WHAT VALUES EDUCATION AIMS AT ?

From a broader perspective, the aim of value education is linked with the fundamental question of what education itself is meant for. From individual’s perspective, the purpose is to enable students achieve personal fulfillment for success in life and work. From societal perspectives, education aims to prepare young people to contribute to the society or nation and the world around. In neither case, however, education is to be perceived as an outcome but as an experience in itself, which will enable students to live safe, healthy and fruitful lives and become responsible citizens who make positive contributions to the society. 

Education for values aims at promoting broader capabilities, attitudes and skills that matter, not just in schools but also life beyond schools, making the world a better place for themselves and for their family, friends, colleagues and others. Education for values highlights the understanding that values are to be inculcated in students not just for their own interest but also for the common good, reflecting the balance between individual’s interest and larger interest. 

The focus, therefore, can not only be improving academic knowledge, practical and technical skills mostly tied to market needs and employability but also holistic education focusing on the emotional and relational skills conducive to health and wholeness of the society and the nation. The aim of holistic development of students can thus be located in education for values. Education in values also prepares students for the world of work. The attitudes and values of hard work, discipline, cooperation, communication skills, etc. enable them to develop healthy interpersonal relationships at home and in school which in turn facilitate their better adjustment on the job. The employers too look for these qualities in their prospective employees. It is a common observation that advancement in a career depends not only on the intellectual abilities but also the ability to sustain hard work, assume responsibility and work in teams and cooperate with others. While educational qualification helps to secure a job, efficiency to deliver in a job is often dependent on qualities of perseverance, cooperation, genuineness, hard work, communication and relationship skills. 

At the individual level, fostering values in school students, therefore, needs to be seen as an investment in building the foundation for lifelong learning and promoting human excellence. The capacity to listen, patience, endurance, cooperation, team work, positive attitude towards study, work and life are the hallmarks of a good student or a person. So values, in fact, promote both academic as well as human excellence. In this sense education for values humanises education.

 At the societal level, education for values aims at promoting social cohesion and national integration for transforming societies, nations and creating a better world. It can contribute to create the aspiration for transformation of the culture of war, violence and greed into a culture of peace where people