Stress at individual and social levels; distorts our cognition, affect, and conation (perception, feelings, and actions); Jav Leech leads to, amongst many other evils, deterioration of international, national, and local education policy and its implementation. The present-day non-holistic (sectarian, prejudiced, vindictive, malicious, mercenary, exploitative, and evil) education (formal, curricular, co-curricular, extracurricular, and informal) is a major definition of stress that though it aids in petty pursuits, opposes our blossoming and further perpetuates definition of stress and ill effects in the individual and social security life. Let us review; the present perspective, policy, and practice of education, as seen around. Even though education is defined in various ways, and often inadequately or incompletely, there has been a general agreement that education is a process of blossoming an individual and society. Hence it included three domains, which are as follows.
The first domain is called AFFECTIVE DOMAIN. This means the state of mind. In simple words, the affective domain relates to how we feel. Thus, our reason is full of alertness, attention, enthusiasm, buoyancy, affection, concern, joy, tolerance, self-esteem, mutual respect, mutual trust, commitment, dedication, love, romance, confidence, and a positive and victorious spirit; we would call it healthy affective domain. The zeal and concentration needed; in pursuing excellence in the intellectual field, tenacity and endurance are required; in skillful activities and patience and commitment are essential; for internally satisfying and social security beneficial (conscientious) actions constitute the affective domain. The purpose of education is to nurture this domain by designing suitable curricula and syllabi.
The second domain of education is called PSYCHOMOTOR DOMAIN. This implies an ability to appreciate and perform physical and mental skills with speed, accuracy, elegance, ease of performance, etc. This may involve appreciation and performance of surgery, playing a musical instrument, playing basketball, or doing carpentry! The purpose of education is to nurture this domain by designing suitable curricula and syllabi and providing sufficient practical and demonstration classes; with all the necessary equipment.
The third domain is called the COGNITIVE DOMAIN. The cognitive field incorporates accurate perspective, contemplation, correct perception understanding, conceptualization, analysis and recall of facts and problems, the ability to evaluate, synthesize, correlate, and make decisions, appropriate policies, plans, and expertise in management, administration, etc. All these domains have three components, each viz. Cognition [Perception], affect [Feelings], and donation [Response]. Thus cognitive domain would have intellectual perception, clarity, and intellectual expression, and the affective domain would include feeling, motivation, and response in the emotional sphere, such as poetry. The psychomotor domain would have grasp and internalization of a particular skill, confidence to perform it, and performing it.
Let us now see how, despite these goals; how it has come to be conceived as a process of achieving political, economic, scientific, and technological supremacy and thus deteriorated to the present stage; where all three domains are defective; apart from lacking in the spiritual and productive domains. In short, let us see how it has become a major definition of stress.
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For this, a brief consideration of the traditional education system in India would prove useful.
Traditional Education System in India, in general, ensured that:
a] Careers were not selected based on monetary gains,
b] Careers were not selected arbitrarily based on quirks and whims,
c] Some lucrative careers could not be sought after; in preference to the others,
d] All careers ensured income and Production from an early age,
e] All careers ensured that society benefited,
f] All careers ensured security for all the social security groups,
g] All the careers ensured intimacy and closeness between young and old in the families.
h] All careers ensured ethical education and passage of experience and wisdom; from generation to generation.
These were merits. But it is also true that the traditional system was marked by deprivation of scholastic education on a mass scale, apparently unjustifiable availability of education of jobs based on caste, deficient infrastructure for collective scientific and technological efforts, and an element of arbitrary imposition of hierarchy. The traditional education system has become a major definition of stress due to several reports of stress factors, including the onslaught of tempting and impressive individualistic doctrines.
Thus the transition from the traditional system to the present one (whether due to British, American, or any other influence, but basically due to individualistic pursuits); has become a major definition of stress tearing apart the cohesive social security fabric of India by failing to preserve and nurture the merits and discard and dispose of the demerits. As education shifted from homes, home industries, and farms to; nurseries, K.G. schools, schools, colleges, universities, corporate industries, research institutions, etc., the transition became viciously poisonous.
Cognition suffered because of the following:
a] a huge number of students in a single class making following three things almost impossible. These things are i] individual attention, ii] dialogue, iii] discussions,
b] Lack of adequate salary, accountability, incentive, and economic security to the teachers taking away the initiative of nurturing cognitive domain
c] Increase in alienation concerning student’s background and aptitude
d] Lack of adequate incentive to the students in the form of creativity, Production, and learning, service to the family and service to the nation, takes away the motivation required for building up cognitive domain
e] Lack of conviction essential to the growth of cognitive domain in the teachers and students because of outdated practices and demonstration classes, lack of interdisciplinary dialogue and in general the irrelevance of education to the realities of day to day life in as much as almost predictable consecutive unemployment at the end! The lack of conviction could be partly due to teachers’ lack of participation in decision-making, policy-making, curricula development, syllabi, etc.
f] Emphasis on recall and hence rote learning, thereby denying free inquiry, reading, questioning, etc., directly thwarting the cognitive domain
g]] Too many examinations; with irrelevant parameters or criteria of evaluation [besides being unfair in many instances] leading to misguided and, in most cases, counterproductive efforts, thus adversely affecting the cognitive domain
h] Competitions where manipulative skills, callousness, and selfishness are given more respect destroy the enthusiasm for growing in the cognitive domain
i] Information explosion affects the cognitive domain by either causing an enormous and unnecessary burden on memory or an inferiority complex
j] Pressure of interviews causing constant tension and a sense of inadequacy right from a tender age,
k] Protracted hours of homework in schools deny the students their legitimate right to enjoy their childhood and make them physically, mentally, and intellectually unfit to grow in the cognitive domain
l] Irrelevant and unnecessary information loading in lectures in the form of the monologue, leading to suppression of the spontaneity, originality, interest, and enthusiasm so much required in cognitive development amongst the students,
The affective domain suffered due to,
A] Isolation of the children from their parents and their domestic environment at an early age [Making the parents also equally sad]
B] Lack of warm bonds due to a huge number,
C] Cutthroat individualistic and petty competition,
D] Inadequate facilities for sports, trekking, educational tours, recreation, physical development, etc
E] Alienation from one’s social security environment and culture
The psychomotor domain suffered due to
A] Almost a total lack of opportunities to participate in skillful activities such as drawing, painting, sewing, sculpturing, carpentry, knitting, weaving, music, agriculture, horticulture, other handicrafts, various sports, performing arts, etc. It is important to realize that prthe emotion of the psychomotor domain is evident but in its caricature form. It has no concrete economic realistic basis. The activities have no financial incentive and no productive element. Apart from the defects in the three domains, the other two domains, viz. spiritual and effective, have not TBSENT in education.
The spiritual domain that imparts a universal perspective and globally beneficial outlook; incorporates ithe inner blossoming of an individual through introspection, heart-to-heart communication (not merely discussion and arguments), mutual understanding, and the development of the teacher’s students together; through one of the universal practices, viz. NAMASMARAN. Thus the spiritual domain is aey to conquering lust, whims, fancies, pride, arrogance, callousness, contempt, ungratefulness, prejudices, jealousy, hatred, meanness, meekness, beggary, cheating, stealing, betrayal, and so on; it is never made available to the teachers, students, and the others; associated with education.
India’s present education system lacks the other important domain, the productive environment that empowers the people concerned with education. This prevents a huge section of society, such as teachers, students, clerks, servants, sweepers, and many others, such as education inspectors, from being creative and productive. Also, it causes colossal loss of space, electricity, construction cost, and so on. Also, rote learning’s typical Emphasis leads to phenomenal waste of “educational material” such as paper, bags, pencils, ball pens, etc. It has to be appreciated that billions of rupees are spent on the unproductive or rather counterproductive exercise of construction, decoration, and maintenance of schools and colleges, electricity, and so-called educational material, payment of millions of teachers and other staff members engaged, and exams conducted to test the “capacity and merit of rote learning.” This way, we weaken the national economy and jeopardize developmental activities.
It also causes economic loss to everyone involved in education; while suppressing and starving tll three domains nurtured in productive activity. This is the single most important cause of
1] Reduction in the dignity of labor amongst those who continue to learn, as well as a reduction in the income of the concerned families and the nation
2] Lack of education, lack of employment, and starvation or criminalization amongst those forced to drop out because the poor villagers’ children normally contribute to the family’s earnings.
3] Inhuman suffering of those millions of student dropouts who somehow manage to get into the hell of cheap child labor for subsistence; due to economic reasons.
In short, the present-day education system harnesses arrogance and diffidence; amongst those who continue to learn. But their spiritual, cognitive, psychomotor, affective, and productive domains are defective. Their spiritual blossoming, self-empowerment, creative wisdom, intellectual competence, effective skills, self-sufficiency, and physical health are deficient. Thus we have an increasing number of unproductive criminals and mental wrecks or highly competitive e, efficient maniacs pursuing petty goals at the cost of others! For those who cannot continue their education, the abyss of being child labor, stealing, delinquency, criminals, perverts, band eggars is wide open!
The piecemeal approach or facilitation of petty pursuits (under the guise of development and progress) is not only useless but is, in fact, counterproductive! It leads to a cancerous spread of industries with uncontrolled Production of unnecessary utilities and their maddening marketing. These industries consume energy, fuel and add to disposable waste and pollution. This sickening definition of stress atmosphere nurtured by the present education; promotes the growth of terrorism on the one hand and pretends to act against it (in a counterproductive way) on the other!
Mainstream Education System and the courses and careers revolve around and serve grossly petty and superficial considerations, motivations, and interests. This state of affairs; is strongly protected and strengthened by the elements with similar interests! Hence, the laws, rules, and regulations also promote current education and its ill effects. Some institutions and individuals we greatly respect are involved in the holistic approach to education (mainstream, formal, informal, curricular, co-curricular, extracurricular, and education of physically and mentally challenged children). But these efforts are too feeble to make a difference in our life.
While piecemeal approaches are failing, there is no adequate awareness and promotion of holistic education. This leaves the vicious cycle of stress distorting education and distorting education, creating, aggravating, and spreading the focus to continue unabashedly and unabated. Hence the ill effects of stress on present education and vice versa; can be eradicated if we understand and propagate the defects in current education and promote holistic education as an international solution. It has to be appreciated that no statesman, no political leader, no policymaker, and no administrator can bring about change in an existing system (in a democratic setup); unless we evolve a consensus about the changes in most people, whose cooperation is very vital.
In short, the policy of holistic education; demands that every school, college, university, etc., must become the center of Production and service, self-sufficient, and aid in self-sufficiency and blossoming of everyone involved in social security education and ahe nation. The students, teachers, and others associated with education; must blossom as independent and empowered individuals; spiritually, intellectually, mentally, instinctually, physically, and economically social security.
In practice;,every day; approximately
- 20 % of the time must be spent on Production, service, etc.
- 20 % of the time must be paid for physical activities
- 20 % of the time must be paid to personality (conceptual and spiritual) development and
- 20 % of the time must be spent on entertainment
- 20 % of the time must be spent on the cognitive domain
- 20 % of the time must be paid for Production, service, etc.
1. The productive domain should be an essential ingredient of the education system, but no particular job should be enforced. The teachers and others should participate in an effective environment. Production and service can involve community projects such as pthe plantation of medicinal herbs, rearing cows, home flower gardening, chalk sticks, carpentry, pottery, cleanliness, crafts, skills, arts, and their sale according to the situation. Working physically in different ways and learning is not a burden. It is an opportunity to grow from within. It is an opportunity to develop our self-esteem. It is an opportunity to become self-sufficient.
2. This leads to self-sufficiency in schools. They do not have to depend on heavy fees or federal grants or donations, and this way, they become accessible to all, rendering the reservations redundant!
3. Through the productive domain, the hypokinetic stress, emotional stress of being the dependent, and intellectual definition of excessive memorizing stress are averted.
4. Due to a productive domain, the dropping out due to lack of earnings (as is common in millions of students in many parts of the world) and turning into helpless, vulnerable, and cheap child labor would come down.
5. Being empowered, the students would not go through the definition of the stress of unemployment and turn into helpless, frustrated mental wrecks or criminals.
6. Tmphasis on a productive domain (and hence psychomotor and practical aspects) would bring down the necessity, capability, and possibility to “copy” and associated crimes and corruption in examinations, certification, providing grants, and so on!
The caste-based or any other kind of reservation for education, jobs, and promotions, responsible for social divide and strife; in many parts of the world; (especially India) c, can be rendered redundant and thus; peacefully and advantageously done away with by consensus! Most importantly, we must introduce and incorporate examinations, which examine the student’s actual skill, capacity, or performance rather than their ability to repeat or reproduce things and copy
- 20 % of the time must be spent on physical activities
Physical activities include pranayama, sports, exercise, trekking, hiking, various physical fitness training programs, and methods to avoid monotony and improve efficacy. A variety of sports are prevalent in every other part of the world can make the programs more interesting and entertaining, thereby promoting global unity.
- 20 % of the time must be spent on personality (conceptual and spiritual) development and
Personality development includes athe affective domain and spiritual domain and embodies bthe broadening of perspective through various means, such as; NAMASMARAN, by hearing and chanting prayers, poems, and songs from different languages and countries, thereby promoting global unity, guest lectures, seminars, discussions on holistic health, educational tours, and visits to places where the student gets exposed to rapid developments in the society such as laboratories, airports, government offices, share market, farms, etc.
- 20 % of the time must be spent on entertainment
Entertainment that enriches the soul should include playing musical instruments, dancing, painting, mimicry, singing, storytelling, drama, movie, etc., but everything that nurtures the affective and spiritual domains
- 20 % of the time must be spent on the cognitive domain
Development of the cognitive domain can include the hing of lunges, history, geography, mathematics, etc., with utmost Emphasis on interpretation and relevance in day-to-day life. Thus typical irrelevant questions in examining history, languages, and mathematics; should be toned away with. Subjects such as economics, psychology, civics, philosophy, logic, sociology, etc., must include fieldwork and be relevant to society. We must encourage maximum daily person-to-person interaction and dialogue among the teachers and students. Analytical, synthetic, contemplative, decision-making troubleshooting, and problem-solving capacities are developed optimally.
Let us realize the fact that the vicious cycle of stress distorting education and distorted education causing and multiplying pressure, e.g., in the form of RESERVATION POLICY and its ILL EFFECTS, in individual and social life, can NOT be managed effectively unless and until; a situation where millions are “imprisoned” in unproductive work, and millions are forced into unemployment and inhuman cheap child labor; is eradicated through holistic education policy and its implementation; at international, national and local levels; through the laws, government rules and public awareness, consensus, and participation. The details of practical steps can be developed by interactions amongst the people active in the field of education worldwide. But we all need;
1, Perspective and conviction of Global Unity and global welfare
2. Readiness to accept and introduce physiological insights and principles in the holistic education
3. Readiness and openness to have a dialogue with experts in other fields
4. Participation from society, governments, and the media, including internet websites, so holistic education activists worldwide can have a meaningful dialogue, share views, work, and experiences, and maybe inspire others!
5. Administrative proficiency, due care, and concern for the physical capacities of the children (normal and physically and mentally challenged) should not be painful and troublesome.
7. The opportunities for psychomotor activities and productive activities; without impositions.
8. Every kind of open-mindedness and tolerance amongst teachers and students; so that better international relations can be realized.
