A three day workshop on Ethics and Human Values was organised at Sri Prakash Synergy School, Peddapuram from 2nd to 5th, June 2016 by Dr.Pradeep Kumar, Registrar IIIT Hyderabad. His observations during this interactive workshop are invaluable.
He emphasized the need for exploring new ways of different dimensions in the individual, in the society, in the family and in any organization as a whole.
Students are still in confused state, though they have vast experience through their 20 years of academic career.
Only trained people have to take up the main responsibility to guide and lead them in the right direction.
Acharyas are those who practice well and show them in action. Teachers are to be the role models for the society. Their efficiency reflects in the society.
Healthy competition must be established for a healthy society.
Addressing on purity and impurity, he stressed that priority must be given for purity to lead life happily.
The word ‘I’ is nicely associated with our physical pleasures to fulfill our needs, but he stressed the difference between human beings and animals, explaining the evolutionary process of human beings.
Worrying about future adversely affects our present. We are working hard for our daily needs in future, thinking of our past. It decides our victory.
No one can deny, the need of human values in present education system, but how to inculcate them in children remains as a million dollar question.
Misunderstanding is the main cause of anger. So problems should be solved through debate and discussion in friendly atmosphere. A teacher is transformed like a magnet with his self discipline. Unforgettable knowledge in subject turns out to be wisdom and is useful for fellow beings. Finally, for whatever we want to earn, first we should be aware of what it is about and how to utilise it.
Desires are not infinite but their presence is continuous and they follow us. Unless we have positive response to our problems, we lose our wisdom. What we are losing in the present society is peace. We are very happy when we do our work with better understanding. Logic is not a tool for problem solving. If we lose our wisdom, it leads to indiscipline.
The base of harmony in society is harmony in family for which the base is harmony in the human being. At the individual level, unhappiness is more due to lack of fulfillment in relationship. Most of our time and effort is spent for physical facility. Effort should be made to equally divide our time and effort for body and relationship.
Even the education setup should empower independent thinking, impart holistic inputs, proper understanding and facilitate the development of the competence to live with Definite Human Conduct.
The session focused on dividing the self into two components. One component having Realisation & Understanding, the other having Desire, Thought and Expectation. Whatever we want to do, we should go by the first component and not directly by the second. For that we need to put a Proposal and check whether it is Naturally Acceptable leading to Mutual happiness. If our desire passes through these i.e. it is naturally acceptable and leads to mutual happiness and we can proceed further. Or else we need to avoid it.
This entire session is lively, stressing the need for self awareness. Time and again, he pointed out that he is was not meant to give any solutions to problems, but only to show a better way to peaceful life.
This session started with ‘I’. Then it changed to, 'We'. Self assessment is main motto of this lively session. Every one’s inbuilt power and ability is equal by birth. Internal interaction with everybody is happiness. We can keep away unresolved problems by maintaining good relations.
‘Unconditional love in truth should be the main purpose of education. Love is eternal. We must follow it. Though everyone wants to reform; only the teacher can reform. He is the only person who can satisfy the quest of students.
The teacher must have a clear idea to understand human relations. He has to feel every Karma. What he discharges is according to justice, legitimacy and truth. Having simplicity, clear thinking and realising one’s strengths and potential is important.
After every autumn, spring comes. A new Samaskaram has to be born naturally and must be inculcated in the young minds.