Taking cue from this quote by bell hooks who has been an exemplary model of a woman, more rightly a human being who have always taught the virtues of honesty, love and compassion and most importantly stood by them alone when others found it easier to leave that education is one and the only most powerful weapon to bring change in the way humans sense the world around them. It is best to resort to it then die cold in deadly blood wars that bring nothing but shame on the entire human race and stay there like a stain forever. Let me take you a little down the history lane to show you what powers do education possess. When I talk about women especially, they have always been treated inferior on account of their gender. Such indoctrination was done on such a large scale and for such a long time that women quietly internalized their subordination. You don’t believe me, do you? Let’s come to another example of the holocaust. Why do you think anyone didn’t revolt to the genocide of millions of Jews? Was there not any German, whose eyes didn’t trickle? Not even a single tear was shed?
I learnt when I was going through this whole of holocaust phenomenon that German children were taught very early in their childhood that you have to hate a Jew because his nose is crooked. Guess what? Until these children came to the age of adulthood, they really started seeing that the nose is crooked, the very sight of a Jew made them despise the Jews to the very core of their being. It is only when people read the accounts that they realized what gross atrocities were committed in the name of ethnic purification. Just like women realized how they are the victims of patriarchy. That if they have to find freedom from the yoke hanging around their necks as if they are not humans but chattels, they have to write it back to the preparators who have done injustice to them. That they have to educate themselves and that is the only way they can find any meaning that is there to their lives.
Education forms the crux of any change that screams in the name of transforming the society for the better. It is the heart of every matter. Without it we are nothing but ignorant beings driving ourselves towards something that we don’t know because we never cared to know about it. Wonder, how I come up with such intellectual thoughts, such beautiful stories that have the potential to shake your very core? It is because I read. I read because that’s the only thing which is going to make you reflect upon the ordinary things in life that you encounter on a daily basis. And, trust me, if you diligently do that I am pretty much sure you would have a huge ten pages long backlash against me for merely using the word ordinary. Because, that’s what education does to you. It makes you appreciate the beauty of all the beautiful things and strive forward if they are not.
Today, we are fortunate enough to live in a world where everything is just beyond the reach of our fingertips. There is no dearth of information and knowledge but sadly there is a dearth of people who actually read. There are various education apps in the market that could provide you with almost everything you need starting from the availability of world class teaching experts within the comfort of your own homes in case you are stuck with a concept to the required resources most of which are free. I seriously wail over the generation we have who despite having everything they need choose to waste the most precious time of their lifetime. No, it is not because there is any lack in the generation itself because there is not. It is like saying I can’t dance because the veranda is crooked. What all there is to it is simply a lack of determination, a will power to enthuse themselves with the right direction. And, I certainly think with our teachers working effortlessly towards tapping this very gap with the introduction of a few motivational quotes for students , it is not long before we see a change brighter than ever. Cooperative action is the key for any kind of sustainable development, be it in climate change or in the education domain.
