People are using education as a tool for bettering their lifestyle. The aim of life cannot be materialised, if one fails to identify the aim of education. Education is the way to reach the goal of life. In this context different educated people express different opinions. Thinker J.R. Lawel says, "The Education, which cannot build strong soul and cannot expanse sight, is not real education." The book is the great weapon for changing early life. The power of knowledge is greater than the power of a bullet. If not enlightened, any nation can lag behind in the civilised world. For this reason, social thinker John Forster says: The genius people are like silver in mine without education. Great philosopher Aristotle compared uneducated men with dead people and says: `Educated men are as much superior to uneducated men as the living as to the dead.'
In the era of globalisation in the 21st century, trained teachers are the path finders of a nation. By training teachers, their knowledge and skill can be enhanced and attitude be changed. Without training, the horizon of knowledge cannot be broadened. For this reason philosopher and thinker Bertrand Russell says: 'Every teacher should be given one year holiday in seven years so that they can train up from a foreign country.' Bertrand Russell recognised the aim of education as shaping up the ideal character, and for that to happen, universal knowledge is necessary. After acquiring knowledge, if it is of no use to the people and if one becomes the servant of innate properties, then it is not real education. In this connection Chinese philosopher Confucius says, `Education can build and develop characteristics of a gentleman and enrich different properties, and the gentleman can take the true path of knowledge conquering defectiveness.' We want a true and easy path.
The world is built with five elements. Those are soil, water, fire, wind and sky. The creation of the world is a great surprise to us. And it is still a mystery. Man possesses supremacy in this world. Great men have descended into this world for correcting the self-centred and erring humans. They possess uncommon properties, loveliness, character, unbelievable skills of oratory. Everyman obeys a leader or a teacher for the better knowledge than the common people. Those who possess such properties must be obeyed and it is the symbol of nobility. Instead, if a man takes the route of power, wealth, rank and other advantages, then we have to realise that this society is sick. A healthy man can live with a healthy person. Healthy minds build healthy society. Great philosopher of our subcontinent Dr. G.C. Dev proposed the name of Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah as Jesus Christ of the East. If great men are not born in the world, the problems of human beings will not be solved.
Some people have taught men by sharing their spiritual knowledge. Some have taught by sharing own experiences. Those who had no institutional knowledge taught people by imparting spiritual education. They include Thales, Socrates, Buddha, Jesus and Mohammad (SM). In present mechanical age when the spiritual knowledge is near 0, the institutional knowledge is the biggest mode of education.
Knowledge is power. Man attached importance to the natural world in the ancient period. After this they have given importance to constructive ideas. The society is influenced by the thoughts of men like philosophers, scientists etc. They can influence the people by their discovery and thinking. Those who are teachers also can play a very important role in nation-building. But unfortunately teachers of both government and non-government educational institutions, especially those under monthly payment order (MPO), have to wait for drawing their salaries. The government must think over it as it is possible to pay salary on the 1st day of a month. The teachers get their salaries from government grants. Is it not possible to pay their salaries from the revenue sector? For making the teaching profession attractive the government should fix different salary structures. Teachers are the nation builders. If we neglect them, then it will be suicidal for us. The government should think about it.
The writer is a lecturer at the Department of Philosophy of the Ispahani University College at Keraniganj in Dhaka.
