Dr Augustine F Pinto
Founder – Chairman,
Ryan International Group of Institutions
“A nation will be known by its people and the people will be known by their education and culture.”
Globalisation has brought sweeping economic and technological changes in society. This has had seminal impact on the education system around the world. Over the years education has undergone tremendous changes, however today there is a growing demand for quality Holistic Education. Every educator therefore has a great responsibility to integrate the internationally recognised and well researched concepts and trends in curriculum to equip students for the future that is unexplored. Educators must understand that there is a need to develop global citizens for more humane and sustainable world. Education should not merely prepare the young generation for employment, it should also equip them for life. Students must learn the art of becoming lifelong learners and to be catalysts of change in the world. The educational experiences must provide young generation the information and tools to understand what is happening in the world and how it affects lives.
Education should develop students with global consciousness needed to support human rights and ecological sustainability. There are numerous issues such as global warming, environmental degradation, war, conflicts, terrorism, racism and so forth in the world today. Education therefore at all levels has a significant role to play in preparing young minds to promote peace, to prevent conflict and to bring about human development. Educators and policymakers have to find ways and means to translate these aspects into curriculum to provide the students competence and skills to understand the global issues and be the agents of peace and harmony in society and world at large.
The scope for growth is tremendous. However, the progress of our nation will largely depend on the quality of education,
which must be of global standards to bring about economic and social development. India is one of the biggest human resource suppliers in the world and if we as educators want to create world class global organisations to produce application-career oriented world class citizens, we first need to create an environment that encourages strong emphasis on hands-on-projects, experiential learning, problem solving, and critical thinking through collaborative and cooperative learning. Collaborative approach that includes academic rigour combined with strong experiential learning is the key and integration of ICT is deemed necessary for future employability and successful careers. Our generation of children should be helped to grow intellectually, emotionally, physically, spiritually and socially.
The Biblical proverb rightly states, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he shall not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6). As educators we need to make every possible endeavour for developing responsible and employable global citizens for a better world.
