Need for moral education

By: Priyanka Saurabh
A bad character is like a punctured tyre; You’re not going anywhere unless you change that.” Education promotes the metamorphosis of a child into a full-fledged adult. Mere learning without the propagation and inculcation of values defies even the definition of education. Education of values and principles shapes and molds the soul.
Achieving academic excellence for all students is at the core of any school’s purpose, and much of what they do shows this. Character education is nothing new, extending to the work of Aristotle. Yet it could be argued that in recent years the pursuit of success in schools has tended to put the cart before the horse. In prompting students to think only of success in terms of exam grades and university places, pressure is created that can often be counter-intuitive to students’ well-being and academic progress.
It does not matter how educated or wealthy one is if one’s underlying character or personality lacks morality. Such personalities can be a threat to a peaceful society. Example: Mussolini and Hitler are all examples of education devoid of morality which is leading mankind toward their destruction. It is equally relevant in contemporary times. For example, an educated man taking dowry would spell death for gender equality and gender justice. Thus, education without values, as it seems, makes a man a clever devil.
Character Education is a national movement that builds schools that model and teach good character to ethical, responsible, and caring youth by emphasizing the universal values that we all share. It is the intentional, active effort by schools, districts, and states to instill in their students important core moral values such as caring, honesty, fairness, responsibility, and respect for self and others. Good character does not happen by itself; It develops over time through a continuous process of teaching, example, learning, and practice.
Today it is being seen in the country that when people go out to protest on small issues, they harm national property. Buses are burnt, and trains are set on fire. They do not desist from damaging anyone’s personal property. Many people do not desist from taking advantage of a child, girl child, woman, elderly, or helpless person if they find them trapped in trouble.
In the coming days, incidents of kidnapping of children, removal of kidneys and other organs by theft in many hospitals, and incidents of rape, theft, and looting are seen and heard, those who do such things, what about such people? Where will it go? It simply means that national character has not been developed in such people. One wonders when some people celebrate Pakistan’s victory on the cricket field and mourn India’s victory, can the nation trust such people? I have no hesitation in writing that such people are dangerous for the country from all points of view.
This character is developed through education. The intentional teaching of good character is especially important in today’s society because our youth face many opportunities and threats unknown to previous generations. In today’s culture, they are bombarded with many more negative influences through the popular media and other outside sources. Since children spend approximately 900 hours a year in school, schools must resume an active role in helping families and communities by developing a caring, respectful environment where students learn core, ethical values.
When a comprehensive approach to character education is used, a positive moral culture is created in the school – a total school environment that supports the values taught in the classroom, the object of this study is effective and comprehensive character education. To provide guidelines for the essential elements of and to emphasize the need for character education to help students develop good character, including knowing, caring for, and acting on core moral values such as respect, responsibility, honesty, fairness, and compassion.
Today’s students are the future of tomorrow. The progress of any country can happen only when there is widespread awareness of education in the country. With the advent of awareness, the spread of education can also be done rapidly. That’s why the biggest responsibility towards the country rests on the teacher’s class. It is the work of the teacher to determine the future of the country. The children educated by them play an important role in the development of the country along with handling the reins of the country. If the education given by him becomes weak, then the future of the country will also be in darkness. That’s why being a teacher, I believe that educating children in a good way is the biggest patriotism for a teacher.
Education without ethics is like a ship without a compass, which is adrift somewhere. It is not enough to have the power of concentration, we must have worthy objects on which to concentrate. Knowing the truth is not enough, we must love the truth and make sacrifices for it.
The writer is Research Scholar in Political Science, Poetess, freelance journalist and columnist.