Role of Education

(Published in Banking Services Chronicle November 2004)

India’s highest income-tax payer is S Martin, who runs a lottery business in Tamil Nadu. The 40-year-old has paid a princely sum of Rs 50 cr. Educational status: school dropout. One may therefore infer that what one earns has nothing to do with how educated one is.

But two things need to be borne in mind. One, though riches are not directly proportional to education, most of the uneducated are poor. And two, education is not only about money. Said US President George Washington: “Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains taken to bring it to light.” And these pains are best taken in the form of educating the child.

Says Louise Hay in The Power Within: “I believe that our minds are always connected to the One Infinite Mind, and therefore, all knowledge and wisdom is available to us at any time.” But in practice we often forget this treasure available to us. A pall of oblivion surrounds us and we lose sight of the One Infinite Mind. The role of the teacher becomes supreme in helping us realise this connection.

If talks about spiritual education seem somewhat esoteric, let us not forget the real world of employment. The phenomenon of migration to cities is a pointer to the need of education in India. More uneducated men are migrating to cities than educated ones. If you are educated, you can make a living even in your own town. But if you are not, you will most probably end up working like machines in factories located in big cities.

Apart from providing employment, education has a major role in reforming the society. Raja Ram Mohun Roy and his ilk are known for getting educated and thereafter attempting to show light to the society. With the growing of selfishness within the society, the reformist role of education, however, has suffered a severe setback. Satyendra Dubey was murdered because he tried to expose corruption. But we must not lose hope till teachers continue to inculcate values among the children.

Let me give you a couple of instances of how business honchos have been influenced by their teachers. Rahul Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Auto, distinctly remembers his English teacher, CJ Olliver, and the invaluable lessons he learnt from him. Narrates he: “I remember when I was in Class VII, I had gone to the restroom, and when I returned, I stood at the door of the class and asked him, ‘Can I come in?’ He looked rather puzzled and answered, ‘If you want, you may come, in.’ ” Now look at the subtlety with which Mr Olliver corrected his disciple’s grammar. That one sentence was enough for boy Rahul to know the correct usage of may in place of can.

Nitin Kesliwal, MD, S Kumars Nationwide Ltd, also has a fond memory of his favourite teacher: “I remember, at the cricket nets, Father Netto told me to forget everything and concentrate on cricket. I told him that the dressing down he had given me (about my bad marks) earlier during the day still bothered me. He replied, ‘Son, that was during study time. We will re-discuss the issue during class tomorrow. But right now, your focus should be on cricket. I don’t link your academic performance to your cricketing talent; do I?’ ” And Father Netto had thus imparted his disciple with a gem of management skills: compartmentalising problems.

Unfortunately, our policy-makers are not taking education seriously. If we take Class I to Class X, 44 per cent of Scheduled Castes and 57 per cent of Scheduled Tribes students drop out by the time they reach Class V. And this rate further escalates to 76 per cent and 83 per cent respectively. But these numbers make little sense for our leaders.

Our politicians seem to be more interested in colours. Joshi saffronises education; Arjun de-saffronises it. Some of them want to keep the masses uneducated so that their vote-banks remain intact. If these things continue, India will remain an area of darkness. Where truth will not prevail.