Sasietho Felix
Assistant Professor, St. Joseph's College
We are living in the 21st century, in which technological changes have brought widespread transformations in the social and cultural aspect of human life. Human behavior have become so empty like an empty vessel and education without values We are living in the world where science and technology are advancing at the very fast rate but societiesare facing problems of alcohol, drug abuse, mental illness, stress crime and the abuse of technology by the youths or addiction to social media.
Therefore, the teaching of values is the need of the hour and the importance of inculcating values in the minds of the students/youths should be the priority of every institutions for the future of the society and the country depends on the youths to which direction they intend to take to but it is a sad reality that we see today in our families and society at large. Today, teaching faculty in the country is facing an endless and challenging task of imparting value education and value based education as against many destructive non values such as arrogance, egotism, domination, corruption and money power in the society base on justice, equality and common fellowship teachers have a special capacity to influence students and shape the moral character and so society expects them to develop not only factual learning but also ethical values to the students to create a peaceful environment that would foster the spirit of fraternityto all mankind.
Education is essential for all round developmentof a child but education without moral values does not make a person educated as it is directly linked with the society. As we are living in the society every person is judge on what kind person he/she is and not by the standard and qualifications he/she have achieved. Education and values are different sides of the same coin which is inseparable. We are asked to uphold the social values of the society and without it education alone does not have a place in the society. According to Gandhiji, “real education does not consist in packing the brain with information, facts and figures or in passing examination by reading prescribed number of books, but by developing right character.”
In a culturally plural society, education should foster universal and eternal values oriented towards the utility and the integration of peopleand not the division of the society by the so call social evils that exists in our minds and hearts. Valueeducation should help to eliminate religious fanaticism, violence, superstition, tribalism, corruption etc. as itis against ourcultural heritage, national goals and universal perception to do these things teachers have a great role to play as professionals and citizens so as to be agents of development and bring change in the society. Every effort should be made to light a candle instead of cursing and sow the seeds of values with hope that teachers would diffuse their own fragrance towards the creation of a just and new society as they sprout and blossom.
Today, educators have made a lot of contribution by using different classroom situations to inculcate values but this is an age where our past is irrelevant, the present uncertain and the future is confuse and fearful. They have rejected the traditional values and violated the rules of the society as we see today. The young youths are confused with questions like who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? They are searching for an identity for a purpose in life and for a meaningful human destiny. However, the search is difficult as their vision is blurred due to various pressures from within and outside. Hence, there is disequilibrium. It is a call to the teachers to cater the needs of the students by guiding and imparting the right values as they need a friend and a role model to fellow The role of teachers is vital as of today because various forms of counselling from parents is becoming uncommon. In most households, parents come late from work and when the students find their house empty, they turn to other channels for pleasure until their parents return. This has become disastrous in the minds of the youths as they spend their time in loneliness without care.
In the present scenario colleges and universities are expected to produce graduates with unflinching integrity, confidence, competence, devotion etc. and quality education. In short, a man of character but instead the present day youths is surrounded by jeans and jazz, rum and rock, drugs and daggers. They are confused with the market ideas, theories and lifestyles that are outside. They pursue their goals to please their parents but end up choosing the wrong part due to peer pressures or lack of values. Thus, they should be taught to exercise their own judgment, make decisions and develop the capacity to live without doubts to realize their worth by imparting intellectual values such as honesty, respect, tolerance, truth etc. for a peaceful society to live in without anti social elements.
Value education is not taught but learned byan individual. However, as teachers we can teach them with our exemplary lives and action for them to learn. Wemust teach them the art of life and not the art to live because education without values is not quality education. So can we be a role model to the students with all the ethical values? It is a challenging task but know that we are agents of change to remove the problems faced by the students today by teaching the right moral values for a better tomorrow.
