EDUCATION IS A SACRED JOB


EDUCATION IS A SACRED JOB
INTRODUCTION:
I call Education as a Sacred Job because it deals with the lives of children who can be formed or deformed at an early age. Seeing the ‘divine in them’ makes it more a sacred job. It is interesting to see almost every parent struggling to send their children to different schools, colleges, universities for education in reputed institutions. Even illiterate parents want their children educated. Is it not for the future sustenance and wellbeing of the future adults? “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to people who prepare for it today” (Malcolm X). You may be one such parent or one such child/adult who is educated. Education involves formation of the human self. This formation is a sacred job and not just a mere career oriented towards money. Unless a person sees the presence of God in the Child, his/her teaching will hardly have any effect; his/her dedication will be minimal or below-expected unless s/he considers the child as an extension of God Himself. Therefore, we are all not teachers in the sacred sense of the word.
INTELLECT Vs REVERENCE:
Gone are the days when students held their gurus with high esteem. With the hype importance given to intellect and marks, there is erosion of respect and reverence towards teachers and elders. This is a negative phenomena and a sickness of the modern society. There are ugly incidences of students stabbing teachers or students beating teachers. If RTE forbids corporal punishment to students, I am not sure whether RTE has given students, the reign to beat up teachers. Students are called ‘students’ because they are on the process of learning. Can the pumpkin claim to be water melon?
Intellect has developed but reverence is lacking. Critical faculties are given free play but sympathy, the power that binds and builds, is receding. Knowledge without sympathy does more harm than good. Mere Nuclear knowledge can do harm without love for human kind.
THINKING Vs REALITY:
Just a mere ideological insight about teaching or care of students is far from reality of the class room. Mere knowledge of few sentences of some proverbs does not make one a good teacher and gives the right to dictate on the teaching community. Teaching is the oldest profession on earth. It is learn more by experience than mere book-reading. Just like, no doctor wants his/her patient to die, so does every good teacher want his/her pupil to shine in life. ‘Builder’ is another synonym for ‘Teacher’. Discovering the real purpose of being a teacher and discovering the real being of the student is a teacher’s sacred job.
SACRED VALUES:
In the beginning I said, “Education is a sacred job.” Have we become more appreciative of the deeper values which alone give meaning and significance to life? Through education, have we learnt love, forgiveness, sincerity, truthfulness, faithfulness, patriotism? If yes, our education has been a blessing. If not, our education has been faulty at some point. The human family or human race is not ruled by mere money, wealth, competition. The universal and inherited values actually rule the world. If these values recede, the connection between the head and hearts is weak. We should prepare ourselves for imminent problems. These sacred values can be taught only by God-led teachers, God-fearing tutors and humane persons. That’s the reason, Education becomes a Sacred Job. Science of Morality is a real need for today’s education.
CONCLUSION:  
One who has not gone to be a teacher for a considerable number of years (with dedication) should not perhaps admonish or dictate on the teaching community. The nation has the machinery of Teachers Training and Information for teachers headed by well versed band of educationists. The State has its own respected body to monitor and advise the teaching community. We salute and respect their sacred job. “The end-product of education should be a free, creative person, who can battle against historical circumstances and adversities” (Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan).  Education is ultimately to bring forth the inner self (being) of a person to blossom.

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