Material, human and divine education

Education has gone a long way in making us who anddo with culture and the process of acculturisation.
what we are, but its goals and avenues need to be 
redefined. The goal of education has become theThe ascent from a being literate to being educated is
production of people able to earn a living, and bepunctuated by several steps whereby the individual is
successful in life. The definition of success needs aexposed to realities that are at times not easily
redefinition. Education should be directed to theabsorbed into the intellect. As a literate child becomes
upliftment of the people who are not educated.educated, he is made to actively partake in the
Education needs to be defined in such a manner thatprocess of development of his community, and to his
it capable of bringing about a metamorphosis inown proper development. Education is what brings
 individuals in particular, and the society in general.out the hidden potential of individuals that could have
 been latent and forgotten had it not been for
There is a huge difference between education andeducation.
literacy. A large proportion of the public today is 
literate by virtue of the several avenues of learningThis is where the importance of schools comes in.
open to the layman, but very few are able toschools become the harbours where ships of peace
comprehend the difference between education andand harmony are anchored. Education brings a sense
literacy. Education brings with itself many things thatof tolerance within the individual. It shows the way to
are not visible to the eyes of the layman. It is a lotsucceed in life. Success can never be alienated from 
to do with culture and the process of acculturisation.the merits of education. It is education that makes
 successful people what they are, and it is education
The ascent from a being literate to being educated isthat defines their success.
punctuated by several steps whereby the individual is 
exposed to realities that are at times not easily This way, the entire outlook towards success in the
absorbed into the intellect. As a literate child becomesworld would have to be redefined. The parameters
educated, he is made to actively partake in thedefining success would have to be redefined. Success
process of development of his community, and to hisneeds to be defined in terms of satisfaction that
own proper development. Education is what bringscould be obtained through adequate education of
out the hidden potential of individuals that could havechildren. These children would grow up as citizens of
been latent and forgotten had it not been forthe world and they could be brought up to be
education.worthy world citizens if they are given adequate
 education of the world around themselves. This
This is where the importance of schools comes in.would arm them with skills and competence to
schools become the harbours where ships of peaceconquer and overcome all obstacles that might come
and harmony are anchored. This is how the schooltheir way. Children need to be made wary of the
forms an important and inseparable part of theobstacles that could come in the way. Material
society. This is how schools play an important role ineducation aimed at refining the parameters along
the acculturation of the society. Education brings awhich success is measured needs to be imparted.
sense of tolerance within the individual. It shows theMaterial education should be capable of preparing
way to succeed in life. Education adds values to thethem for a healthy future.
nuances of everyday life.  The goals set out by 
education can never be achieved till it is liberatedThinking of the future seems to put children in a time
from the grips of commercialization.machine that propels us to the heavens. These
 abstract things push us into realms of the unknown,
Education needs to be freed from the grips  ofthey identify us with God. This brings in the need for
business. The educational sector is as much an arenaa meaningful education that would circumvent all the
of investment as anything else.  About $40 billion religions of the world. The All Religion Prayer at CMS
are being invested in the educational sector everyis a unique and distinctive feature that sets  the
year for the purpose of creating individuals ableinstitution apart  from others in the whole world.
enough to make pots of gold. A lot of grey matter is 
wasted in simply the pursuit of money. Brain drainReligion and education are what make a man he really
resulting from the attraction towards IT andis. While education shows him or her a rational world
management and other fields should be brought towith all the manifestations of good and evil, religion
an end.  For this, the educational sector needs to bepushes the individual into an ideal world where only
made worthy of being praised and admired. This goalthe virtuous and good exist. It depends on the
could be accomplished when teachers and studentsperson's upbringing as to which way he or she is
are known to have a definite goal besidespulled and attracted.
amassment of material wealth. 
 The individual needs guidance at every step of life
Teachers and students ought to emerge asfor proper direction. A proper direction needs to be
contributors to the process of peace in the world.given to a person's life from the very day he or she
The school atmosphere needs to be modified to thisis born. An individual's home and school are the most
effect. The school curriculum needs to be modeledimportant elements in teaching the values of the
on the pattern to produce the effect. It should be ansociety to the individual. They are the gates to the
adequate mixture of human education that wouldsociety. They are the ones that make an individual
involve mutual cooperation and team work.  Mutualgive his best to the society, and they also ensure
co operation and understanding foster trust andthat the individual get the best back from society.
confidence, but at the same time, they also give rise 
to conflicts and strife among individuals. After all, noThe best that an individual can get from society is 
society can exist without conflict. Conflict is anrespect and tolerance. This would be the direct
essential part of all  the drama that is staged in theconsequence of the polarity he or she chooses for
world. Drama often gives rise to conflicts and tension.his life. The direction in which his or her life is headed
There are always ways to deal successfully with thisfor should be set out in a clear way. What is needed
conflict and tension. Students must be taught aboutis a compass that can point out the appropriate
the principles of law and justice in the whole world asdirection for the individual. This is exactly what religion
there are bound to be conflicts arising out of theand education are aimed at. Religion and education
mutual distrust between men and women.should be given to children or the whole of humanity
 in the appropriate proportion. This would ensure
The mistrust and misunderstanding needs to bepeace and harmony in the world at large because
resolved and need to be countered with forces ofreligion and religious tenets have been found to be at
trust and understanding. These are the feelings thatthe heart of all contentions.
would make up the human education that should be 
given to every child as a part of his education.These religious tenets need to be clarified. They need
Children need to learn to trust each other and giveto be brought before the masses ignorant of the
adequate amount of understanding to each other.significance of these tenets. Education of these
This way they could develop into healthy asocialtenets needs to be given right from the days one
individuals contributing to the society in particular andbegins one's education. This could be the ideal way of
the world in general.inoculating mutual love and harmony for different
 religions and cultures.
Students at CMS are inculcated with the concept of 
holistic education aimed at an overall development ofAll the cultures of the world are different and unique,
the child. This way, they partake in a lot of hobbiesbut they are all aimed at fulfilling the same purpose
while at the same time focusing on their academicof making us happy. It is happiness that all of us
pursuits too. The goal of education as imparted instrive for, all of us want to be happy, whatever we
other  schools has become the production of peopledo, we do to be happy, the sieves of education and
able to earn a living, this needs to be redefined.religion are supposed to filter out the best that our
Education should be directed to the upliftment of thelives can give us to make us happy. Good education
majority who are not educated. But the ability tocan show the individual the correct way to achieve
read and write can never be equated with the meritshappiness, this is where schools play an important
of education.role.
  
There is a huge difference between education andThe role of the school cannot be confined to the
literacy. A large proportion of the public today isprovision of proper religious education. it is required to
literate by virtue of the several avenues of learningsupplement it with an appropriate dosage of material
open to the layman, but very few are able toeducation that is capable of making the child able
comprehend the difference between education andenough to wade through the world and its exigencies.
literacy. Education brings with itself many things thatSchools in general are not supposed to provide
are not visible to the eye of the layman. It is a lot toanything other than material education.