Children’s Day 2022: Make your child future ready with hint of philosophy

The future of any nation depends upon its young minds, due to which all great world leaders from the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru to the people’s president A.P.J Abdul Kalam emphasised on proper upbringing of children.

India which is celebrating its seventy five glorious years of Independence needs to focus on holistic development of young minds, not only through tech-based education but by enlightening future stakeholders of nation with essence of philosophy and spirituality.

Since ages, Indian educational curriculum promoted the idea of overall progress of students. The ancient ‘Gurukul’ system focused on developing children into multi-talented individuals, who are not confined to academic excellence but also master of other co-curricular activities such as war craft, cooking, survival skills, learning of ancient manuscripts, basic idea about medicines, commerce, meditation and philosophy. It also emphasised on maintaining a proper physical hygiene.

Dr Jasbir Singh Saini, Educationist, Chairman (Odisha), All India Council of Human Rights, Liberties and Social Justice

On being asked about role of NEP’s role in developing modern-day education model, Educationist Dr Jasbir Singh Saini said; “The Indian government is trying to re-establish the essence of our old method of learning via the New Education Policy, which will widen the scope of value based, vocational knowledge. Indian education system was extensively amended during the British Raj, which scrummed the board educational procedure into an mere score-keeping academic process.”

Importance of learning philosophy:

The dynamic world which is massively result-oriented has ruined the actual essence of learning process. Children are more into academic hustle of bagging ranks, rather than acquiring knowledge for broadening their worldly outlook.

As per a statement by famous scientist Albert Einstein, “Education is not the learning of facts, but training of mind to think.” In layman’s term, this statement implies learning process broadens thought process of individual.

Children must be made aware about philosophical aspects of life through exposure to motivational books, poetry, plays, show and in the daily academic learning process for reducing the impact modern-day evils like social media addiction, materialism and exposure to jingoistic way of life.

Introduction to philosophy helps in developing qualities such as empathy, spirituality, tolerance, patriotism and love for mankind. It also helps in eradication of social evils such as racism, extremism and superiority complex amongst the budding adults.

Children’s Day which is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of first Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru is a symbol of late freedom fighter’s immense love for children and vision for modern India.

His vision is clearly reflected in this statement;

“The children of today will make the India of tomorrow. The way we bring them up will determine the future of the country" – Jawaharlal Nehru