Cutting the Creative Wings

Education is definitely a very important need for any children and it forms the vital essence for social and cultural growths. It is equally important to understand the way the people are educated. But the systematic education system followed by its own set of rules in these current days does not make a student to a scholar. However education is viewed more in terms of earning money rather than gaining knowledge. Engineering, Medicine degrees are more valued than Arts, Commerce or any other degrees for the only reason that an Engineering or Medicine degree can help to earn more money. I wonder, in reality, does discrimination exists when it comes to different fields of education?

Apparently, the main concern for the parents and children these days are to pass from lower standards to higher standards rather than learning new things. I don’t think at any instance an engineer is more superior to an accountant for an only reason that he is an engineer. In fact, he doesn’t know what an accountant knows. Recently I was reading a book about a Hangman who meets his school teacher after a long time and feels very bad to reveal himself as a hangman before his teacher. But the teacher explains him that in no way he is superior to him only because he is a teacher. Every job should be done by someone here and that is the Dharma.

But education in our view has become more like a practice to find a money earning job. And when it comes to Public Examinations the case has become too far worse. These exams are projected as life deciding exams and so personal living is restricted for a student. In the name of aggressive and intense coaching, freedom is taken away from them. And people scoring low marks in these exams are humiliated to the core. And a skeptic view is created about their future too.

A good education should develop an individual’s skills. It should not cut the creative wings of an individual. Instead, we are cutting their wings and teaching them only what is written in the text books. Here is a classic example…

Teacher: What does a cow gives us?

Student: Dung

Teacher: No…Its Milk

Student: But why shouldn’t I say dung?

Teacher: Ahh…You are abnormal. Why do I get oddballs in my class?

The answer from the later is definitely as valid as the answer from the former. But here the student is perceived as an oddball. This is the real case with many students here. We are teaching the students only to by heart the texts from the books and encouraging them to choose an education which can give them more money. We do not identify and nourish their creative skills and make them to be a scholar in the society.

An alternative education system has to be sought here. All professions should be viewed without bias. Be it Media, Politics, Engineering, Literature, Medicine etc….All should viewed with their own credits. Education should be valued more than money. And that could form a society of peace, happiness and joy.