STRATEGIES AND CHALLENGES FOR VALUE EDUCATION

OUTLINE INTRODUCTION VALUES VALUE EDUCATION

BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO OUR EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION EDUCATION IS SYNONYMOUS WITH – (A) EXAMINATION (B) EMPLOYMENT (C) EMPOWERMENT

WHERE AS EDUCATION OUGHT TO BE SYNONYMOUS WITH – (A) EMANCIPATION (B) ENNOBLEMENT (C) EVOLUTION

PRESENT EDUCATION Non-existence of Joint family system and the Gurukul system has adversely affected the present education system. Designed purely for money making instead of focussing on man-making has resulted in a lopsided education system promoting negative qualities like jealousy, hatred, and rivalry instead of virtues like kindness, compassion and honesty.

Absence of a holistic approach towards a harmonious development of the body, mind and soul An imbalanced growth of knowledge concerning only the external world around us and a gross neglect of the inner self

WHAT SHOULD EDUCATION BE LIKE? Education should not be mere information or stuffing of facts Education should not be for mere living Education should not be confused with knowledge regarding material world Education is basically the actualization of the potential already present in man

EDUCATION ENCOMPASSES VALUES VALUES ARE EMBEDDED IN THE CONCEPT OF “EDUCATION”. SO, “VALUE EDUCATION” IS A TAUTOLOGY

WHAT ARE “VALUES” Values are standards or principles guiding our thoughts and actions, feelings and emotions regulating our power of reasoning. Values may be intrinsic, coming from within or they may be extrinsic, which are practised.

VALUES FROM WITHIN COMPASSION EMPATHY KINDNESS LOVE MERCY SYMPATHY

VALUES TO BE PRACTISED PUNCTUALITY DISCIPLINE OBEDIENCE RESPONSIBILITY CONDUCT CHARACTER

IMPORTANCE OF VALUES Values act as guidelines – values tell one what one ought to do and ought not to do By determining one’s thoughts, actions, emotions and reasoning, Values constitute a person’s identity and character Values bring quality and meaning to life making us realize that WHAT WE ARE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT WE HAVE

WHY ‘ VALUE EDUCATION’ ? IF “EDUCATION” ENCOMPASSES “VALUES” THEN WHAT IS THE NEED FOR VALUE EDUCATION? WHY HAS THIS TAUTOLOGOUS CONCEPT GIVEN GROUND AND POPULARITY? BECAUSE EDUCATION HAS FORGOTTEN ITS TRUE NATURE AND MOVED AWAY FROM VALUES

REPETITION A COMMON PRACTICE We generally repeat a word again and again if we have to hammer in something. Repetition acts as a reminder. “Value Education” is used to harp on the word “value” to remind education that it ought to include values in it. To remind “EDUCATION” of its FORGOTTEN IDENTITY

STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP VALUE EDUCATION Awareness is to be built regarding the importance and URGENCY of changing the present education system Innovative and enjoyable devices are to be adopted to provide a platform for embracing value based education

VALUES ARE CAUGHT RATHER THAN TAUGHT Values are unconsciously imbibed from the immediate environment Parents, teachers, peers – all have a significant role to play A gradual attempt at indoctrination of the right values through various activities

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES GAMES YOGASANAS DANCE DRAMA DEBATES STORY TELLING MORAL VALUE CLASSES

MENTAL ACTIVITIES SELF-INTROSPECTION SOLVING RIDDLES AND PUZZLES PRAYER MEDITATION

Academic Institutions must work in collaboration with non-profit purely Spiritual organizations for training their teachers in VALUE Education who will, in turn, train the students.