Education is for life and not for living. But this exactly does not fit in today’s education system. We feel education is for living and not for life. We all know that how crucial role education play in shaping the lives of everyone. The present curriculum needs re-framing and overhauling. In the rat race we have forgotten that the end of education is to build a strong character to make a strong nation. We often see that a person holding degree of M.Sc. physics depends on an electrician to fix the fuse whereas an M.A. in English is unable to draft an application independently. Unfortunately we are still in the clutches of age old system of education that promotes clerical culture.Present day education system is not fulfilling its primary aim. It has just become a mean of passing information rather than transforming human beings. In other words, we can say that imparting education has turned artificial rather than heartifical. The time has come to re-design our pattern of education where we need not merely produce mechanical humans devoid of human values. Instead they should be taught about the uniqueness of Indian culture, value system. karma theory etc. from the very beginning stage of learning. Education must also focus on the basic values of living in unity in a society.In the present fast paced life, we fail to realize that today we are family but tomorrow when our children will have families, they will become society for their own children and ultimately we will be the first victim of the same. Let us teach our children the three very important values- Love for God, Fear of sin and Respect for the law of society. Now, we need to introspect, are we really teaching our children these core values? There is a dire need to teach our children about concern for nature-the ultimate creation of God. We belong to a country where we worship every bit of nature that is created by God but unfortunately we still rely on memorizing English rhymes in the initial stages of learning instead of emphasizing on teaching values to these tender minds. Instead of preaching them about sufferings, we must take them to the slums, orphanage, old age homes to inculcate in them the value of empathy. Children should be taught to abide the laws of society. They should be self- disciplined as while using their head and hands, they must listen to their inner conscience.

Western world has already acknowledged our caliber and has adopted our way of living but we, in India still look towards them and follow them blindly leaving our culture and tradition behind. We always strive to make our children Great rather than making them Good. To incorporate values in young minds, we need to nourish them with ethics in harmony with the changes taking place in the modern world. It should be a blend of modern and traditional values. If we, the facilitators will not take this responsibility to guide this bizarre generation, then the day is not far away when these children will bear the fruits of success in some foreign land using our own mother land just for their self-growth only. Let’s teach our children the 5D’s concept of devotion, discrimination between right and wrong, discipline, determination and duty. Besides this, we need to instill in students a deep faith for their teachers as it is going to have positive and long lasting impact and make them worthy citizens of New Bharat. Teacher’s community must gear up to face the challenges and educate the children to adopt 4F’s in their lives i.e. follow the master, face the devil (prevailing evils in oneself or in the society), fight till end and finish the game.

– KUMKUM VARSHNEY

Managing Director SKV Academy Kasganj