The poor level of respect for teaching profession is the main reason for the falling standards of education in India, said Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, while addressing several teaching groups who had gathered for the inaugural ceremony of Edu Vision India- 2020.
Renowned spiritual guide and the Art of Living founder Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was speaking on the topic ‘Holistic Quality Education for our Future Generations’.
“This attitude towards teachers is not just morally wrong, it is sabotaging the education system. Dignity of labour does not exist in the country,” he said.
He said that “most of us can remember at least one teacher who had a profound impact on our early life, someone who had a positive impact on us and made us the person we are today,” Gurudev Sri Sri Shankar said, while highlighting the importance of teaching profession.
“Forty per cent of school teachers in Germany tend to think that pupils do not respect them as compared to 38 per cent of teachers in Europe who are depressed due to loss of dignity towards their profession,” he said, adding “If teachers are depressed then one could imagine the quality of education parents can expect from the depressed teachers.”
Depression will be the biggest killer in coming decades according to the WHO study, Gurudev said.
Pointing out lack of value-oriented subjects in the education, Gurudev said that in the past only 30 per cent of the jail inmates were found to be educated but unfortunately today as estimated 73 per cent of inmates are educated, and it needs to be taken seriously.
He said the education system needs to be revamped by including spiritual education in school and university syllabus.
Unfortunately, he said that “today pride has got attached to the violence that has resulted in diluting role models. There are no role models in our country. Pride should be with non-violence. India is known to be the nation of saints, artists and saviors, but how many have become saints and artists, is yet to be answered.”
He advised the organisers and academicians to bring a change in education system, promoting communication and technical skills of students.
Courtsey : Nav Hind Times
