out, critically analyze, understand and lead one to

appropriate action in total freedom. It seeks for the good

of humankind. Education has been happening since the

dawn of civilization. It has evolved and today we have a

very formal structure of education. Since the recent past

we are so embedded in the structure that we have lost

sight of the goal which is to create an educated mind. We

are creating more intellectuals but something is lacking

in training people to live their lives fully for God's glory.

The church has been instrumental in the past for

imparting value based education but today church run

schools are not so much in demand. Is it that we are not

meeting the needs of today's generation and we are living

on our past glory? We also

have tried to explore the

i m p l i c a t i o n o f r e a l

education !Though we

claim to be so educated we

don't seem to realize what

we are doing to our own

planet. In India education is

still a dream for many girls

e v e n t h o u g h t h e

government is making an

all out effort to woo girls to

schools. In our interview section Sunny SJ speaks of how

we may have become complacent in the running of our

institutions. At the same time we face a lot of oppositions

from the Right Wing forces within our country. The

challenges are numerous and we have to face them in a

creative way. We cannot do without education and so we

must find the right way of imparting education that

instills values and not just transfers information.

Is our education kindling a flame? Read on to

know what our writers have to say about the education

we receive. We are all a part of this system.

nd(Ivan is a 2 yr Theologian at JDV)

he month of June brings in a sense of study over

most of our country. It is a time when schools Tand colleges re-open, X, XII and some other

results are declared and there is a rush for admission into

higher education and so on. The journey to being

educated is on. Keeping with this sentiment DNC Times

presents “Education – Kindling of a flame.”

Over the past few decades a lot of measures have

been taken to increase the literacy rate of our country.

Huge sums of money have been sanctioned to make India

cent percent literate. The Right to Education Act which stcame into effect on 1 April 2009 made education “free

and compulsory” giving it

the force of a right to the

child and the duty of the

government to educate

children. The RTE has done

a lot to see that Education

reaches every child. The

r e s u l t s a r e e v i d e n t .

S ta t i s t ics show more

children are enrolled in

schools, primary schools

are opened in almost every

village and school teacher's salaries have more than

doubled in the past few years which have definitely taken

the literacy rates higher. As of 2011 India was 74.01%

literate, which is good.

However, even with such improvement the quality

of life does not show much of change. Crime rate has

increased, stress levels have increased, soared couples

have been separated and more families have broken up.

Our value system seems to have gone down rather than

up in spite of all this education.

An ancient Greek Philosopher, Plutarch said

A

truly educated mind is free. It is trained to reason

“The

mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”

02 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

EditorialEditorial

Ivan D’Souza SJ

manner. On the other hand, students in Mumbai and

elsewhere in India are securing extremely good results, a

large number achieving overall percentages of over 90%.

In one of our schools in mumbai this year, the highest

percentage scored was 97.5% with 99% in Hindi. The

next cohort of Nobel Prize winners is definitely coming

from India, it would appear. The fly in the ointment is that

local studies find barely

15% of Indian graduates

employab le . Why i s

education failing India?

Progress has been

made, with civil society

groups winning for every

Indian, the Right to

Education. But without

a d e q u a t e f i n a n c i a l

allocation for publically

funded education, suitable infrastructure in schools and

colleges which serve the non-elite and good training and

motivation for faculty, it is always going to be an

impossible task. Rote learning, lack of global skills and

commercialization of education continue rampant. When

politicians begin to think that they are the best

educationists in the world and when they bring

commercial and political interests to bear on this public

good, then we know that corruption has become subtle

but even more powerful than before. When the colour

brush of ideology dictates the policies and even the

content of education, we can anticipate the kindling of

conflict and the poisoning of the plural social fabric of

society. Indian civil society, however, is vibrant and

active and even with the mainline media being tightly

controlled by the powerful, social media has begun to

play an educative role by creatively applying critical

thinking to our developing situation.

Cont’d on pg18

f there is one thing social scientists across the world

are sure of, it is that education brings about massive Ichanges in human wellbeing, for the individual and

for society! And so, it's such an easy proposition for any

Government interested in human development – to pour

resources into the educational system. (Of course, some

governments begin their tenure by decreasing the already

meagre resources spent on

education! They probably

know better than social

scientists.) However, at

least since the time of Paulo

Freire, the world also

knows that the education

system can merely train

people to fit like cogs into

the wheel of an oppressive

society, can promote the

'culture of silence' and can serve as mere propaganda for

the ruling classes. Hence resources are not enough; the

system needs the attention of the best minds and hearts of

the community. Education must kindle a critical and

creative flame in each of us!

Our system in India, unfortunately,

suffers from the lack of access to education for the vast

majority (in villages and even in cities) and from the lack

of equity and inclusion (with those weakest and most

vulnerable not being catered to). However the most

serious problem is the lack of quality education that can

light the flame. Rote learning has resulted in our children

not developing the set of skills that students need: critical

thinking, complex reasoning, effective problem solving,

good expression and inter-disciplinary interaction. Prof.

Richard Arum of New York University, in a study

entitled, “Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on

College Campuses,” finds that a large percentage of

College and University students in the U.S. are not

developing their higher order skills in any appreciable

03 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

Fanning The FlameFanning The Flame

Frazer Mascarenhas SJ

Article

Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward

Classes (OBC), Religious Minorities and women have

been denied the opportunity. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar

(1989) recognized the importance of education in

shaping the future and cautioned the under-privileged not

to lose any opportunity to acquire this right, and said "We

may forego material benefits, that but we cannot forego

our right and opportunity to reap the benefit of the

highest education to the fullest extent." He put all his

efforts to guarantee the educational opportunities

without any discrimination to all the citizens of

independent India.

Currently the Act on Right to Education has

imparted in us the worth of education, because a human

being is not attaining his or her full heights until he or she

is educated. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, we ought

to 'Live as if you were to die tomorrow and learn as if you

were to live forever'. When you know better you do

better, because knowledge is power. Hence we need to

prepare the young to educate themselves throughout

their lives so that they can use it to change the world.

Hence it is widely acknowledged that education

plays an important role to achieve a greater degree of

social justice. It is rightly said that words spoken are like

a double edged sword. Truly our education system has

created swords of great importance who have changed

society and made an impact. Thus educational

institutions are expected to equip children to the best of

their ability to secure a meaningful place in society and

thus foster a process of developing an egalitarian society.

However, a large number of children are still excluded

from the educational system and hence they cannot

participate meaningfully in the economic, social,

political and cultural life of their communities. Let us

pledge to promote education, the most powerful tool to

all equally to help nations to grow and to make progress.

rd(Arun Valan is a 3 yr Theologian at JDV)

ducation is more than writing and reading. It

provides one with knowledge about the world Eand it's people. It draws out the worth of a

person. It creates the ability to judge, reason and to

choose. It helps in increasing one's self-awareness of

what one is supposed to be and to embrace who one really

is. It helps one to build a strong relationship with others

and makes one complete. Education, according to

Mandela is one of the most powerful weapons in

developing a country .

The development of any nation depends on its

educational system. It is proved to be the key to human

progress and social change. It is a powerful tool for

empowerment. Even the marginalized have realised its

worth as education has given them their self-identity in

this globalized world. It helps in developing confidence

in individuals and in community, makes them aware

about their own capacities, inherent strengths to shape

their lives and thus enhances inner strength against

oppression, exclusion and discrimination. Education is

the enhancement of the political, social, economic and

spiritual strength of individuals and communities. It

envelops developing and building capacities of

individuals and communities to make them part of the

main stream society. Education is the means by which

societies have been known in history, to grow out of

oppression, towards democratic participation and

involvement. It is a powerful tool for the empowerment

of an individual. It is intrinsic to human personality and

carries instrumental value.

However If I look back into the history of India,

education was never able to reach all people. Unequal

access to education has been rampant in India.

Discriminatory order in the caste system has been

instrumental in perpetuating this. Over generations some

sections of society have enjoyed the fruits of education

and the remaining majority of Indian communities

particularly the marginalized sections like Scheduled

04 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

Education: The Most Powerful ToolEducation: The Most Powerful Tool

Arun Valan SJ

Article

and productive citizens.

In fact mothers are the

first teachers to the

children at home. The

better educated every

mother is the better will

she be able to shape and

mould the young ones

who are under their care, who are going to form a new

society in future.

Napoleon was once asked, “what the great need of

France was?” He simply answered, “A nation's progress

is impossible without trained and educated mothers. If

the women of my country are not educated, about half of

the people will be ignorant,” such was the opinion of

Napoleon about educating women- folk. When God has

created men and women equally in his own image and

likeness, then why do we His creatures discriminate

women in so many ways? Although legally and

theoretically women are considered as equal to men,

there are still people who find it very difficult to accept

this truth and fail to practice this equality. It will be good

if they change their conservative mentality and broaden

their mind to accept the truth that women are not

submissive to men neither men to women. Educate every

girl and she will create a new nation.

(Sheela is a former student of JDV)

ducation is the most important tool which offers

inner and outer strength to a person. It is the Efundamental right of everyone. It creates an

ability to bring changes in one's own thought pattern as

well as in society. Education is not only about procuring

degrees but much more than that. It is about discovering

new things, ability to distinguish the good from bad, right

from wrong and much more. Education is a must for both

men and women to make a healthy society. Depriving

any one from education is depriving them from their

fundamental right. This fundamental right is very often

denied to women, mostly in developing countries. Many

educationists believe that education for girls and women

is the single most effective way to improve the lives of

individual families as well as bring economic

development to poor communities worldwide.

Educating a woman is beneficial not only for her, as the

old saying goes “when

you educate a man; you

educate a man but when

you educate a woman;

y o u e d u c a t e a

generation,” but for

humanity as a whole.

The consequence of

denying education to

women is visible today, the world over. However, some

conservative people in our society fail to understand this sttruth. Even in the 21 century they say “girls are an

expense for the family so why to educate them and waste

our precious income!” If Kalpana Chawla, Medha

Patkar, Kiran Bedi and many more successful women's

parents had thought the same they wouldn't have been

able to bring pride and honour to our country. Why then

we are still unable to look at the brighter side, rather we

find it very comfortable to stick to our stereotype

mentality. Female education is the need of the hour. They

are the ones who create happy homes, eligible

05 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

Sr. Sheela S. SSpS

Necessity of Educating WomenNecessity of Educating WomenArticle

outside. Family is the first class room, where parents,

elders, and other members play a pivotal role in

educating or teaching a child to become a good and

responsible human being in society. Hence, family is like

a 'foundation' of each individual human, upon which the

essences of humanity both moral and ethical are laid.

On the other hand, in this present scenario,

academic achievements and degrees seem to be more

important than moral values and virtues. Hence, there

seems to be a drastic increase in

i n s i n c e r i t y, b r i b e r y a n d

manipulation pertaining to

education. So much so that

a c a d e m i c a c h i e v e m e n t s ,

excellence, laurels and so called

degrees are being bought and

sold in broad day light. Today,

many people are ready to go to

any extent to buy false degrees

defeating the whole purpose of

education. It kills the very basic

moral and ethical value-systems

of society. As a result, a sense of

'authentic education' is being diminished day by day.

Thus, 'educating to become human' can be

summarized in the words of great philosopher, Aristotle,

as he once said, “Educating the mind without

educating the heart is no educating.” Hence,

'educating the heart' is the key to 'educating to

become human'. Therefore, it is each ones

responsibility to have a crystal clear distinction between

the real and fake education. I know that it is a difficult

task and a challenging one too. Yet if we try we can

contribute our might toward making a more just world

filled with love.

(Ajay is a regent of Madhya Pradesh Province)

nce the former President of India A.P.J. Abdul

Kalam said, “Real education enhances the Odignity of a human being and increases his or

her self- respect. If only the real sense of education could

be realized by each individual and carried forward in

every field of human activity, the world will be a much

better place to live in.” Education needs to go beyond just

creating intellectuals. It ought to train people to live lives

of truthfulness, honesty, charity, hospitality, tolerance,

love, kindness and sympathy.

Education needs to make one a

good and responsible human

being. It cannot be aimed at just

obtaining degrees but must help

one grow in character and virtues

which are the core and essence of

our human life.

Whenever I think of what

real education can do to us, the

first thought that comes, is that it

should bu i ld humans of

character. As the father of our

Nation rightly said, “Education

which does not mould character is wholly worthless.”

Furthermore, he adds saying that no education is true

education unless it is founded in 'truth' and 'non-

violence.' I entirely agree with his point of view

regarding real and authentic education. As a matter of

fact, real education leads one to live a virtuous life. These

essential elements beautify the life of each human

emitting the fragrance of 'peace' and 'tranquility' which

in turn lead to the sense of belongingness and community

in the society. The fact is that there is no specific time,

place, and age for educating others. Anybody can

educate anyone at any time, at any place. The only thing

is that one should be ready, willing, curious, and

receptive to being educated. Education or learning not

only takes place in the confined class rooms but also

06 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

Educating To Become HumanEducating To Become Human

Ajay Bara SJ

Article

Chennai. Therefore the question still remains

unanswered, are we giving the best education to our

children to be humans with humanitarian values?

Parents are so conscious of selecting a better

school which has a name not because of their children's

future but for their own future so that they are taken care

of by these children. On the one hand by getting high fees

private schools are producing educated criminals and on

the other by receiving minimum education, poor students

are labelled as criminals of society. There is a remedy to

this problem. That is decentralisation. When we look at

cites, it has every facility. On the other side rural areas are

full of poverty. To overcome this problem, some of the

facilities which are available in cities ought to be shifted

to rural areas. If they do so, then automatically education

will also reach the rural areas of our

country. In most of the European

countries they are following this

system.

When we look back at our history,

India is the land which gave the

enlightened Buddha to this world.

When the western world was developing their

philosophies, we were at the peak of philosophical

knowledge and ideas, though it was not well appreciated

by the West. Nalanda University is our heritage which is

said to be the giver of knowledge from the ancient times.

The steps for alternative education system were

introduced and experimented through Shantiniketen by

the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, which is now a

university campus. Yet we through our modern education

system are producing flocks of fools, flocking for the

same job opportunities and adding to the unemployed

numbers of our country. It's we who are creating the rift

among us, so let us rise and fight for what belongs to us i.e

the gift of education but if this mode of education

continues, it is a clear indication that our future

generation is going to write the dark history of our times.

rd (Valan is a 3 yr Philosopher at JDV )

ndia is a land where journeying every four hours we

face different cultures with their own education Isystems! Unfortunately during the British rule, we

adopted their educational system. Adopting a different

educational system is in itself not a big issue, but instead

of educating the students, the above system has just

spoiled their life. It is not a hypothetical statement since

the crime news about minors is an evidence to this. In this

great struggle the Private sectors as well as the

Government are both eyeing at the education system as

merely a consumer product.

In India, most of the Government schools are like

horse stables. There are no basic facilities for the students

in these Government schools. Showing these reasons the

people who are in the highest positions want their

children to be educated by the private

schools. This gives rise to the problem

that all the good private educational

institutions are instituted in urban areas

whereas government schools continue

in rural areas as they are in a shabby

condition.

People who are above the poverty line admit their

children in these private schools hoping to get a better

education for their kids. They spend any amount to get

into these schools, but the question to ponder is, after

getting a high amount in the form of fees, are these

schools really giving the best standard education to these

children? No! For their school's results they are

producing mark-scoring machines. Most people think

that all the criminals come out from ordinary local

government schools of their own place, but that is not

true. Here is a true story that happened in Tamil Nadu on th,9 2012. A teacher was stabbed by a student

with a knife because he was asked by the teacher to show

the Hindi homework that was assigned to be done. He thwas just a 9 standard student studying in a well known

school situated in the heart of the city in Chennai Paris

Corner, named St. Mary's Higher Secondary School

February

07 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

The Darkness of Our Time (A Critical View of Rural And Urban Education)

The Darkness of Our Time (A Critical View of Rural And Urban Education)

Article

Br. Valan Arasu

and technology while on the other, species after species

are becoming extinct. The documentary of David

Attenborough “State of the Planet” significantly portraits

the misconduct of human beings such as killing of animal

species, eliminating a number of trees and plants,

mounting pollution etc. which have serious implications

for mother earth, especially for the future generations of

ours. Perhaps they won't be able to enjoy the variety of

life that we do now.

The education people acquire in educational

institutions and universities plays a vital role in shaping

them. It has created professionals in every field.

However, this system has only distanced us from our

mother earth. The most educated people are seen littering

the place and the most uneducated are seen cleaning the

earth. Our education system today is only focused on

making money which eventually leads to polluting

mother nature. Everything revolves around the idea of

production and consumption, no matter what happens to

o t h e r s . N o b o d y c a r e s h e r e f o r a n y o n e .

Actually, human beings have lost their real being and

they have become money beings. They have the very

forgotten fact that “they come from dust and into the dust

they go,” which means they belong to this very nature.

Pope Francis, through his encyclical Laudato Si, calls

the church and the whole world to reconnect with

Mother Earth. Laudato Si is enabling the world to

reconcile with nature and recognize the damage that is

done to it. One needs to learn from our tribal brothers and

sisters who have great traditional practice of passing

knowledge of nature from generation to generation, so to

say, to look at nature as God and mother. The incident at

niyyamgiri gives a vivid example of how one must teach

and act for the cause of nature. Let us begin to be human

once again.

nd(Wilson is a 3 yr Philosopher at JDV)

verything in this very world is designed so

artistically. You would see things exceptionally Ebeautiful, unique and adequate in themselves.

They are never alike. Even the so called twins have

differences in behavior and attitude. The world where we

live in is diverse in nature. There are around 8.74 million

species on earth according to the recent United Nations

Environment Programme. There are species like plants,

animals and of course humans.

The human species is one of the most intelligent,

rational and supreme species on earth. Human beings

have made great strides, be it in terms of science,

sociology, technology, politics, administration and so

forth. Yet, human species seems to be the most irrational

among all of them. At times the ability of rational

thinking and the intelligence to choose has led humans

down the wrong path. The pity is that, even in this

modern scenario they have stopped thinking, critically,

rationally and maybe constructively. They are often

influenced by the evil things that happen around them

and they become insensitive and intolerant to the needs

of their neighbours. Neighbours could be even the

cosmos and everything that belongs to it. The amount of

harm people do every day to the environment is

enormous. On one had there are great strides in science

08 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

Ecology and Education Ecology and Education

Wilson Kujur SJ

Article

Is there a complacent attitude of mere mediocrity in our

approaches?

Modern education is indeed attempting to respond

to the demands and realities of the day. But, one needs to

perceive if it is actually educating or just teaching.

The only focus of modern

education is to fend for

yourself and to get a job. It

makes one aspire for an

economically lucrative

profession. Materiality and

Consumerism are two

wings that sway our lives

today and that's a value we

get from modern educational systems, that are

themselves captives of these two swings.

But this is the reality today. Can we in our system

of educating be blind to this reality and continue with the

rusted methodology that has no effect on this

generation? Can we prepare our children to face the

present reality with a different value? Are we educating?

Can we educate like the way we did before? Or we are

happy to be trapped in the footsteps of these modern

educational systems.

I think we need to revamp ourselves with the following:

1. Be aware of the reality we face today.

2. Focus on the concretization of our visions.

3. Get liberated from traditions that do not support

change.

4. Always aim for excellence with a value based on a

selfless life.

5. Don't be swayed with a focus only on competition.

6. Creativity, innovation needs to be reintroduced

with courage.

7. Educate don't just teach.

(Amit is a Deacon of Goa Province)

omparing our old Church education system and

the modern education, one wonders if we (the Cchurch in general) are in keeping pace with the

world, especially when it comes to reflecting on the

education we impart today. New realities need new

responses. Is the Church in tune with the new realities we

face today?

History does tell us

that the Church has, in most

p a r t s o f t h e g l o b e ,

spearheaded the imparting

of education. The Jesuits in

particular are known for

t h e i r p i o n e e r i n g ,

i nnova t ive and ve ry

creative approaches to educate the masses, having their

beginnings in Europe and carrying it along to all parts of

the world, even to remote places where nobody dares to

go. Other religious orders and Christian denominations

have also involved themselves to educate in myriad

ways.

But, the growth of so many educational systems

sprinting ahead of us leaving our system (Church run

educational institutes/system) lagging. This is an area for

reflection and urgent change.

Our goals are clear. There exists an articulation of

very creative visions. The structures are huge. The

locations of our institutes are in prime geographical

settings. Many flock to our institutes. What then makes

us still fall back and only follow, instead of leading and

having a say in the major changes in the field of

education?

Are we hiding behind a veil of value based

education and justifying ourselves by saying that modern

education is debasing? Can we really say we do not have

the necessary resources to keep pace with modern times?

Have we lost our sense of being present to the present?

Are our pioneering and creative wells dried up?

09 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

Questions and Reflections… on EducationQuestions and Reflections… on Education

Amit D’Souza SJ

Article

Good Schooling is essential for every society and

individual. It's a preparatory phase to face the challenges

that the bigger school called 'world' will offer us when we

are left out on the road of life. For many of us, the days

spent in school are the best days in our lives.

Most irritating moment – morning alarm

Most difficult task – to find socks

Most dreadful journey – way to class

Most lovely time – meeting and playing with friends

Most tragic moments – surprise test in the first period

Most wonderful news – Teacher is absent

School is a meeting place of students and teachers. In this

temple of learning, a student learns the 'life skills' of

living needed in society for the later part of life.

Schooling teaches moral, social, spiritual and human

values of life. Schooling teaches us to give equal

opportunities in all aspects irrespective of caste, creed,

colour, sex and religion. It teaches us to live in harmony

with society, nature and self. Thus it is called the temple

of learning as we all grow under one umbrella in

fellowship and love. The most beautiful scene of

schooling is that of a child entering school in the morning

crying and hesitant but getting out of school in the

evening happy and cheerful having learnt values of life.

It is here that he forgets his joys and sorrows through

reading and writing, playing and sitting and sharing the

tiffin with the other, giving blows at times yet holding

hands and walking together as friends cherishing and

shaping their dreams of the future. Oh, what

imaginations they bring out! All of it is the fruit of school

and teaching that brings out the best in them.

Cont’d on Pg11

nce a teacher wrote to her students who were

going to appear for their exams, “Dear Ostudents, soon you are going to appear for

exam, remember that this exam will not assess all what

makes each of you exceptional and unique. This exam

will not evaluate the love you have for your friends, the

help you give, the talents and skills you have, or for that

matter the ‘inner you’ that has a heart for the poor, desire

to be with your sick, or the helping hand that you lend to

your parents. The scores you get in this exam will only

tell you what you did on that day and not what you are.

They cannot tell you how amazing and special you are.

And remember always that there is no one way to 'test' all

of the wonderful things that make you 'YOU'.”

Teaching is a skill which not all possess. There are

few who teach for life and it gets registered in the minds

of students, whereas there are few who teach and

children struggle to grasp what is being taught. I always

ask myself, “why after long years of study an educated

or so called 'civilised' MBBS student runs here and there

to find happiness and satisfaction in life and commits

suicide, while the so called 'illiterate man' a farmer lives

happily with nothing much in life. Have we failed

somewhere along the way in our teaching? Are we

teaching pupils to cope with life or just preparing

finished products all with same intellectual abilities

without human values and life promoting skills?

10 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

Teaching, Schooling and MouldingTeaching, Schooling and Moulding

Josephvaz Monteiro S.J

Article

(cont’d from page 10)

A school is the foundation of every individual. We

all are taught and we learn from that one umbrella called

'School', yet we become different when we step out of

that same umbrella. Some are remembered for the good

works they do and few for their bad deeds. A teacher

gives freely what she has and must continue with hope

taking courage from the letter of Abraham Lincoln. He

wrote, “My son will have to learn that all men are not just,

and that all men are not true. But teach him also that for

every scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish

politician, there is a dedicated leader. Teach him that for

every enemy there is a friend. That a dollar earned is far

more valuable than five found. Teach him to learn to lose

and also to enjoy winning. Teach him, the wonder of

books, but also give him quiet time to ponder over the

eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and

flowers on a green hillside. Teach him that it is far more

honourable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to have faith

in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him that he is

wrong. Teach him, how to laugh when he is sad. Teach

him that there is no shame in tears. Treat him gently; but

do not cuddle him because only the test of fire makes fine

steel.” Yes education silhouettes every being into what

they are meant to be, some need pruning, some filing,

some a gentle touch with love and care, some have to be

melted down to form perfect human beings, all of which

is done through schooling and teaching with a sense of

parental touch in their approach towards every child in

care.

Education is a lifelong process that will never end

till one dies. It is always in giving that one receives and

the one receiving benefits by sharing it with others

grows. Education teaches us that 'BEING MORE' is

important than 'HAVING MORE'.

(Josephvaz is a Deacon of Karnataka Province)

hat nobler employment, or more valuable

to the state, than that of a man who instructs Wthe rising generation” Marcus Tullius

Cicero

I started my career as a teacher 15 years ago

without knowing what would be the journey in the future,

but when I look back at the years gone by, I see a beautiful

picture, a wonderful blessing.

'A teacher is always a student', is what I believe,

learning from the students various aspects of life which

cannot be expressed in words or found in no book.

Teaching as a profession for me has been my moment of

pride & humility, with a great sense of responsibility,

knowing that, what knowledge is shared with my

students will be the foundation for a better future to make

them better citizens for tomorrow. This has developed in

me a great sense of honesty and sincerity towards my

profession and my students, making me a better human

being than what I was or what I would have become.

Every minute of my teaching experience has been

unique and special which I owe to the Almighty and my

students, for it is they who help me grow as a teacher.

(Mr.Franklin Salvi is a professor at St Vincent’s

College of Commerce, Pune)

11JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

My Experience as a TeacherMy Experience as a Teacher

Franklin SalviTeaching, Schooling and

MouldingTeaching, Schooling and

Moulding

Article

Kerala stands first as the most literate state in India

according to the 2011 census. But the census also shows

that the suicide rate among the youngsters is pretty high

with 8431cases reported.This shocking data along with

the above mentioned story causes us to re-think about the

type of education which we impart to our children. There

is no doubt that the amount of information which our

children acquire now is enormous but is education only a

gathering of information or is it about gaining

knowledge!

We should distinguish

between education and

information. Education is

what forms the character

and confidence of children

in the midst of harsh

realities of life. Information

acquired will help in

getting good grades in the

competitive world but

education will help them

throughout their life,

especially when they face the cut throat competitive

tendencies of the world.

We need to have certain check points to make

sure whether our children are being educated or not. An

educated child will value virtues like truth and justice

rather than achieving high marks at any cost. And more

importantly a child will show a sense of gratitude and

respect towards his/her teachers for teaching them. It is

high time that we need to have a holistic understanding of

education. A person's education is not decided by her/his

grades but from her/his very own life. Sadly, only

information is being transmitted in the schools rather

than knowledge. Our schools should be the sanctuary of

knowledge and not the places of information sharing.

rd(Tinu is a 3 yr Theologian at JDV)

ast September I was attending a conference on

education of which, Sri. N Prasanth IAS, the Ldistrict collector of Calicut was the chief guest.

In his address to the audience he shared a story of an old

teacher. Once while the teacher was on his way to the

school he took a rather crowded bus. In the bus a middle

aged man stood up and greeted him, for that man was the

master's student in the past. The man then invited the

teacher to occupy his seat. The old man was moved by the

display of respect but he politely denied the request.

While this was going on, a

young boy seized the

opportunity and grabbed

the seat. The boy then gave

a nod of recognition to the

old teacher because the boy

was the present student of

the teacher. The audience

laughed at the ironical

twist. Then the collector

asked the audience, “who is

at fault?” the answer was

obvious- 'the young boy'

who had not shown any respect to the master. But the

collector said that it was not the fault of the young boy but

of the syllabus. In earlier days importance was given to

values and relationships, but now, with the change of the

syllabus, teaching is only a job and what is taught in the

schools is meant only for examinations and grades but

not for life.

Nelson Mandela had once said, “Education is the

most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.”

Today the world has changed to the extent that we get all

information at our finger tips. The word education comes

from the Latin word 'educare' which means 'to bring out'

or 'lead forth'. It is meant to bring out the potentiality of

the child's mind. Hence the primary goal of education is

to teach one to think intensively and critically, to enhance

intelligence and to form character.

12 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

Education or InformationEducation or Information

Tinu Pondicherry SJ

Article

limited knowledge to give correct answers to their

children can sometimes be a challenge for them. As the

first teachers, the challenges for parents within their

limitations are to provide the best to their children and to

make them self reliant.

From Parents to Teachers:

As time passes, the role of parents as teachers is

shared by many. From Kindergarten to Professional

Colleges and beyond, one comes across many teachers.

The challenges of these teachers are many, depending on

a variety of factors including the growth of the student,

but to have 'togetherness', is a challenge common to all

teachers.

Belongingness is our essential entity. The thoughts

of a student ought to be in the same direction as that of

his/her teacher. When one lacks belongingness the

student fails to understand the meaning of punishment

and ends up being at rage with his/her teacher. This

results in misbehaviour and lack of respect towards the

teacher which can be challenging.

Nature as a Teacher

Nature is our teacher, whose teachings are mainly

mysterious, difficult to understand and often neglected.

Observation and reflection will help us understand the

lessons of nature. Nature teaches us many values like

impartiality, generosity etc., by showing no

discrimination in its process of giving. Nature always

maintains a 'togetherness' with all the beings on this

earth. Life on earth is possible only because of this

'togetherness'. Though our life is well sustained and well

maintained by our mother nature, we forget this

'togetherness' and disobey. This disobedience becomes

the greatest challenge for nature. Nature does not expect

anything return but it deserves its due respect. Sadly, this

is not given importance.

(Cont’d on pg 14)

Oṁ Saha nāvavatu

saha nau bhunaktu

Saha vīryam karavāvahai

Tejasvi nāvadhītamastu

Mā vidviṣāvahai

Oṁ Shāntiḥ, Shāntiḥ, Shāntiḥ

This mantra is one of the shanti (peace) mantras

and it finds its origin in the Taittiriya Upanisad. This

mantra depicts the relationship between teacher and his

student(s). The translation of this mantra is,

Let it protect both of us (teacher and student) together.

Let it nourishes us together.

Let us do hard work together.

Let what we have studied be enlightening.

Let us not hate each other.

Saha and Togetherness

The word 'Saha' is used three times in this mantra.

The word 'saha' means 'together.’ Togetherness is one of

the most important factors in a teacher - student

relationship and its absence creates a problem in the

process of education.

Education cannot be static; it is a dynamic process

which starts from limitations and moves to the highest

possibilities of a person. A teacher is the one who points

out ones areas of growth and makes him/her aware of

his/her possibilities and shows the way to it. It is

impossible for a teacher to show this by standing away

from student(s); hence a sense of 'togetherness' is

necessary. The greatest challenge of a teacher is to have

and to maintain this togetherness.

The First Teachers

Family is the first and the best school; and parents

are the first and the best teachers. They are the people

who initiate a child to society and to the world. There is

an innate 'togetherness' within parents and children. This

is an advantage to the parents as first teachers, but their

13 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

Togetherness And Challenges Togetherness And Challenges

Article

Br. Garrison Paiva

others his/her own beliefs and thoughts. He/she also

knows how to influence others and have a common

understanding. Furthermore, one develops the ability to

bear with others when the situation demands for it. If one

is not able to accompany others and bring smiles on their

faces then I think he/she ought not to be considered as

educated. Being a social being, each one of has got a

certain responsibility towards others; therefore all our

words and actions should be centered on others as well.

An educated person must

have an aim in life because to have

an aim is to act with meaning.

Such life will lead them to work

for the welfare of others too. There

will be sympathy for the poor and

the oppressed and various steps

will be taken to alleviate the

suffering humanity. If everyone is

educated in this way then each one

will respect the other's dignity.

Each one will mix with others and

try all possible ways to build a true

social atmosphere. Each one will

flourish in life and the dynamics

of life will be fully active and alive.

(Jeevan is a regent of Patna Province)

s I ponder over the question, “Who is

educated?” or “What does it mean to be an Aeducated person?” I realize that we often

identify education with many degrees and higher

positions. We also tend to believe that the longer the

catalogue of degree we have, the more educated we are. I

think it is a very narrow and foolish idea educated which

not only leads us to be corrupt, dishonest, insensitive and

cruel but also leads us to be inhuman.

A quote by Aristotle hits

my mind which says, “Educating

the mind without educating the

heart is no education at all.” I fully

agree to what Aristotle has said. In

this present era, people have been

so busy in educating their minds

that they hardly have time to

educate their heart. In fact, the

complete development of one's

personality, intellect and morality

is almost erased from their mind.

With the various advancements,

our modes of education have

completely changed. The whole

life orientation has become very subjective. Today's

learning makes one to think only for oneself. I think,

because of this prevailing thought, our younger

generations are slowly cultivating the same attitude. The

time does not seem to be far when our younger

generations will also fall in the same ditch.

I am very much taken up by the understanding of

Newman, who says that an educated person is the one

who is able to accommodate oneself to others. In fact,

this should be the attitude which each one of us needs to

have in mind and thus we should help our younger

generations to cultivate this attitude in their life. With

thisattitude, one knows how to throw oneself into

people's state of mind. One knows how to bring before

14 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

Who is Educated? A Critique Who is Educated? A Critique

(cont’d from pg 13)

Whether it is a teacher or a student, the lack of

'togetherness' remains the main cause of all challenges,

but by maintaining this 'togetherness' we can overcome

all the challenges of a teacher - student relationship.

(Garrison is a 3rd yr Philosopher at JDV)

Togetherness And Challenges Togetherness And Challenges

Jeevan Issac SJ

Article

However, many of us live in the past glory. We need to be

really Jesuitical; hard working, impartial, discerning,

creative, intellectual and spiritually people oriented. We

need to be part of global endeavors, but acting locally,

based on the Jesuit legacy.

4. What are the major challenges we are facing as

minority institutions in the South Asian Assistancy?

There are lots of challenges we face today. First of all

we need to feel the need for a more corporate sense

among all the Jesuit Institutions in the South Asian

Assistancy by strengthening the JEA. Externally, there

are challenges from the Right Wing ideology that are

against Minority status for our schools. So, influenced by

this ideology, the Governments and officials act against

us, parents are instigated against us and we face many

legal hurdles. These all affect our smooth functioning.

5. What sort of an education system would you

suggest for the children of today?

I suggest a system that caters to the needs of all the

aspects of human life. We could call it integral education.

The problem is, today's system is very often memory

based, marks oriented, and bookish in nature. The result

is we make 'intellectual monsters' who do not know how

to be human. Therefore I suggest more of a collaborative,

cooperative learning system, a caring and mentoring

teaching, and a skill developing learning system based on

the understanding of Multiple Intelligence.

6. In what way do you see the education system as a

means to kindle a flame for the world?

I believe only true education can change the world. An

education that changes the mind set of people to a more

humane and harmonious world is the need of the hour.

Jesuit Education is a step forward in that direction. If

education makes one gripped by the love of God and love

for people, the rest will follow. The whole world will be

in light. We all need to work more towards that.

1. In what way will you define the present education

system of ours?

The present system of Education in South Asia is

more marks oriented and based purely on memorization.

Successive education policies of the Governments have

made it more ineffective and inefficient. In India, the

proposed New Education Policy of the present Central

Government is more in the name of Indianisation based

on their ideology. All indications suggest a backward

looking policy in the making. We have suggested more

progressive policy proposals to the government.

Jesuit education in General and in South Asia in

particular is attempting to make students and teachers

persons of humanness. Ultimately all need to understand

the purpose of education; integral and person oriented.

We need to be out of the obsolete memory based system

towards a creative and dynamic system.

2. Having visited the assistancy’s educational

institutes what is the need of the hour for us?

The need of the hour is to come out of the deadly trap

of our 'satisfactory underperformance'. Our men must

not be administrators of our schools; rather they must be

animators to all our stakeholders. The need of the hour is

to educate our men and our collaborators about the vision

and mission of the Society and about strengths of our

legacy. It is also important to be united and to face the

challenges as a body. Towards these full time education

coordinators for the provinces, especially those one have

more schools, and also Zonal coordinators with more

powers is a must. Provinces, Zones, and the JEA must

work as a team for the consolidation and expansion of the

Mission.

3. Education being the major apostolate of the

Jesuits, what are the ways in which we need to adapt

in order to live up to the standards of our society,

A.M.D.G.?

Yes, Education is the major apostolate, no doubt.

15 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

Interview with Fr. Sunny Jacob S.J.

JEA - SA Secretary

Interview with Fr. Sunny Jacob S.J.

JEA - SA SecretaryFr. Sunny Jacob SJ

innovative, think differently, there is always a better way

for us as teachers and educators.

10.Ten years from now, how do you wish the

educational institutions to be?

I wish our educational Institutions be centers of

leadership in the locality wherever they are placed. In ten

years from now I would like to see our Jesuits play

greater role as animators and leaders. I wish to see our

Educational institutions concentrate on research,

innovations, policy interventions and be centers of

excellence in all spheres. My dream is to see Jesuits play

greater role in shaping the future of the nation, as we did

in the past. Let our life tell the people what we are and

what we stand for. Time has come for us to be more

proactive leaders of people. In ten years, I also visualize

that there will be an innovative flagship programme for

the South Asian Assistancy, like Fe Ye Alegria of Latin

America or the Cristo Rey Model in the West, that will

give us a new identity and a brand of a Jesuit Institution.

Let our Education be kindling of a Flame to the

Assistancy and the world.

7. Looking at our educational institutions, what is the

feeling you get as a JEA secretary?

I get a feeling of satisfaction, encouragement and

hope. I am sure we Jesuits will never succumb to

complacency. We ought to work as a team, consolidating

our existing schools and thus reach out effectively to

more and newer areas. We will assume the role of

animators than merely school administrators. We need to

train ourselves and our collaborators in Jesuit legacy and

tradition. JEA is organizing National level and Zonal

level sustained training programmes for this purpose. An

Expert team is already in place. External evaluation is

also on. We will set things right and move forward with

much vigour and vision.

8. Can you share your experience of teaching and the

role as a JEA secretary?

I love teaching, teaching is my passion. In the schools

I worked, I used to teach as a full timer. Even as the

principal I found time to teach, to visit families of

children, meeting with parents and practice the Jesuit

Magis. As JEA Secretary, it is a different role altogether.

It is more of coordinating of all our institutions and to act

as a link between the International Jesuit Education and

the JEA. The effectiveness of the JEA greatly depends on

the network among the Zonal and province level

educational endeavours. I feel, we are in the right

direction now, only the pace has to increase.

Communication is a boon to our effectiveness today.

9. What is your message to the readers especially to

those involved in the teaching ministry?

The enemies of success are: 1. Laziness. 2. Fear. 3.

Complacency. 4. Lack of awareness of our roots. I think

if we can overcome all these four enemies, and put on the

armour of Jesuitness in our approach, we will achieve

what St. Ignatius envisaged and many of our great

predecessors relentlessly carried on. So, be creative, be

16 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

That we will bring into our society.

I remember that there was a boy in our school

who was asked by a journalist, “Why are the Taliban

against education?” He answered very simply. By

pointing to his book he said, “A Taliban doesn't know

what is written inside this book.” They think that God is a

tiny, little conservative being who would send girls to the

hell just because of going to school. The terrorists are

misusing the name of Islam and Pashtun society for their

own personal benefits. Pakistan is peace-loving

democratic country. Pashtuns want education for their

daughters and sons. And Islam is a religion of peace,

humanity and brotherhood. Islam says that it is not only

each child's right to get education, rather it is their duty

and responsibility.

Honourable Secretary

General, peace is necessary for

education. In many parts of the

world especially Pakistan and

Afghanistan; terrorism, wars

and conflicts stop children to

go to their schools. We are

really tired of these wars.

Women and children are

suffering in many parts of the world in many ways. In

India, innocent and poor children are victims of child

labour. Many schools have been destroyed in Nigeria.

People in Afghanistan have been affected by the hurdles

of extremism for decades. Young girls have to do

domestic child labour and are forced to get married at

early age. Poverty, ignorance, injustice, racism and the

deprivation of basic rights are the main problems faced

by both men and women.

Dear fellows, today I am focusing on women's

rights and girls' education because they are suffering the

most. There was a time when women social activists

asked men to stand up for their rights. But, this time, we

Dear brothers and sisters do remember one thing.

Malala day is not my day. Today is the day of every

woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their

voice for their rights. There are hundreds of Human

rights activists and social workers who are not only

speaking for human rights, but who are struggling to

achieve their goals of education, peace and equality.

Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists

and millions have been injured. I am just one of them.

So here I stand... one girl among many.

Dear Friends, on the 9th of October 2012, the

Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot

my friends too. They thought that the bullets would

silence us. But they failed. And

then, out of that silence came,

thousands of voices.

D e a r s i s t e r s a n d

brothers, I am not against

anyone. Neither am I here to

speak in terms of personal

revenge against the Taliban or

any other terrorists group. I am

here to speak up for the right of

education of every child. I

want education for the sons and the daughters of all the

extremists especially the Taliban.

The wise saying, “The pen is mightier than

sword” was true. The extremists are afraid of books and

pens. The power of education frightens them. They are

afraid of women. The power of the voice of women

frightens them. And that is why they killed 14 innocent

medical students in the recent attack in Quetta. And that

is why they killed many female teachers and polio

workers in Khyber Pukhtoon Khwa and FATA. That is

why they are blasting schools every day. Because they

were and they are afraid of change, afraid of the equality

17 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

Excerpts of Malala’s speech at the UN Excerpts of Malala’s speech at the UN Speech

will do it by ourselves. I am not telling men to step away

from speaking for women's rights rather I am focusing on

women to be independent to fight for themselves.

Dear sisters and brothers, now it's time to speak

up. So today, we call upon the world leaders to change

their strategic policies in favour of peace and prosperity.

We call upon the world leaders that all the peace deals

must protect women and children's rights. We call upon

all governments to ensure free compulsory education for

every child all over the world and to fight against

terrorism and violence, to protect children from brutality

and harm.We call upon the developed nations to support

the expansion of educational opportunities for girls in the

developing world.We call upon all communities to be

tolerant – to reject prejudice based on cast, creed, sect,

religion or gender. We call upon our sisters around the

world to be brave to embrace the strength within

themselves and realise their full potential.

Dear brothers and sisters, we want schools and

education for every child's bright future. We will

continue our journey to our destination of peace and

education for everyone. No one can stop us. We will

speak for our rights and we will bring change through our

voice. We must believe in the power and the strength of

our words. Our words can change the world. Because we

are all together, united for the cause of education. And if

we want to achieve our goal, then let us empower

ourselves with the weapon of knowledge and let us shield

ourselves with unity and togetherness.

Dear brothers and sisters, we must not forget that

millions of people are suffering from poverty, injustice

and ignorance. We must not forget that millions of

children are out of schools.

So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy,

poverty and terrorism and let us pick up our books and

pens. They are our most powerful weapons.

18 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016

"One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can

change the world."

Education is the only solution. Education First.

(Malala is a youngest Noble Prize winner)

(Cont’d from page 03)

The crucial role of the Indian educational system

is already well-known, given the demographic dividend

India enjoys. By the end of this decade, India will be the

only country in the world with a surplus workforce. But

without a proper education kindling the flame of a positive

contribution to world prosperity and human wellbeing,

the fires of social unrest at home may be unavoidable. The

opportunity stares at us in the face – our great human

potential to match the unparalled global need.

India acutely experiences the need for

governmental will and civil society engagement, in

putting together a good educational system available to

every Indian. The autonomy of educational institutions

and educationists, with backing from every section of

Indian society, will help to make India a nation that can

play its role in global society. Our culture and our people

have an important contribution to make to the world –

something unique, with depth of meaning and a quality of

life that the world hungers for in the midst of its material

degeneration. Education alone can kindle that flame in

young India.

The key to quality education, with equity and

inclusion, is the very element we have plenty – human

resource. A highly motivated teaching faculty, well

trained and supported, with the autonomy to try out

creative initiatives, can transform education in a few

years. That's the million dollar question: What will

motivate our teachers?

(Frazer is the former principal of St. Xavier’s

College Mumbai)

Fanning the Flame

03 JUNE 2016JUNE 2016