values is why such crimes, hatred, corruption etc. happens in our society.
Leaders, politicians, policy-makers and all of us should think over and ask this simple question: where our education system is leading?
The answer to this fundamental question will determine our society and where we will go as a society in times to come.
* Saratchandra Ayekpam wrote this article for e-pao.net
The writer is a Research Scholar (MBA) at Assam university and can be reached at ayekpam(dot)sarat(at)gmail(dot)com
This article was posted on December 21, 2014.
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