Value Oriented Education [Archives:1999/49/Culture]

Dr. P. A. Abraham
Sana’a University
We live in an age where man has made rapid progress in science and technology, in the acquisition of knowledge about the outer world and in discovering the wonders of materialistic means. In the process, we forgot the human being, the inner self, with the result that emotional imbalance, moral degradation, economic barbarism, corruption, tension, terrorism and crime have become rampant everywhere. And what have we achieved? Powerful weapons, faster communication, computers, production of consumer articles to satisfy our growing lust and greed. This failure is now being increasingly realized by philosophers, scientists and religious leaders. Hence the importance of value based education which is now understood as synonymous with moral education.
Value oriented education, in its broad sense, not only includes the inculcation of moral and ethical values, but also spiritual, humanistic, scientific, aesthetic and sporting values. Thus, comprehensively, moral education means value oriented education.
Is moral education different from religious education? Being moral and being religious are not the same. Being moral, or value oriented, means understanding the principles of right and wrong and acting in the right way. Being religious refers to having belief in a supernatural power of God. It is not logically necessary for a value oriented person to have faith in religion. One could be value oriented without committing oneself to any religious faith.
Should value based education be taken to be essentially a matter of developing character?
Character, which refers to appropriate conduct and behavior, is undoubtedly a very important aim of value oriented education. But this does not mean that value oriented education has no knowledge component in it. In fact the ability to make a moral judgment based on sound reasoning is also an equally important aim of value oriented education. This ability has to be deliberately cultivated. Furthermore, character is not just a matter of conforming to certain virtues or norms. Blind adherence to custom or mechanical conformity with tradition is not a real indicator of moral character.
Is value based education essentially a matter of educating the feelings and emotions?
Morality is not just developing the right feelings and emotions. Moral development involves both thinking morally and behaving morally. Even effective outcomes are developed through their cognitive components. Moral thinking is a distinct type of thinking characterized by the exercise of rational choice. The separation of the cognitive and effective aspects of moral development is untenable. A moral person not only does the right thing but also knows the reason why he does it.
Value oriented education is thus a complex process which involves developing the ability to do right things, and also the ability to feel the right emotions.
There are two important methods of imparting value oriented education – direct method and indirect method. The direct method refers to a deliberate systematic approach by the teacher to teach important values and morals as a subject. This method may include regular classroom instruction and discussion to develop knowledge and understanding of moral values. Opportunities would be given to the students for resolving the questions on moral values in concrete situations.
The argument against this method is that there is already a big curriculum load on the students and the addition of one more object would not be welcomed by the students and teachers.
Through the indirect method, value oriented education is given by the suggestion or by implications and not directly through subjects already included in the curriculum. For example, literature, languages and other branches of humanities have great scope to help the students to distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad. Every teacher, whatever the subject he teaches, must see to it that in the teaching of his subject and dealings with his students, fundamental values such as integrity and social responsibility are brought out.
Different methods can be adopted while imparting value based education keeping in view the mental maturity level of the students.
Of course, value based education programs must have clear objectives to be achieved. The important aims are: To make students understand the basic moral rules which govern all human behaviors, to help the student in thinking on rational lines and make moral decisions by reasoning, to be aware of one’s own cultural heritage and those of other societies, to develop in him a sense of empathy for others thoughts, feelings and opinions,
to develop in him the ability to exhibit emotional maturity to various situations, to develop in him a sense of commitment in whatever he does, to help him develop meaningful human relationships with others, to help him evolve a code of ethics for himself with appropriate priorities.
The content material for a course in value based education should be made keeping in mind the student’s level of comprehension and intellectual development.
Various instructional methodologies appropriate to different age groups may be thought of. There can be story telling, discussion, self study by students, visits to places of social importance, dramatization and role-playing, talks by eminent speakers, debates, brain storming, team learning, etc.
The mass media, such as: newspapers, radio and television may design and project special programs for the development of values in children and also provide guidance to teachers in orienting them.
Various instructional materials and media, such as: textbooks, supplementary readers, posters, films, tapes and slides should be employed to make the course interesting and effective. These materials have to be specially prepared by agencies involved in the promotion of value based education.
Teachers have a special role to play in the successful implementation of value oriented education. In the daily round of his teaching the teacher should see that his students are growing in moral awareness and experiencing enriched personalities.
The teacher should establish and maintain clear standards of behavior and encourage his students to behave towards himself, towards one another and towards the whole society in a very nice, orderly way. Every educational institute demands a certain standard of behavior from his students. The teacher should develop[ a rational acceptance of these standards in his students and also the ability to distinguish right from wrong.
The teacher also has to be a model for his students, a model of a free, rational and moral person who should be emulated by his students.
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