Around 450 – 550 CE in the city of Pataliputra, now Patna, India, where the famous Nalanda University flourished, a great scholar by name Aryabhata, taught mathematics and astronomy. Aryabhata is historically associated with some of the momentous invention of all times, like: the concept of zero, decimal system, geometric trigonometry, algebra, calculation of Pi, eclipses, movement of planets and sun, etc. Many students came from across the world to learn. They came not seeking a career or for wealth, it was just love for learning and pursuit of knowledge for the greater good. Education was collaboration between the teacher and student. The teacher despite all his ground breaking inventions of all time; lived a frugal life and pursued their academic and research interests without any personal agenda or expectation of recognition or gratification. Aryabhata’s contributions touch the world today in many ways even after 15 centuries and will continue to do so into the future.
I place these great scientists Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Louis Pasture, Michael Faraday, Thomas Edison, Richard Feynman, Tim Berners Lee and thousands more in the same category as the best of humanity. All of their inventions or technologies were tempered with right values (social good). They did not do what they did to amass wealth or for personal gratification. They did this to make the world better for the future.
The failure of the current system was succinctly summarized by Steve Jobs (founder CEO – APPLE) from his death bed .
At this moment, lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realize that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death. We should pursue other matters that are unrelated to wealth. Should be something that is more important: Perhaps relationships, perhaps art, perhaps a dream from younger days. Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me.
Steve Jobs , Former Apple CEO
In contrast, today – In spite of the marvellous achievements of modern science, it has taken us to the brink of extinction putting human survival at the mercy of few unpredictable individuals that have the nuclear triggers at their finger tips. If technology is not tempered with right values, the consequences are disastrous. Using nuclear technology for weapons instead of energy or using Internet for cyber crime or war instead of commerce or communication.
For the first time in human history, humanity is enduring global scale peril on several fronts – ravages of wars showing our inhuman face; environmental crisis created by the loss in the symbiotic balance of nature and the extinction of several species that took billions of years to evolve; income inequalities reflecting human greed or corruption.
Life style health ailments due to conspicuous consumption; impersonal social networking causing depression, crime, etc. to list a few, is a clear and present danger that the world faces today – an explicit proof of failure of the current education systems across the world and a desperate call for a new education culture that promotes humane, altruistic, character building, wishing and doing universal good – as against, the blind commercialization, acquisition of information as an end in itself, or advancing scientific temper for the wrong reasons.
The current dysfunctional education system needs to be reformed. Greed for marks has taken the fun out of learning. Teacher’s obsession about teaching for exams and parents blind obsession for marks and jobs, without regard for innate talent, aptitude or interests of children, pressuring children to achieve something they are not. Uneducated youth with degrees – colossal wasted youth years and resources causing the lowest social return on investment. Students are developing stunted brains devoid of universal love, empathy, and only taught to recognize monetary success or translated into greed for wealth at any cost.
We have to rethink about the current schooling model and the curriculum design and processes. Education has to be fun, it has to be personalized, bringing out the innate talents in every child, and it is all about solving problems and making the world a better place. Education has to be about social good , it’s never about one individual.
