The word education is not merely gaining or imparting certain literary, logical or scientific facts, formulae or grammar and language but there’s much more to it.
As rightly said, an educated individual is very different as compared to just a literate person. He/She is knowledgeable about societal norms, culture, behavior and moral values too in addition to the degrees and qualifications that he/she has earned.
The literacy rates do not have the potential to define the education index of the society.
Talking about literacy, we can define it as a set of individuals who are well versed with everything that is written in black and white in books and prescribed courses to achieve financial success in life.
On the other hand, the motto of real education lies in imparting knowledge related to discovering the very purpose of life and seeking the totality of life.
Education is getting to know that life is not restricted to laurels that one attains in universities and workplaces but has many other aspects attached to it, hence is not restricted to just providing excellent skills to be used in work spaces, but there is much more to it.
There is a Beyond… in education.
True power of education lies in interweaving the various aspects of life and linking one person's existence to others, creating a matrix that impacts their community and humanity as a whole in a positive way.
Hence the purpose of any educational institution should be towards carving out holistic individuals and responsible citizens rather than building just good academicians, business persons or financial analysts.
One of the ways to create this mindset is to educate young minds through ‘Beyond Education’ methods which usually take place outside the classrooms.
These methods may include providing an atmosphere and facilities to the students to apply their theoretical knowledge in practical fields.
The purpose of Beyond Education is to engage young minds in various activities and teachings that aim at inculcating a caring attitude full of gratitude for what they have earned and allowing them to express it by giving back a part of something that they have learned to the society in a way that contributes to raising the overall development.
It may include organizing events, involving parents, creating a working environment keeping the betterment of society in mind, developing interactive and virtuous entrepreneurial mindsets and encouraging them to research about what best is beneficial for the society and what steps can help them contribute to the society by solving non-specific generic problems.
The process should involve taking the students outside their classrooms into the real world and let them experience practical problems and challenges and assist them learn ways to innovate and propose solutions, which will in future provide them a real-world learning experience and hence prepare them to achieve an all-round success in life.
The system should encourage a student to learn skills related to teamwork and leadership that keeps the concerns of its team in mind along with the technical issues, further developing a sense of responsibility and gratitude and understanding the need of giving back what we have earned from the society.
Also, in the process of imparting knowledge and cultivating occupational skills, a moral vacuum has been created somewhere and in the race towards development in every sphere of human existence leading to a rise in living standards, we have gradually ceased to shed a light on moral growth and contribution.
Sadly, the number of educational institutions have increased exponentially but the quality of education has degraded miserably.
Today, we are living in a society which is so-called educated but in which the moral and social evils are still coexisting along the hi-tech lifestyle and sky rocketing structures.
Hence today there’s an utmost need to focus on moral education too, to inculcate a sense of oneness and cooperation amongst individuals.
Along with learning about various subjects and theories, it is also essential to instill moral and ethical values in an individual.
The process of imparting knowledge infused with moral values, indoctrinates elements of equality and qualities like arguing for human rights, social justice and dignity of an individual and is very humanizing in nature and enlightens an individual’s mind in its true sense.
In a country like India which is a land of diverse cultures and religious backgrounds, the need to effectively introduce this in our education system is all the more important to curb anti-social thoughts such as casteism, lack of unity, violent activities, gender discrimination, selfishness etc.
Upliftment of weaker and oppressed sections of the society can also truly happen only if we raise our standards to value based education rather than concentrating on mere classroom coaching and teaching young minds to apply correct principles in each and every section of the society.
This can highly helpful in establishing a healthy and incorruptible life style in the present-day world.
Summarizing this, education in totality should target the multidimensional development of an individual and should focus on evolving a person spiritually, mentally, emotionally, intellectually and physically thus creating a perfect balance in life.
Educators around the world should focus on all these aspects and work towards imbibing these virtues and ideals in young minds thus bringing out the true essence of the word Education, for which they will certainly have to take steps, Beyond the Conventional Education Model.
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