Topic: Understanding Value Education
‘Value based education’ is the process that gives young people an
initiation into values, giving knowledge of the rules needed to function in
this mode of relating to other people, and to seek the development in the
student a grasp of certain underlying principles, together with the ability to
apply these rules intelligently, and to have the settled disposition to do so.
Significance of Value Education
Value education is important to help everyone in improving the
value system that he/she holds and puts it to use.
Once, one has understood his/ her values in life he/she can
examine and control the various choices he/she makes in
his/ her life.
One has to frequently uphold the various types of values in his/
her life such as cultural values, universal values, personal values
and social values.
Value education is always essential to shape one’s life and to
give one an opportunityof performing on the global stage.
The need for value education among the parents, children, teachers etc, is
constantly increasing as we continue to witness increasing violent activities,
behavioral disorders and lack of unity in the society etc.Value education
enables us to understand our needs and visualize our goals correctly and
also indicate the direction for their fulfillment. It also helps remove our
confusions and contradictions and enables us to rightly utilize the
technological innovations.
Human Values:
Human values are a set of emotional rules; people follow to
make the right decisionsin life.
When values are used in a professional setting, they are called ethics.
Values are used in every day decision making at work and at home.
Good values instill a sense of integrity, honesty and diligence in people.
Without good values, people would become corrupt,
dishonest and undependable as people and employees.
Cultural Values:
Groups, societies and cultures have values that are largely shared by their
members.
The values identify those objects, conditions or
characteristics that members ofthe society consider
important; that is, valuable.
In the western world, for example, values might include
material comfort, wealth, competition, individualism or
religiosity.
The values of a society can often be identified by noting which
people receive honor or respect.
Values are related to the norms of a culture, but they are more
general and abstract than norms. Norms are rules for behavior in
specific situations, while values identify what should be judged
as good or evil.
Example: Flying the national flag on 15th August in
India is a norm, but it reflects the value of
patriotism.
Wearing dark clothing and appearing solemn are
normative behaviors at the funeral. They reflect the values
of respect and support of friends and family.
Different cultures reflect different values. “Over the last three
decades, traditional-age college students have shown an increased
interest in personal well-being and a decreased interest in the
welfare of others.” Values seem to have changed, affecting the
beliefs, and attitudes of college students.
Purpose of Value Education
The Role of Value Education:
Value education plays a very important role in creating a
better society, more ethical organizations and groups, and better
human beings as:
1. Value education can help to build human beings who possess
strength, integrity and fortitude based upon ancient Indian
values.
2. Value education builds the values of cooperation and peace as well as
tolerance.
3. Efficiency can step up if a person possesses the right values. This
may include punctuality, keeping one’s word, professionalism,
lack of bias or prejudice etc.
4. Creating cordial relationships between people by encouraging the
values of respect, love and affection.
5. Promoting personality development and social cohesion.
6. Regeneration values of national pride and integration towards nation- building.
7. Building character in the young people who will lead the country in the future.
8. Inculcate moral and spiritual values in the minds of students and
making them aware of the teachings of Great Men so that they may
learn from their examples.
9. Promoting harmony between nations and creating a peaceful world order.
10. Identifying the core universal values of:
a. Truth (Satya)
b. Righteous Conduct (Dharma)
c. Peace (Shanti)
d. Love (Prema)
e. Non-Violence (Ahimsa)
11. To help create a foundation of the quality of life and strike a
balance between external and internal values.
Thus value education can play a significant role in the betterment
of individuals, groups and society at large. This is shown in the figure
below:
Need of Value Education
Correct identification of our aspirations. The subject which enables
us to understand ‘what is valuable’ for human happiness is called
‘value education’ (VE). Thus, VE enables us to understand our needs
and visualize our goals correctly and also indicate the direction for
their fulfillment. It also helps to remove our confusions and
contradictions and bring harmony at all levels.
Understanding universal human values to fulfill our aspirations in
continuity. All human beings continuously aspire for a happy life,
successful life, and the purpose of education is to provide adequate
competence to actualize this aspiration.
Complementarily of values and skills. For this it is essential to
understand – what is really ‘valuable’ for human being, and what is
really conductive to a happy and fulfilling life? - This is the ‘value
domain’.
Then one should know – how to actualize it? How to make it
happen? – This is the ‘domain of skills’.
Hence, there is an essential complementarily between values and
skills for the success of any human endeavor.
For example, I want to lead a healthy life. Only wishing for good
health will not help me keep my body fit and healthy and without
having understood the meaning of health, I will not be able to choose
things correctly to keep my body fit and healthy.
Evaluation of our beliefs. Each one of us believes in certain things
and we base our values on these beliefs, are they false or true which
may or may not be true in reality. VE helps us to evaluate our beliefs
and assumed values.
Technology and human values. The present education system has
become largely skill- based. The prime emphasis is on science and
technology. However, science and tecnology can only help to provide
the means to achieve what is considered valuable. It is not within the
scope of science and technology to provide the competence of deciding
what really is valuable.
VE is a crucial missing link in the present education system. Because
of this deficiency, most of our efforts may prove to be counter-
productive and serious crises at the individual, societal and
environmental level are manifesting.
Hence, there is a strong need to rectify this situation
Basic Guidelines for Value Education
In order to qualify for any course on value education, the following
guidelines for the content of the course are important:
Universal: It needs to be applicable to all the human beings
irrespective of cast, creed, nationalities, religion, etc., for all times and
regions.
Rational: It has to appeal to human reasoning.
Natural and verifiable: It has to be naturally acceptable to the human
being who goes through the course and there needs to be every
provision in nature for its fulfillment. It needs to be experientially
verifiable, and not based on dogmas, beliefs or assumptions.
All encompassing: It needs to cover all the dimensions (thought,
behavior, work and realization) and levels (individual, family, society,
nature and existence) of human life and profession.
Leading to harmony: The value education ultimately is targeted to
promote harmony within the individual, among human beings and with
nature.
Types of Values
Life comes with its ups and downs. Yes, we all know that. But
there are certain mindsets that affect our life for the better and
some that affect it for the worst. These mindsets that affect our
life for the better can be called as values.
Whilst it stands true that all people have different values in life,
there are some important values in life that should be considered
by all. Not because these are the values that we follow, but because
it could truly make this world a better place.
Most Important Core values in life:
Love : Unconditional & unselfish care
Discipline/truth/honesty: Indispensible ethical discipline
Non Violence: Means respect for life and recognition for rights for others
Right conduct: Truth in action is right conduct
“Thinking with love is truth, feeling with love is peace, acting with
love is right conduct, and understanding with love is non-violence”
Process of Value Education
The process for value education has to be that of self-exploration, and
not of giving sermons of telling dos and don’ts. Whatever is found as
truth or reality may be stated as a proposal and every student is to be
encouraged to verify it on his/ her own right.
This process of self-exploration has to be in the form of a dialogue- a
dialogue between the teacher and students to begin with and within the
student finally.
The process for value education has to be that of self-exploration, and
not of giving sermons of telling dos and don’ts. Whatever is found as
truth or reality may be stated as a proposal and every student is to be
encouraged to verify it on his/ her own right.
This process of self-exploration has to be in the form of a dialogue- a
dialogue between the teacher and students to begin with and within the
student finally.
