The need for a value-based education system
Anil Pagoda Arachchi
One striking aspect of President Mahinda Rajapaksa's views on
education is the emphasis he places on teaching values. And also, one of
the outstanding features that separate the Mahinda Rajapaksa government
from all the other governments which have ruled the country over the
years is the strong emphasis it places on preserving and enhancing the
values inherent in the socio-cultural milieu of the country. As
comprehensively stated in the Mahinda Chinthanaya manifesto, the
President vehemently spearheads all the government and social
institutions of the country to achieve this goal. In this context, the
education system of the country has, and is expected to play a very
vital role.
The changing scenarios of educational theories and approaches
combined with the different educational philosophies and the findings of
psychology influence the formulation of educational policy, curriculum
and syllabi of any country. These changes have apparently impacted on
the present education system of the country as well. One of the recent
developments relevant to the concept of development is that the future
of any society particularly in the developing world depends on their
ability to preserve the value systems ingrained in their own respective
cultures. This boils down to the fact that protecting and development of
the values deeply rooted in the society becomes an important function of
the education system of any society.
Examination system
The thematic approach to education has already given way for
competency based education which is in vogue in the world today.
However, it is pertinent to raise the question as to whether the
formulation of educational policy, preparation of curricula and the
syllabi for competency based education have been done with a view to
strengthening the values found in the Sri Lankan society to protect its
fabric.
The writer's experience he obtained through observation of the
lessons done by teachers both in the urban and rural sectors of the
country is that the majority of the teachers are still compelled by
various circumstances to focus more on imparting knowledge to their
students. Evidently, the basic competencies to be developed in the
students are categorically mentioned in the educational reforms
introduced towards the end of the 20th century. The teachers he talked
to came up with myriads of reasons as to why they find it very difficult
to pay their attention to teach values through their lessons. One major
problem they pointed out is the vastness of the syllabi they have to
cover.
A number of science teachers told the writer that subject matter to
be taught to the Ordinary Level students is too much and they have to
stay after school to complete the syllabus. This complaint is generally
made by many of the other subject teachers as well. What emerges from
this is that this situation has made their teaching process so
mechanical that they have to accelerate the phase of their teaching, and
as a result, they lack time for the development of attitudes and values
in their students.
Another significant point is the exam-oriented education provided by
the school system of the country. According to the measures presently
being used, the effectiveness of a school is generally identified
basically through the results its students obtain at the GCE Ordinary
and Advanced Level Examinations.
This throws light on the certain weaknesses of evaluation methods
used to assess the effectiveness of schools. One pertinent question
raised by the teachers and parents alike is whether the examination
system of the country has been changed to suit the changes brought by
the educational reforms?
One essential phenomenon that has been neglected so far is the fact
that education means teaching values. Whatever subject is taught in the
classroom, the content used therein must be inculcated in the students
only as a value or a component of a value system of the country, but not
as a piece of knowledge itself. The knowledge one receives becomes
valuable only when one can apply it in different meaningful situations.
Education is always connected with the application of what students
acquire either in the classroom or outside it.
Different subject areas
This application of knowledge or skills is organically integrated
with the value system of the society where one lives. Therefore, the
education system has to be based on the particular value system of the
society where education is given.
How can the education system of the country help achieve the goals of
producing a student with a set of good values from the school? What has
been so far attempted is to teach values through different subject
areas. It has miserably failed. Then, what can be done to remedy the
situation? What is needed today is to teach different subject areas
through values. This requires a comprehensive policy for the
introduction of a value based system of education. How best can this be
done? The introduction and implementation of such a system is not an
easy task. The formulation of such policy needs researching into the
social and cultural phenomena based on the geographical locality of the
country to identify the important values held by the different
communities. And also, a look into the future is needed.
The multi-cultural aspects of the Sri Lankan society (if it is to be
so identified), have to be researched into in order to find the common
core of all the ethnic and religious groups. This will enable for us to
lay a very solid foundation of a common system of values to be developed
among the schoolchildren of the country.
While the curricula and the syllabi must be planned according to such
values so identified, textbooks have to be redesigned in such a way so
that the subject mater could be taught through values.
Accordingly, the teaching learning methodology should be changed
keeping in touch with the changing tendencies in the outside world but
finding an approach of our own by researching into the teaching methods
used in the country in the past.
In conclusion, the introduction of a value based system of education
will pave the way for the creation of a just society as is stipulated in
Mahinda Chinthanaya. |