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o Mousumi Ghosal
The Value of Education
What has man made of man? Does he dwell in that same world that William Shakespeare had visualized in his immortal plays or John Milton had idealized in his 'Paradise Regained' or William Wordsworth had spiritualised in his romantic poems. Perhaps not. Today the world has became highly mechanical. Men are not only assisted but rather dominated by machines devoid of feelings. They are gauged not by their academic feats but by their social status and material possessions. Money is the order of the day.
But then the world is not only governed by the so-called muscle power, it is master-minded by the intellectuals, the educated masses, the pillars of the society. For instance a computer adorns the drawing room of a rich man but the technology that goes into its making and implementation is undoubtedly the contribution of a scientist. If we probe a bit deeper, we find that whether it is a scientist ar a mathematician or any other scholar, they all have their origin in their education, their strong ties with their educational institutions.
Welt, what is education - a topic most popularly discussed but the least effectively implemented and understood. Is it merely a rich man's possession or a poor man's delight? Is it an inborn talent or a hereditary characteristic? certainly not. Rather it is an acquired knowledge or an enhancement of knowledge catering to the needs of both the rich and the poor. Education strives to overcome the arbitrary social and racial barriers, probing
and exploring tho hearts of all - rich and poor, black and white alike. Such a society of educated people will finally pave the way for that word which Rabindranath Tagore spoke of in his 'Where the Mind is Without Fear' 'Where, the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow, domestic walls'.
This noble mission of imparting education rests upon the shoulders of the teachers. A child is like a mould of clay, who acquires the shape and form of his or her creator. A child exposed to positive environment, healthy education develops into a balanced dynamic and successful individual. Such a person is a boon to the society, enlightening the lives of the so-called less privileged, ignorant and innocent masses. The life of an educated man is like a fast-flowing river, which at its origin is narrow and immature. Similarly a child rattling off her nursery rhymes is ignorant and chaste. With the lapse of time, the river enters into the plains and valleys gathering silt and finally emerging at its mouth often forming a delta. So also a child under the apt guidance of his or her teacher enters into the summer or youth of life. Accumulating and assimilating new perceptions through education finally proves beneficial both to himself or herself and the society Thus a teacher by the dint of her hard work weaves the chaplets of fame for the future. A teacher through her flights of imagination transcends the physical barriers of a classroom, exposes the students to enjoy the pleasant experiences of either the African Safari or the Niagara Falls or enlightens their souls with the noble, chivalrous deeds of our past rulers. Thus a child is made abreast with both the past and the present.
It was with this noble mission of enriching the society that Shree Jain Vidyalaya was started in the year 1992 Situated close to the Ganges surrounded by factories and slums on all the sides, the elegant magnificent edifice stands like the mighty Himalayas, forcing the surroundings to pale into insignificance It has successfully completed its tenure of ten years and had achieved various milestones of success. A famous Greek Critic, Longinus had said that 'Style is the man', Similarly 'Success is the name' is applicable to the school. The students over the years have brought home laurels, be it in the sphere of academics or athletics or in the domain of co-curricular activities like debate, quiz or music. We strongly believe that Victory is the motto and the sky is the limit.
Success is a way of life. It is a journey and not a destination. Success does not necessarily mean the absence of failures it is rather the attainment of ultimate objectives. It is a teacher who inculcates these positive trait of success, determination and positive attitude in his or her students. A person with positivity has certain personality traits like they are compromising, caring, confident and
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