Value Education

Education builds character, increases strength of mind and expands intellect. Education of values is an old concept under a new Name. Why Education of values? The definition of Education itself is the indicator. Then why is it the subject of discussion, now? The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India, in its National Education Policy 1986 states that “The growing concern over erosion of essential values and an increasing cynicism in society have brought to focus the need for readjustments in the curriculum in order to make education a forceful tool for the cultivation of social and moral values”.
How are values born?

The craving for happiness; which lies deep within the heart of every human being, gives birth to the values. How does one define happiness? What is that feeling? Is it material success, instant gratification, prestige, power, wealth and so on? Or does happiness lie in relationships of kindness and human dignity, in peace of soul and freedom and loyalty? Any sensible adult knows which values will bring us real happiness.

According to Manu “it is the aggregate of Dharma, Artha and Kama (Trivarga) that secure welfare and happiness”. Further Manu says that “the desire (Kama) and the material wealth (Artha) must be rejected if these are contrary to Dharma (righteousness)”.

Truthfulness, to be free from anger, sharing wealth with others (Samvibhaga) forgiveness, procreation of children from one’s wife alone (sexual morality), purity, absence of enmity, straight forwardness, maintaining persons dependent on oneself are the nine rules of Dharma - Mahabharatha - Shantiparva 60-7-8.

The advice given to students by Taittiriya Upanishad is intended to fulfil the ideal of enjoying peace and happiness.

Speak the truth; follow the prescribed conduct.
Don’t fail to pay attention to truth.
Never fail to perform duty.
Don’t disregard what is proper and good
Treat your mother, father and teacher and guest as equal to God.
Those acts that are irreproachable alone are to be performed and not those that are forbidden.
This is the directive. This is the advice.
This is the discipline (to be observed throughout life).

The values were passed on to us by our parents without much effort. But there is heavy external competition in this Twentieth Century, a powerful purveyor of values, keeps us handcuffed in our houses in the form of TV and Video. Hence it has become more important for us to monitor the values to which our children are exposed and guide them in developing values which will make them happy and enable them to make others happy.

It is now our responsibility to educate the children in values. The children have to be inspired by motivated teachers. The students have to develop values from National goals, Universal brotherhood, Morality, Character etc. The education of values not only makes one a good citizen but also imbibes friendship, cooperation, kindness, self-discipline, self-criticism, patience, courage and social justice. The teacher should be able to develop moral values like faith, truthfulness, mutual dependence and love. The values have to be inculcated, developed by experience, by guidance, by community participation. A curriculum exclusively to teach values would not serve the purpose and will not achieve the desired results.

Objectives: Before framing a curriculum one must set the objectives. What values are to be developed in the students? Or do we go about with the presumption that the students have acquired basic values at the lower level and hence plan to develop other areas not yet exposed to? Or do we go about from the beginning?

The psychological attitude of the students at Intermediate stage which is adolescent stage is highly volatile but flexible, and can be moulded. A right atmosphere has to be created in formulating any curriculum to develop values.

Components: Basic among the values is equality. The Rig Veda and Atharvana Veda have incorporated the charter of equality (Samanata) in them.

Rig Veda:­
No one is superior (ajyestasa) or inferior (akanishtasa)
All are brothers (ete bhrataraha)
All should strive for the interests of all and should progress collectively.
(Mandala 5 - Sukta 60 Mantra-5)
Let there be oneness in your resolutions, hearts and minds.
Let the Strength live with mutual co-operation, be firm in all.
(Mandala-10, Sukta-191-mantra-4.)

Atharvana Veda:­ All have equal rights in articles of food and water. The yoke of the chariot of life is placed equally on the shoulders of all. All should live together in harmony supporting one another like the spokes of a wheel of the chariot connecting its rim and the hub.
(Atharvana Veda - Sanjnana Sukta.)

The students can develop these values from the subjects they study. The lessons may be so planned to develop in the student.....

a)  democratic way of life, nationalism, rights and responsibilities, respect of religions, co­operation, living with mutual co-operation and responsibility towards society.
b) Understanding of diverse cultures, races, religions, languages etc.
c)  Self-cleanliness, health and family welfare.
d) Methods for self, family and society’s betterment.
e)  Time management
f)  Participation in group activities.
g)  Appreciation of art and culture.
h)  Appreciation and recognition of cultural heritage of the country.
i)   Good health habits.
j)  Understanding of the importance of exercise.

The core components of the value education at Intermediate stage could be
a)  Constitutional obligations.
b) Nationality.
c)  Equitorianism (Secular, Democratic Principle).
d) Equality of sex.
e)  Environmental protection.
f)  Religious tolerance.
g)  Health, exercise and family welfare.
h)  Responsibility towards society.
i)   Truthfulness, sincerity, honesty and integrity.
j)  Scientific approach.
k) Empowerment and community.

Values are infections if youngsters find them being lived out by adults whom they like and respect. Parents and teachers who are happy, joyful and free are more likely to find these young people receptive. The teacher should be the model, should be emulative. A student generally follows the behaviour, the attitude, the mannerism of the teacher. The teacher should practice the values he wishes to develop in the taught.

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan says: “We must try to train a large number of young men and women who have character. We must have young men and women who look upon others as the living images of themselves.....By merely becoming literate without the development of comparison we become demoniac.” He further says: “The function of the Universities is not merely to send out technically skilled and professionally competent men, but it is their duty to produce in them the quality of compassion ..... each human individual is to be regarded as a spark of the divine”.

The teacher should be able to develop in the student a behaviour approved and appreciated by the society. Development of values cannot be totally taught but can be imbibed by participation. Methodology of such participation could be through art, songs, drama, monoaction, free speech etc. Instead of developing an independent curriculum these concepts may be taught through the teaching of language as language is the vehicle of ideas.

The topics in the form of essays, short stories, songs, poems, life histories can be selected as lessons. Thus apart from teaching only language, grammar and literature the student is also exposed to various aspects of values and can develop the necessary virtues in him. The teacher should be able to convey the moral and the values highlighted in the lesson.

It is time now for us to introduce the science of “Yoga”. What is Yog? Yog means Union. The Yog sutra of Patanjali defines Yog as “controlling our mental processes”. One of the important components of Yog is “Yam” and the five Yams are Ahimsa( non-violence), Satya(Truthfulness), Asteya(non-stealing), Brahmacharya(celibacy) and Aparigraha (non-desire). The second step is Niyam and the five niyams are Purity, Contentment, Austerity, Self-study and Worship of God. The third is discipline of food. Fourth is the Asanas for health. The fifth is Meditation, which will unfold the infinite potential latent in the human mind and foster the frictionless flow of creative intelligence.

Values cannot be measured. Hence evaluation of only the values in a student may be wrongly judged. A person’s personality or character could be judged to some extent by his behavioral pattern which can be tested through well-planned psychology tests. Such basic tests can be formulated and periodical testing done to rectify or modulate or mould the behavioral pattern of the student.

It should be noted that value education should be based on the principles of gradualism and uniformitarianism. Let us make a beginning and enter into this experience with the students in a spirit of hope and conviction.

I conclude with quotations from Swami Vivekananda:
“.....If there is darkness of centuries in a room and we go into the room and begin to cry “Oh, it is dark, it is dark!” will darkness go? Bring in the light and the darkness will vanish at once.”
“Education is not mere learning but becoming.”
“Give me a few men and women who are pure and selfless and I shall shake the World.”
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‘The power of man has grown in every sphere except over himself. Man lacks harmony within and without and our planet has become a discordant orchestra with each member playing a different note.’