First Principles of Education

There are a couple of different definitions for education all meaning the same though. Lets take the most general of them: “It is the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge,developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life”.

Although Education in its true sense had only one goal i.e. intellectual maturity – the current day developments seem to have narrowed its cause. The evolution of economies and human development have more or less caused these narrowing effects. From what was broadly developing Intellectual Maturity – it has now become an imperative to survive in the society, a platform to compete for almost anything, a status symbol in some cases and in many cases a tool to acquire skills and therefore jobs. While these are good in some ways, they aren’t good if the first principle i.e. intellectual maturity development is not accomplished.

What is Intellectual Maturity? To me, it is the ability to judge the good from the bad. The ability to reason and judge actions and consequences. There is nothing to write beyond what is already said in the Gita, Bible or Quran. Further these great teachings are simplified enough for all of us to read and understand. But we have separated it from today’s education and narrowly defined education as Maths, Science, History & Languages etc. In that lies a flaw – I think. Intellectual maturity i.e. ability to judge good from bad is not taught in the subjects / books prescribed by the education boards.

How then do we teach Intellectual Maturity? Not in class-rooms and with books and tests. Gita or Bible or Quran is a way of life. To speak the truth, to not hurt others, to follow the principles / rules to be tolerant etc are practices. They have to be demonstrated to the kids. Students should be taught to not only be successful but also good. One test is to see if they are “loved and respected” in their adult years. In fact these are more important than financial success. As a matter of fact respectable people will have more chances of being successful in a growing economy as larger opportunities exist.

The onus is on the parents, teachers and the society at large to follow the principles of life. and help our children accomplish – intellectual maturity.

Good students who achieve scores do not necessarily achieve intellectual maturity. They cannot distinguish between right and wrong and therefore resort to unethical methods and practices in life. I cannot imagine other reasons for the greed our society seems to have developed. Parents constantly tell children that great social positions give power to earn more. And all that children want to do acquire power to earn.

It is time to change that and to tell our children that the power is in “living a life with great intellectual maturity”.