THOUGHTS OF A P J ABDUL KALAM IN
EDUCATION AND ITS SOCIAL RELEVANCE
Asha T. S. (No. 26, Mathematics)
INTRODUCTION
This assignment deals with Dr.
A.P.J Abdul Kalam’s concept of education and its relevance. Education is bound
up with human race. Its boundaries are
as wide as those at life. Its implications are rich and varied. Just as it is
difficult to squeeze life in a few words, is the same way it is difficult to give
a single meaning or definition of education.
The writers and philosophers are
the actual teachers who often express their ideas for the benefits of the
society. Education cannot be separated from life and people having different
outlooks understand the life from different angles of vision. Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam
is to be looked at within his cultural background this total rural citizen from
the far end of India, Rameshwaram, coming from a boatman’s family goes up to
heights because of his sheer brilliance combined with simplicity of the highest
and a rare sense of uncommon humility. In fact he is a remarkable thinker of
the highest order.
Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam has many
facets to his life. He is the ‘Missile Man’ for some. He has earned the
sobriquets 200% Indian. He is ‘dreamer’ for other. For children he is the wings
of inspiration to spread the flow of goodness.
Keeping in mind the let us reflect on the educational thoughts of our
Great Scientists, India’s pride, Bharat Ratna Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam. Avul Pakir
Jinlabdeen Abdul Kalam usually referred as Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam. He is an Aerospace Engineer, professor and chancellor
of Indian Institute of Space Science and technology. During his time as
president, he was popularly known as “the people’s President” Dr. Kalam has
constantly contributes his thoughts on education.
KALAM’S CONCEPT OF EDUCATION
According to Dr. A.P.J Abdul
Kalam (2006), the education system has a tremendous responsibility to transform
a child is to a leader- the transformation from ‘what can you do for me’ to
‘what can I do for you?’ The most important part of education is inculcating in
the students the spirit of ‘we can do it’. Education is an endless journey-
through knowledge and enlightenment. Real education enhances the dignity of a
human being and increases his- or her self- respect and universal brotherhood in its true sense
becomes the sheet anchor for such education. The following are the burning
problems of education in most of the countries of the world.
1.
To correlate
education with the problems of life.
2.
To democratize
education.
3.
To cope with
the problems arising out of the modern scientific and technical advancement
4.
To make
education adequately efficient.
Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam often says
that education is drawing out and developing creativity inherent in students.
Education, according to Dr. Kalam, is a fundamental right of every Indian
child. He emphasizing that education is a pillar of a developed and a powerful
country, besides the most important element for growth and prosperity of a
nation. Dr. Kalam believes that education is the most important area of service
sector as it provides the required knowledge and skill to do any work.
DR.KALAM’S PERSPECTIVE AIMS ON
EDUCATION
“Mission of Education”, according
to Dr. Kalam (2006), “is the foundation to ensure the creation of
enlightened-citizens who will make a prosperous, happy and strong nation”. To
quote him, “When learning is purposeful creativity blossoms, when creativity
blossoms Thinking emanates. When Thinking emanates, Knowledge is fully lit. When
knowledge is lit, Economy flourishes.”
According to Dr. Kalam education
system should retain the smiles of children. This can happen if the education
system is made creative throughout and full employment is provided to all.
Dr. Kalam lists the main aims of
education are as follows:-
1.
To build
character and to cultivate human values in students.
2.
To inject
creativity and to develop scientific attitude with spiritual foundation
3.
To enhance
learning capacity through technology
4.
To build
confidence among children to face to future
5.
To ensure
the creation of enlightened citizens took make the nation prosperous happy and
strong
6.
To develop
capacity for research and enquiry among students.
7.
To unfold
innovating powers and entrepreneurship
8.
To develop
moral leadership
9.
To make the
country energy independent
10.
To develop
the sense of dignity, self-respect and self-reliance among students
THE EDUCATION THOUGHTS OF
DR.A.P.J ABDUL KALAM
Education is an endless journey
through knowledge and enlightenment. Focus of the education and schools must
provide mission oriented learning with value system.
Childhood is the foundation stone
upon which stands the whole life structure as the seeds sown in childhood
blossom in to the tree of life. Education which is imparted in childhood at the
every stage of development of minds is more important than the education
received in college and university.
Education nurtures the child’s
curiosity about the environment and integrates the thinking process with the
skills of hand limb and body. Twelve years of value based education in the
school campus are essential to establish an open and transparent society.
Emphasis should be on exploration, innovativeness and creativity through
activities. At the secondary stage, emphasis should be on experiments, problem
solving and team work. All levels of education should ensure the convergence of
bio-info-nano-eco education.
Curriculum: The concept of
curriculum according the Dr. Kalam, includes: nano-science biotechnology, IT,
Industries and development of creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and
management skills among students other than the regular subjects of study.
Universities should become facilitators for creating entrepreneurship and
should introduce a ‘syllabus of entrepreneurship’ co-ordination and
spiritualism and education, the lessons of truth, path of righteousness,
service towards others and faith in God should be included in the curriculum.
Religion and Spiritualism: Religion is a belief in super
man controlling power ‘spirit’: is the most and are attained essential
part of religious. The aim of religions is to left the threw of human beings
towards this summit. In spite of external difference, an inner unit prevails in
religions. The universal charter of universal human values is inherent in all
religions.
Man’s spiritual nature is the
very essence of his being. According to the ancient Indian philosophy, the
ultimate aim of education is self realization. This is the state when the
ultimate identification of the individual self with the absolute takes place.
Spiritual education enables the individual to explore the area of the self and
the means by which the self is readied and how liberation, glory and are
attained.
Imparting moral values: The right kind of education on
moral values will upgrade the society and the country. After every child is
nurtured during the early years with love and affection and when he reaches- a
school- going age he needs a value based education. The prime learning period
for a child is from six to seventeen years of age. Hence, the school hours for
children are the best environment and mission-oriented learning with value
based educational system.
If a country is to be corruption
free and become a nation of beautiful mind, the three key societal members who
can make a difference are father, mother and teacher. Mother gives the
principle of truth. One you start giving the right direction to the minds of
the children, character building emanates within the family. “I will make my
home a righteous home” should be the motto of each and every child and every
parent.
It is essential that schools and
colleges arrange a lecture by a great teacher of the institution once a week
for one hour on Indian’s civilization heritage. This class can be called moral
science class. This will elevate heritage. This class can be called a moral
science class. This will elevate the young mind to love the country to love
other human beings and elevate the young to higher planes.
THOUGHTS ON CHILDREN
Children are our greatest wealth.
Each child born in the nation allowed to blossom. It is particularly important
to provide extra care and facilities to the children including those who are
not fortunate to have their families to look after them. This noble service
should be promoted by all individuals and government organizations, leading to
the development of enlightened citizens who will become an asset for national
development.
OATH FOR STUDENTS
·
I will
pursue my education with dedication and I will exceed in it.
·
I will plant
at least five sampling and shall ensure their growth through constant care.
·
I will
constantly endeavour to remove the pain of my suffering brethren.
·
I will work
for becoming an enlightened citizen and make my family righteous.
·
I will
always be a friend of the mentally and physically challenged and will work hard
to make them feel normal like the rest of use.
·
I promise
that I will work hard with honesty to transform my
·
country into
a developed country
Retaining the smiles of children: When we look at small children
they are always smiling. When they start going to primary school carrying a big
bag on their shoulders, the smile reduces. When the reach secondary school, the
smile further reduces and during the higher secondary course, the virtually
vanishes.
Can we make an education system
which will retain the smiles on the faces of our children throughout the period
of their education? Creativity in the education system can be promoted by
reducing the theoretical burden at the primary level, progressively increasing
it at the secondary level, and finally leading to higher level teaching and
creation of self-reliance among students to undertake entrepreneurship and be
employment generators rather than employment seekers.
At the primary stage, education
must nurture the child’s curiosity about the environment and integrate the
thinking process with the skill of hand, limb and body. Primary education needs
revamping of the syllabus, the teaching methods and the examination system, so
that children’s creativity is kindled and allowed to grow. Emphasis should be
on exploration, innovativeness and creativity through activities. At the
secondary stage emphasis should be on experiments, problem solving and team
work.While class room learning is important what the child learns by self
observation outside the class room is equally important. A child must become an
active participant in the process of learning through observation. To achieve
these schools must move from being educational centers to becoming knowledge
and skill centers.
THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN EDUCATION
Parent has
an important role in the education of their children and in making them
enlightened citizen. They must be aware of the need for good education for the
child. Parent should set an example for the child by their overall behavior and
conduct. The will enable the child to develop love and respect for the parents
and see them as role models. They should
also create an atmosphere for the child to ask questions elicit answer and
freely communicate with them.
Young people use substances
because they satisfy issues related to adolescent development. These needs
include taking risks, demonstrating independence, developing values, distinct
from parents and other authorities,, signaling entry in to a peer group,
seeking novel and exciting experiences, satisfying curiosity. This time their
parents have to pour their parental love, be watchful and see any pattern
change in their behavior of the son or daughter. As their first instance when
they notice the change, they have to start discussing with the child various
problems and enhance the day-to-day communication with the child.
Parents must also find procedure
channeling of the energy of the child to healthy games and sports, fine arts
such as painting, music, dance etc and participation in socially relevant
activities apart from the main task of studies. In essence parents have to
ensure that the child is kept fully, physically and mentally occupied for
nearly eighteen hours a day including the study period in the class. Parents
must also have a mechanism to assess whether the child in this period is going
to the class or not. Such pre-active step will definitely prevent the child
from moving in a negative direction. When the child is empowered by the parents
at various phases of growth, the child transforms in to a responsible citizen.
ROLE OF SCHOOL AND TEACHERS IN
EDUCATION
There are a few experimental models of education across the
country that are working to promote creativity among children and sustain the
student’s interest in learning and help reduce the dropout rate.
The teacher in the school has a
great responsibility in shaping the character of the student especially during
the adolescent periods. Any academic performance variation in the student must
be the noticed and the counseling process must immediately commence. Also, the
teacher must have patience to talk to the parents – and get some feedback about
the behavior of the student at home. When the teacher is empowered with
knowledge and experience, good young human beings with value systems take
shape.
LITERACY MISSION
The aim of the mission should be
to bring down the dropout rate at the
elementary school, lower secondary and the higher secondary levels. This will
enable us to achieve the goal of all the youth of Chhattisgarh to acquire
minimum senior secondary qualification. For realizing this we have to start
number of tribal schools. Also there will be need to mobilize the university
students and the students of 11th and 12th classes to
undertake teaching of people who cannot
read and write during holidays and vacations. Recently, the ministry of human
resource development has launched a programme called “Sakshat”, a web based
e-learning programme. Students of Chhattisgarh must be facilitated to learn
through this programme by the provision of fast internet service both in urban
and rural areas.
AN EDUCATION MODEL FOR THE 21ST
CENTURY
A good educational model is the
need of n the curriculum. The hour to ensure that students grow to contribute
towards the economic growth of the nation.
The entire education system has
to be based on capacity building comprising five components: research and
enquiry, creativity and innovation, capacity to use high-end technology,
entrepreneurship and moral leadership.
Research and Enquiry: The 21st century is about the
management of all the knowledge and information we have generated and the value
addition that we can bring to it. We must give our students the skills with
which they can find a way through the sea of knowledge that we have created and
continue with lifelong learning. Today, we have the ability, through
technology, to really and truly teach ourselves to become lifelong learners
which is an important skill required for sustained economic development.
Creativity and Innovation: The amount of information that
we have around us is overwhelming. When information is networked the power and
utility of the information grows as squared as predicted by Metcalfe's law. The
management of knowledge in the 21st century is beyond the capacity a single
individual and must move out of e realm of the individual and shift into the of
networked groups. Students must learn how to manage knowledge collectively.
Capacity to Use High-End
Technology: All students
should learn how to use the latest technologies for aiding their learning
process. Universities should equip themselves with adequate computing
equipment, laboratory equipment, and internet facilities and provide an environment for the
students to enhance their learning ability. In the midst of all the
technological innovations and revolutions we cannot think that the roles of the
teachers will. In fact, the teacher will become even more important and the
whole world of education will become teacher assisted as technology would help
in tele-porting the best teacher to every nook and corner of the country to
propagate knowledge.
Entrepreneurship: The aptitude for entrepreneurship
should be cultivated right from the beginning and continue all the way up to
the university level. We must teach our students to take calculated risks for
the sake of larger gain but within the ethos of good business. They should also
cultivate a disposition to do things right. This capacity will enable them to
take up challenging tasks later in life.
Moral leadership: Moral leadership involves two
aspects. First, it requires the ability to have compelling and powerful dreams
or visions of human betterment. Second, it requires a disposition to do the
right things and influence others also to do the right things.
KALAM’S DREAM AND VISION
A nation where agriculture,
industry and service sector work together in symphony and education with value
system is not denied to any meritorious candidates because of societal or
economic discrimination. A nation which is the best destination for the most
talented scholars, scientists, and investors and where the best of health care
is available to all. A nation where the governance is responsive, transparent
and corruption free and where poverty has been totally eradicated, illiteracy
removed and crimes against women and children are absent and none in the
society feels alienated. A nation that is prosperous, healthy, secure, devoid
of terrorism, peaceful and happy and continues with a sustainable growth path
and one of the best places to live in and is poured of its leadership is the
nation I see in 2020.”
CONCLUSION
Abdul Kalam, he is the only
president- who has a lot of love for children and feels that the future of
India lies in them. Today’s young students want the education system to feed
and challenge their innovative and creative minds. Educational institutions
have to year up to evolve a curriculum that is sensitive to the social and
technological needs of a Developed India.
Ultimately, education is its real sense is the pursuit of
truth. It is an endless journey through knowledge and enlightenment. Such a
journey opens up new vistas of development of humanism where there is neither
scope nor room for pettiness, disharmony, jealousy, hatred or enmity. It
transforms a human being into a whole some whole, a noble soul and an asset to
the universe. Real education enhances the dignity of human being and increases
his or her self respect.
If only the real sense of education could be realized by each
individual and carried forward in every field of human activity the world will
be so much a better place to live in. The relevance of dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam’s
educational thoughts in the present school system was identified through
administering the opinionative to the expert teacher educators and school
teachers.
REFERENCES
Kalam Abdul,A.P.J.(1998) .India 2020-A Vision for the New Millennium.
Penguin Books India Ltd.
Kalam Abdul,A.P.J.Ignited Minds. Penguin Books India Ltd.
Kalam Abdul,A.P.J.Wings of Fire. University Press.
Qurashi Faruqe. A P J
Abdul Kalam. Viajy Goel English- Hindi Publishers.
Kalam Abdul,A.P.J. Indominetable
Spirit. Rajpal & Sons.
Indian Science Congress 2006.
Edutrack 2006.
Alex George.Thesis (A Study on
the Educational Thoughts of Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam and its Relevance in the
Present Indian School System).
www.abdulkalam.com - retrieved on
21-12-2012.
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