Communalizing education
The present world is emerging with every passing day. However, what has helped the world to come out of darkness to light is the will of the human race to seek knowledge.
In today’s world knowledge more or less is acquired through education as education is the ability to think, apply it in the world and to know the value of life. It doesn’t limit with self-education, but also to spread it to every human around us.
There is no end for education in each and every stage of human life we learn something. It is not about learning life, but education itself is a life. It is the key to finding great characters hidden in every individual. It will help us to know what harm we are doing to the world and guide us to protect the world from all dangers which are caused by human beings. This is the wealth which can be transformed from ages to ages.
But, given the proximity and intermixing of politics in every sphere of our life education too is witnessing changes. Changes that are fraught with dangerous consequences.
One such move is the government’s decision to introduce Urdu version of Bhagavad Gita and Kashmiri version of Ramayan in all educational institutions of the state. These books will be kept available in the public libraries as well.
The decision to keep these texts available in schools and colleges besides, the libraries has been taken in a meeting chaired by advisor to Governor B B Vyas on October 4. The government it is believed has directed the administrative departments to issue orders i this regard also.
The decision to keep Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and KoshurRamayan in educational institutions comes months after the education department decided to introduce Vedic and Buddhist studies at the higher secondary level in the state. The proposal was mooted in June to chalk out the modalities.
Introduction of Vedic and Buddhist studies did not alarm us and rightly so we need not to be alarmed as Islamic studies are part of the curriculum we as a secular society should have no objection to it.
However, what has alarmed the society is the selective approach and efforts to seep in one particular religious texts in libraries and schools. The move has raised questions as why only selective religious books are to be placed in schools colleges and government libraries.
Why just the Gita and Ramayana? If religious texts are to be placed in schools, colleges and government libraries, how can the government convince us that why other religious texts have been ignored.
If education is to be kept free from any communal overtures then this selective approach should have been avoided. If the government is serious in imbibing true morals to the students then an inclusive approach to accommodate all religious texts should have been initiated. The move would have invited appreciation rather than rebuke and disbelief.
KV Online
