Education in human values – worldly and spiritual

Students of today are the future citizens and leaders of the country. For the country to progress, the citizens have to cultivate sacred thoughts, moral, ethical, and spiritual values, all of which must begin in early childhood. In this regard, parents and teachers should play an active role in shaping the lives of students.

Just as a boulder becomes worthy of adoration and respect when it is carved into a beautiful idol by a sculptor, so also the students will become ideal citizens if they are brought up in the right environment with the right education. Teachers and parents are responsible for the good and bad in students. Spiritual education is essential, without which human life has little value.

True education is that which makes man ideal, which has two aspects:

(1) Worldly education, which relates to the head and caters for a living.

(2) Spiritual education, which relates to the heart and caters for life.

Worldly education makes man great, whereas spiritual education makes man good. Goodness is long lasting, whereas greatness is temporary. Goodness forms the basis for spiritual life. Parents being the first teachers should show the child the way to goodness. Man cannot become good by merely being highly educated. Worldly education is information oriented while spiritual education is transformation oriented.

Information-oriented education makes man a computer. Man should become a composer, not a computer. The composer made the computer. Education should lead to elevation not agitation. Education is not meant merely for worldly progress. It is to set an ideal, experience happiness, and share it with others. Children must be inspired to work for the welfare of the society by acquiring the proper kind of education.

Worldly education is negative, and spiritual education is positive. Secular knowledge is like a bulb. Spiritual knowledge is the current. What is the use of having a bulb without the electric current? Both are essential for the progress of man and the world at large.

Courtesy Sai Institute of Education West Indies, St Michael, Barbados. Visit them at www.siewi.org or https://www.sathyasai.org/about-us/education or email siewibb@saibarbados.org.