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Education Plus
YOUR VOICE
The truly educated
C. ARVIND ATHREYA
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Working for society’s welfare is the essence of knowledge
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Arvind Athreya
“Vidya dadati vinayam, vinayat yati patratam, patratam dhanamapnoti, dhana dharma tataha sukham.” This means that education gives one humility; this humility gives him an exalted position in the society which in turn makes him wealthy. The wealth thus obtained, if used in right ways, gives him eternal happiness. Such is the importance of education.
But what is education? Is it just acquiring degrees? Definitely not! Using the gained knowledge for the betterment of society forms the essence of education. A graduate participating in a strike and pelting stones at buses cannot be called educated. The cause may be genuine but his way of handling the situation is wrong.
His act goes against the fundamental duties of a citizen, something about which he has learnt in his school days. We all learn about global warming and depletion of natural resources. But how many of us take simple measures to ensure cleanliness in our neighbourhood? Even today we find school and college students throwing Pepsi cans and chips packets in the drains knowing pretty well about its consequences.
Work for it
Can such acts of an educated person be justified? But ironically this is the state of the nation today. Most of the perpetrators of crime and the offenders of law are the so called educated ones! Will this situation change? Definitely, if only we students work for it.
Education begins by learning good manners. Speaking the truth, obeying elders, inculcating civic sense, keeping our environment clean are some of our basic lessons which we should invariably follow in our day-to-day life. Just as an excellent academic record is required for a comfortable life, a positive contribution to the society is the need of the hour.
Let us grow up in such a way that we can call ourselves truly educated in every aspect. We should realise that truth, righteousness, love and peace are the foundational values of education. Without these values, the entire system will collapse.
(The author is a Class IX student of Sri Kumaran Public School, Bangalore)
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