How much important is education to student?

Raju Athokpam *

There is an ancient Chinese saying, "If you plan for one year, plant rice. If you plan for ten years, plant trees. If you plan for 100 years, educate mankind." I am also with the view that all human beings are born equal and it is not the hereditary but the education that classifies an individual. Therefore, it is essential to be scientific as well as objective in the approach on how we walk on the road to education.

I would like this article to target especially the XII th Class student who recently cleared the examination and opting for graduation. However, it is equally an important moral vision to all the students and their parents.

Christ Jyoti School, Mantripukhri, Imphal - Picture Courtesy :: David M Mayum
To browse the full photo Gallery on this School Science Exhibition, click here and here and here

A sound career view to the students:

For a student, it is very important to thoroughly analyse the career path ahead of you and that, you decide wisely which subject to pursue. One should be aware that the direction is more important than speed. In other words, a student should not go for engineering degree, deluding by the progressive software jobs in India or by any other exiting opportunity, if he is weak in science subjects or if he can excel more in a humanity subjects.

You should not be caught in the web of getting typecasted thereby following a path in which you are being told or strongly suggested. The final decision should be yours to choose the career path. By talking a simple analogy you will be able to sense it. We might not have known who Mary Kom is, had she been a Chess player or that she pursued any other conventional line of study. Twelfth class pass is considered one of the most crucial time in formulating your career path and as a general rule, one faces hurdles exponentially with time. The later he opt for a different career path, the bigger challenges he has to face.

Twelfth class pass is the demarcating time-line between sharpening your dreams and starting to implement for its achievement. Now all your future fantasies are halted, you close your eyes and you really started to work in full rigour on achieving it. You gain self-motivation when you find a ray of hope to reach there. These struggling days, you will never forget in your life; rather it will behave as a morale booster to attain more heights in the later days of your life.

A social view to the students:

You are the future pillar to the society and it's welfare depends on the student to a very great extend. A society is nourished when the number of educated students increase and join hands together in action for a common cause, a better tomorrow. It is kept at it's best by segregating the elements of society, then rationally modernizing those elements that need reformation and at the same time, reviving those wise elements that are gradually deteriorated.

This will help a society to grow economically, socially and even legally and politically. This will preserve it's deserving root identity. In short I would like to state, Modern and Tradition in equilibrium. The younger generation will be able to follow you with inspiration in contributing towards a better society and in building their own sound individual outlook.

Under a formal legislation, your fundamental rights can be claim, if they are violated by any unwanted element. You will be able to appreciate the advantage of being a son of this soil, abide by the law of land. At the same time, you will be able to judge the use of forces by the state authority, it's legitimate dues and it's remedy.

"The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton". An enlighten soul will be able to disseminate his profound thought in his surrounding, near or far. It will enlighten the rest and makes all a conscious being. I am sure a good educated student like you will not use this weapon on evil things.

A personality view to the students:

The attitudinal, emotional and behavioral attributes of an individual defines his outlook. Your personality will be exemplified by your social status. Your social status will come from the work you do. The work will be attributed by the nature of the job, the amount of service rendered by you to the society, the earning of your job etc.

In a nutshell, a good personality has to be molded out from you by you for you. You will then be proud of yourself. People will respect you more for 'what you know' rather than 'who you know'.

A philosophical view to the students:

We all live a life, but we don't live only with the popular but primitive believe like "Survival for the fittest", "Struggle for existence" etc propounded by Charles Darwin in biological sense and by Hebert Spencer in sociological sense. We have other dimensions beyond a simple struggling for existence. We have an aim in life, we all have a purpose. However abstract the aim may be, it makes us lift little above the primitive state of being and from other living beings.

This induces us to use our cognitive faculty called 'reason' to pursue the higher ground. The progress as well as the development in life are the intended and the natural consequences of it. They are the quality and quantity respectively. The progress is your morality and the development is your personality, both with respect to the society we live in. Hence a morality is born in the community. The educated moral philosophers like you will shape up this general morality, the morality of all the people as a whole.

Dear students, I hope this message finds you in good spirit and helps you build success in the challenges ahead. Please don't hesitate to contact me for any suggestions, I will be delighted to help you in my limit. Wishing you all the best. Excel it!