GOALS, ROLES AND VALUES
 

Gandhi Peace Foundation, 221-23 Dean Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, new Delhi- 110002 (Consultation held on 13th and 14th October; 1990)

- Education is a cultural process and not a political one. It should encourage a sense of society and not of trade unionism.

- The notion of a national policy on education is antithetical to the very purpose of education and to cultural and intellectual needs of our people. The centrality of the immediate neighbourhood, geographical, social and cultural - of the student should be supreme, as also the cultural authenticity and authority of the village and locality.

Dr. N.R. Madhava Menon, Director, National Law School of India Banglore on 3rd November, 1990)

- Among the major goals of education policy, productive employment should be emphasised as one of the primary objects, even If human beings are not to be treated as mere assets. For the development of individuals as well as society, education has to be linked with employment. This concern has to be reflected in the scheme and content of education. Secondly, value orientation in education is a constitutional imperative which has to be addressed with specific proposals at every level of educational system. Thirdly, excellence has to be a primary goal and it needs continuing emphasis. Excellence should not be put in opposition to equality as such a perception is perverse and unwarranted. In any case it is better

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for the Review committee to articulate and reiterate the specific goals of education generally and school education in particular.

Prof. Maqbool Ahmad, President, All India Muslim Majlise Musharat, 93 Park Street, Calcutta (21.11.1990)

- The process of education starts from birth and continues till death. In this process the environment of the child's home has a lasting impact on his/her up-bringing. The purpose of education is inculcation of moral values, upliftment of the spirit, service to man kind and the building up of a moral character.

- Education should be linked with some kind of vocation. It should ensure employment but care should be taken that it does not become a means for making money only.

- The course content of school and college syllabus should include Indian heritage and India's composite culture. Through religious instruction we should teach the difference between good and evil.

- Education should create individuals of character who can rise above narrow parochialism in the large interest of the unity of the national.

Gandhian Institute of Studies, Rajghat, Varanasi (proceedings of One day seminar held on 11th October; 1990)

- Education should aim at productivity.

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Shri Ramashray Roy, Article in the "Hindustan Times" New Delhi dated 7th November, 1990

- Education must cultivate attitudes and orientations capable enough to curb the individual's tendency towards self- aggrandizement. The need to acquire information and skill necessary for specific jobs must get recognition in education. But it should not be at the cost of the needs of the society. Education cannot replace society, nor can transform it; education can only serve it.

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