Importance of Proper Education

This has been sent by Karanvir

Last week I read about the first suicide in Sangur (thanks to Samachar.com and Radheshyam’s weekly message). Someone realized that what the politicians had promised was not exactly how things were going, and they probably stood to lose instead of gaining leading to this drastic action.
The number of farmers that have committed suicide in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh in the last few years leaving behind devastated families is big. These farmers killed themselves because they could not pay back loans taken from loan sharks at very high interest rates as they could not get cheaper loans.
But were these the real reasons why these deaths occurred?

Everyday we learn through the news channels about people going on rampage and killing other human beings in the name of religion, tribe, nation, etc. Isn’t it unbelievable that these things are still happening in the 21st century, and not only in India but also in other Asian countries, Africa and Europe.

I believe that the real cause lies in the fact that most of the people involved lack fundamental education. They do not have the knowledge and know how to be able to improve their lives. Institutions do not have time for these unfortunate people. And therefore they are dependant on what ever they were told by unscrupulous people who build their success by using the poor and uneducated who are unable to evaluate what they are being taken into.

The last few years and working with some rural development projects in India I have learnt more about the importance of education, not only for children but also for women. Wherever women have got even basic education things have improved much faster. It is the reason why micro credit has been so successful. If we want things to change for the better in the world I believe the key lies in education. And I also strongly believe that the few of us that have been fortunate to get a good one have a moral obligation to assist someone who does not have a similar opportunity.

Our own school has a wonderful programme going of educating girls from poor families of the area. Just think of the combination they live in today – girls, poor, uneducated! Without some education what chance do these girls have in life except to end up in (modern day) slavery of some sort. Radheshyam has already brought the project run by Br. James to our attention, and same has also been circulated by some Old Boys’ Associations. But there hasn’t been much of a reaction from the old boys as was hoped. It is not the amount that is contributed that matters; it is assisting someone get an education, and that too through your own school that should be the driving motivation for us in assisting this project and making it successful. I hope that more of the old boys will consider it and come forth with much needed contributions.
There is no better religion than helping the less fortunate.
Karan