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1. Introduction: The Early Days of Value-Based Education
In ancient India, the instructions of a teacher (guru) to a student (disciple) would start as follows:
"Let your conduct be marked by right action, including study and teaching of the scriptures; by truthfulness in word, deed and thought; by
self-denial and the practice of austerity; by poise and self-control; by performance of the everyday duties of life with a cheerful heart and in unattached mind. … Deviate not from the path of good. Revere
greatness." (1)
In Taxila, later in Nalanda, Fès, Rabat and Al-Azhar, still later in Paris and Oxford, instruction emphasised moral and ethical values. This was
because formal education, although available to a restricted few, was organised around religious institutions. Education was thought to be a cultural good for individual moral development and was to have very little
to do with economic well-being or material progress. Education had to provide principally the codes of behaviour , as exemplified in the instructions above, initiation to the value system and an understanding of the
ultimate objective of life in terms of spirituality. The ultimate goal of the whole process of education was to unravel the ‘truth’, to manifest "the perfection already in man", to combine knowledge with
compassion and efficiency with moral excellence. (2)
But in practice individual ‘moral excellence’ ignored aspects of equity, justice and freedom. Discrimination and a sense hierarchy were commonly in
vogue. The religion of the institution was preached as the best in existence, and the condemnation of the others was, implicitly or explicitly, taken for granted.
Dismayed by the fanaticism expressed by the different religions, which were attempting to reach the same ultimate goal, one Indian priest, during the
second half of the nineteenth century took upon himself the task of proving to the world that all religions led to the same goal. He did so through the practice of Islam, Christianity and different sects of Hinduism
(3). Inspired by him, another Indian monk, Swami Vivekananda, proclaimed in the Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago in 1893:
"Sectarianism, bigotry and its horrible descendent fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence
… But their time has come and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this convention may be the death knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions."
To realise this, he set up an organisation where universality of religion was not only believed in theory but practised in reality. All its educational
institutions were founded on universalism as the most important value. (4)However, the concept of values and education changed over time as will be seen below.
2. Changing Role of Education and Implications for Values and Vice Versa
From the end of the eighteenth century the rise of academies and polytechnics had expanded the traditional concept of educational institutions and
universities as the place for mainly humanistic studies, to cover provision for skills to explore resource potential, to produce goods and services, to negotiate terms of transaction and to manage material wealth.
The value system changed also and became "the criteria used by the members of the society to evaluate objects, ideas, acts, feelings or events as to their relative desirability, merit or correctness" (5)
Individual achievement or success through one’s own efforts started to be regarded as an important value, as was the spirit of competition, with its corollary on the ‘survival of the fittest’. Hard work, deferred
gratification and continual striving were another set of highly valued ways to succeed. Individual freedom and material progress also became important values in life. The school system started giving emphasis on
these aspects in their content, method and structure. Material progress became the indicator for development of a society. Emphasis on moral education reduced significantly in most countries of the world. In some
countries some religious organisations started parallel institutions offering religious instruction based on traditional values mentioned above.
Although principles of freedom, democracy, equality and justice remained as important values in spirit, educational agencies remained unconcerned about
them in practice, as they were with conservation and the careful use of resources. People started laying emphasis on private property, the practice of capitalism, rationality and growth. The communist ideals sought
in some parts of the world lost ground at the close of the twentieth century.
The belief in private property has converted much green area into concrete buildings, in the name of urban development. The belief in material progress
has polluted the air and water in the name of industrial development.
In the industrialised and commercialised society, values changed, with emphasis on material progress. Religious education was complemented by secular
education with more emphasis on understanding different religions, freedom and human rights. The problems confronting human civilisation at the close of the twentieth century are discussed below.
3. Problems Facing Society Today
Towards the close of the twentieth century, several important changes have occurred in human life all over the world, which require special attention
with a view to redefining values on an international scale. First, development of communication and information technology has made the world a global village with improved interaction among peoples of the world.
This has also contributed to the widening of disparities among peoples. The globalisation phenomena have given rise to issues of justice, equity, freedom, democracy and human rights. Thanks to the development of
communications and information technology, concern for the under-privileged groups of society has also become important.
Second, rejection of the communist ideology, while resulting in some convergence in development strategies of various countries, has brought about
ethnic conflicts, nationalism and religious fanaticism. Never has one felt so much need for tolerance and a culture of peace.
Third, greed for material progress has brooked no limits. Deforestation, global warming, water and air pollution, are consequences of industrial
development making the earth more and more inhospitable. The concern for the protection of the environment has never been so important.
Finally, development of biotechnology and bio-informatics has brought about, on the one hand, increased agricultural production, better medical
facilities, some environmental gains, but has also created problems of ‘gene cloning’ and ‘surrogate motherhood’, raising complex ethical issues. "The impact of ethics can be measured in high technology areas
such as biology and medicine, as well as in the arcane vagaries of computerisation, a phenomenon which is affecting all spheres including private life. If we neglect to make a connection between basic ethics and
technological progress, we would be ushering in an era of barbarism with a human face". (6)
These considerations lead us to the re-articulation of the need for value-based education in the twenty-first century; in content, structure and
method, this is the subject of my paper.
4. Value-Based Education for the Twenty-First Century and the Role of Intergovernmental and Non-Governmental Agencies
While the basic values of seeking the truth, practising honesty and appreciating beauty, remain intact, secular values like tolerance, self respect,
love for human dignity, respect and compassion for others, individual freedom and human rights, internationalism, rejection of cruelty, the practice of non-violence and the culture of peace have become more
important today because of the problems facing the human race described above. These became the principal preoccupations of the international organisations.
The United Nations, in its Charter in 1945, established three pillars, namely, peace, justice and freedom as follows:
"We the peoples of the United Nations, determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war to reaffirm faith in fundamental human
rights … in the equal rights of men and women, … to practise tolerance and live together in peace". (7)
Some months later the United Nations specialised agency for Science, Education and Culture, UNESCO, was established "to contribute to peace and
security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture, in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms
which are affirmed for the peoples of the world". (8)
Since the establishment of UNESCO, a number of standard-setting instruments have been developed to delineate basic principles of education for peace
and human rights. Among them are the following:
- The recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace, and Education Relating to Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedom. (Paris, 1974)
- World Plan of Action on Education for Human Rights and Democracy. (Montreal, 1993)
- Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Conference on Human Rights (Vienna, 1993)
- Declaration and Integrated Framework of Action in Education for Peace, Human Rights and Democracy. (Paris, 1995)
- Plan of Action for the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education 1995-2004.
These action plans are executed under the guidance of the UNESCO Advisory Committee on Education for Peace, Human Rights, Democracy, International
Understanding and Tolerance. (9)
The above plans of action are coupled with a series of regional meetings and workshops held in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and Europe.
Since educational policies can contribute to the development of understanding, solidarity and tolerance among individuals and among ethnic, social,
cultural and religious groups, education can be the main instrument to promote knowledge, values, attitudes and skills conducive to respect for human rights, and to build a culture of peace and democracy.
The Conference of European Ministers of Education (MINEDUROPE, 1988) in 1988, gave the basis for creating a more lively perception of values, thinking
and behaviour that follow from recognition of the humanistic, cultural and international dimensions of education. Educators were encouraged to realise this emphasising on value-based education.
As a result, guidelines for values for the humanistic and international dimensions of education were prepared in co-operation with non-governmental
organisations. (10) These guidelines pay attention to the ways in which values can be integrated into the curriculum. These guidelines are built on the belief that consensus in relation to issues on values is worth
aiming for, although in moral philosophy the debate among philosophers about the identification and nature of values is a central issue. In these guidelines attempts have been made to identify principles which are
essential corner stones on which an education for a humanistic and international society must be built. These are self esteem both personal and cultural; respect and tolerance for others as individuals and as
members of ethnic/cultural groups; sense of belonging – all must have a secure physical, emotional and political locus within society; a sense of responsibility in relation to social, political, economic, cultural
and environmental factors, an appreciation of the importance of learning. These principles need to go hand in hand with certain ethical qualities, for example, openness, willingness to discuss and listen, an
attitude of goodwill towards others, not insisting on one’s own rights, and a spirit of decency. The principles are not negotiable, the ethical qualities of openness and decency would promote and preserve an
"uneasy equilibrium which is constantly in need of repair". (11)
In its 44th session of the International Conference on Education, held in 1995, the Ministers of Education adopted a declaration and invited the Director General of UNESCO to present, in November 1995, to the General Conference, a "Framework of Action" that would allow Member States and UNESCO to integrate within a coherent policy, education for peace, human rights and democracy in the perspective of sustainable development. (12)
The "Integrated Framework of Action" (see item iv above) emphasised the development in every individual of a sense of universal values and
types of behaviour on which a culture of peace can be predicated. Education, it was emphasised, must develop the ability to value freedom and the skills to meet its challenges; it must develop the ability to
recognise and accept the values which exist in the diversity of individuals, genders, peoples and cultures and develop the ability to communicate, share and co-operate with others; it must develop the ability of
non-violent conflict resolution and promote the development of inner peace in the minds of students so that they can establish firmly the qualities of tolerance, compassion, sharing and caring; it must cultivate in
citizens the ability to make informal choices; it must teach citizens to respect the cultural heritage, protect the environment, adopt methods of production and consumption leading to sustainable development with
harmony between individuals and collective values and between immediate basic needs and long-term interests. And finally it must cultivate feelings of solidarity and equity at the national and international levels.
(13) Strategies to achieve these aims and the lines of action in respect of the content, teaching materials and resources, programmes of reading, expression and the promotion of foreign languages, educational
establishments, training of teachers, action on behalf of vulnerable groups, research and development, higher education, co-ordination between the education sector and other agents of socialisation, regional and
international co-operation, have been designed for the use of the Member States of UNESCO to promote education for peace, human rights and democracy. Linkage has also been established between UNESCO and the United
Nations in delineating common goals and strategies for action to build a culture of peace with education used as the leading modality. UNESCO is acting at the global level and at the national level. A unit has been
created for education and training to inculcate values for peace, human rights, democracy, tolerance and international understanding with activities in the areas of elaboration and dissemination of teaching
materials and pedagogical aids in different languages.
Two other units are concentrating on policy oriented research, advocacy action and the exchange and dissemination of information; the other on
capacity-building and technical support for material, sub-regional, regional and international projects in this area. (14)
Many non-governmental organisations also joined hands with the United Nations system to propagate values and education for the twenty-first century. I
have already mentioned the Ramakrishna Mission in India which was a pioneering organisation to introduce universalism in its educational institutions.
The guide book "Living Values" and its attached training materials, prepared by the Brahma Kumaris’ World Spiritual University in honour of
the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations, have articulated twelve value statements addressing the universal aspects of spiritual and moral values as a basis for living one’s life. These cover both spiritual
and secular values. These values are: co-operation, freedom, happiness, honesty, humility, love, peace, respect, responsibility, simplicity, tolerance and unity. The set of the training materials comprehensively
provide the content, method of instruction, the structure of lessons in theory and practice. These materials are now being tried in a number of countries and deserve to be internationally disseminated. (15)
5. Concluding Remarks
The year 2000, the beginning of the third millennium and the twenty-first century, has been proclaimed by UNESCO as the International Year of the
Culture of Peace. Proclamations are not enough if they are not vigorously followed by action. Education is the main instrument for such action. The educational institutions of the Member States of UNESCO have now
the necessary courseware to introduce value-based educational programmes – incorporating both spiritual and secular values to build a culture of peace.
The educational institutions, local, national and international agencies, have to work together to make value-based education an essential component of
educational programmes to change the attitudes and behaviour of the human race. According to UNESCO, "since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be
constructed". (16)
I would like to conclude this paper with a statement from the Director General of UNESCO:
"I proclaim forcefully, … we must hence forth be ready to pay the price of peace as we have paid with millions of human lives the price of war;
that the diversity of cultures, the very basis of our identities and sense of belonging should unite us around ideals proclaimed by our constitution and never again divide us; that religions founded on love should
not lead us to confrontation and hatred; and that ideologies, through freedom of expression and participation, should serve democracy and not coercion." (17)
These are the values we need most at the dawn of the twenty-first century and our education should be based on these values.
References
(1) PRAVANANDA, S. and Frederick Manchester. The Upanishads, Vedanta Press, Hollywood, California, 1947, pp. 81-82
(2) LOKESWARANANDA, S. Education, Theory and Practice. Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narendrapur, India, 1972, p.52
(3) Rolland, Romain. The Life of Ramakrishna, translated into English by E-F. Malcolm Smith, Advaita Ashram, Calcutta, 1994.
(4) Rolland, Romain. La vie de Vivekananda, Librairie Stock, Delamain et Boutellau, Paris, 1930.
(5) Eitzen, D.S. and Zinn, M.B. In Conflict and Order, Understanding Society, Allyn and Bacon, London, 1991, pp. 111-118
(6) Sanyal, B.C. Future Needs of Higher Education with Special Reference to Developing Countries. Paper presented in the "Seventh International
Conference on New Concepts of Higher Education", held in Bangkok in December 1988, IIEP, Paris, 1988.,
(7) United Nations: Preamble, Charter of the United Nations, June, 1945. United Nations, New York.
(8) UNESCO: Constitution of the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization, Preamble, UNESCO, Paris, November 1945.
(9) United Nations: General Assembly Fifty Second Session. Agenda Item 156. Note by the Secretary General, 19 September, 1997. United Nations, New York.
(10) CIDREE: Volume 6. A Sense of Belonging, Guidelines for Values for the Humanistic and International Dimension of Education, Scotland, 1994
(11) ibid, p.21
(12) UNESCO: Declaration and Integrated Framework of Action on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Democracy, UNESCO, Paris, 1995.
(13) ibid
(14) United Nations: General Assembly Fifty Second Session. Agenda Item 156. Note by the Secretary General, 19 September, 1997. United Nations, New
York.
(15) Brahma Kumaris Spiritual University: Living values, a guide book, Global Co-operation House, London, 1995.
(16) UNESCO: Constitution of the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization, Preamble, UNESCO, Paris, November 1945
(17) Federico Mayor: Address at the opening of the "International Consultation of Governmental Experts on the Human Right to Peace",
delivered on 5 March 1998, UNESCO, Paris.
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