AIMS OF EDUCATION 1.

We, as professional teachers, in the midst of our prolific life often tend to

lose sight of the very purpose for being in the profession. What is important? Explaining a concept thoroughly to the children or completing the syllabus as per a laid down charter? Is it a matter of concern that in the scheduling of things the priority of imbibing a concept is compromised. Are we as teachers really concerned whether the academic excellence shown in the results is primarily due to the arduous follow up by parents at home and revision questions at school rather than due to the free spirit of enquiry and the learning produced thereof? Which student can claim to have played football for two hours or watched a nice movie on a day prior to exams? Have we, (Parents and Teachers) given the child the opportunity to flower in goodness so that he or she is rightly related to people, things and ideas, to the whole of life and there by truly excel in the process of education. 2. This brings me to asking a very fundamental question. What is education

and what are its aims? I shall try to answer these questions and hope to raise more questions for the readers. 3. To me, education is to make a child proficient in academics such that the

student may function with clarity and efficiency in the society. A more encompassing definition should also include creating the right environment so that the child may develop fully as a complete human being. 4. The aims of education then should be to make the child aware of his/her

intelligence and must confer humility and morality among other things, essential for leading a good life and not for mere living. A teacher must be able to ignite the spark of enquiry in the students. The student must be taught that to answer questions is not important but the cultivation of a free spirit of enquiry that promotes asking questions is far more important. A global outlook is very critical to understand world events and our place in it, be it culture or technology. I

believe that in the present day we are creating a refined and educated person to fit into the scheme of things of the society. We forget that actually a society exists for the fruitition of man and not vice versa. Hence are we giving an education system to a child where he/she has a freedom of choice? We, as teachers and parents should be aware of our children's talents as well as limitations, and allow them to develop in their own way, and not on the basis of predetermined expectations.

5.

These are few of my stray thoughts which I feel compelled to share with

you. Finally I leave you with the thought that the function of education is to create human beings who are integrated academically and culturally and therefore intelligent. We may be highly educated, but if we are without deep integration of thought and feeling, education has very little significance.