Renowned spiritual guru and founder of the Art of Living Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has emphasized the need for ushering in value education in Arunachal Pradesh. This was stated by him when the president of Arunachal Teachers Association Tarh Yaku called on him in his Bangalore ashram recently.
Only a human values oriented approach in education can impart true intelligence. Teachers, local authorities and NGOs must join hands to create a classroom system wherein a child learns to increase awareness and not just assimilate information, said Yaku quoted Gurudev as saying.
Education must not only instill in students an appreciation for the sciences but also reflect today's diverse cultural influences. A good system of education must instill self-esteem and creativity in children. It must help nurture a free, un-obsessed, anger-free and relaxed mind. Such a well-rounded education system can also prevent fanaticism in young minds, the spiritual leader said.
He urged all stakeholders to ponder over and develop an education system that will retain human values and address the various aspects of life.
Saying teachers are the single most important resource to a child's learning, Sri Sri said, Education reform should include innovative strategies that empower teachers to improve students outcomes and nurture their growth.
We need to integrate human values of compassion, caring and sharing in our education system. Education shouldn't be only about getting good grades so that one can secure a good job later, instead it must lay the foundation for long-term prosperity of the society as a whole, he said.
He also emphasized the need for restoring the respect, honour and dignity that education has had historically. The need of the day is a broad-minded education accompanied by a warm and caring heart.
During the interaction, Yaku requested Sri Sri to open up more Art of Living schools in interiors. The Art of Living currently runs four schools in Arunachal Pradesh, including a totally free school which educates nearly 200 children. She also urged the Art of Living to create job opportunities for local youth by providing vocational training.
Courtesy: Echo Of Arunachal
