What is Education ?

What is Education? we all call ourselves educated, what does that mean? Is education about finding a job after school, is it about equipping ourselves with a technique, a skill, is it about reading and gaining knowledge? What is it ? does education give you everything you need to face life? Who is responsible for this ? Is education the responsibility of only schools? Where does it start and where does it end ?
These were the kind of questions I came across recently when I stepped out of my comfort zone and looked out for a different school for maithili. I resonated with these questions a lot.
These were the questions I was faced with whenever I saw maithili stressed and overwhelmed with her school . we all argue that ,well , we all never thought about education so seriously , but still grew up and are successful , whats wrong with us? This is the argument I have with jayant also. He believes that if your child can "think " then he will be able to handle himself and take care of himself . But I somehow don't agree with this completely. Here we are still talking about personal security, taking care of myself and becoming comfortable. But what about the conflicts ? what about the emotional make up? what aboout the feeling of completeness ? Do you feel that ? Yes, the child should be able to think but that by itself doesn't complete his education.

Ask yourself as to are you happy? do you feel good about what you are doing? Are you leading a full life ? Are you clear , are you satisfied?

These questions sound philosophical, but well I have come to believe that spirituality should be part of your education too. You should be able to peep into yourself and see what is life, its interconnectedness with other things. Education should lead you to your own self awareness. Education should be about my being, what makes me me? Education is not about racing, competeing against somebody. it should be about a deeper understanding about myself and my being both intelectually and emotionally. Education should be stressfree for the child andshould be at the pace of the child. We are in no hurry. Education should be in an open questioning environment. where the child feels comfortable questioning the authority.

I have also always held my point that the purpose of life is to be "happy" which for me is without any internal conflict.

Recently I heard a person who has done his masters in computers harassing his wife. I was really shaken by this as this was somebody I know of very well. Now is that the education we are talking about . Now what is this education we all are so proud about and at the end of the day don't know what's happening to us. Why do we have this insecure feeling and fear ?

Education which instills fear in us, education which makes us feel inferior , education which doesn't let your potential come out , education which cannot identify you as an individual being, education which is after some ideals, education which is focussed on only gaining knowledge is no education et all. It only leads us to feeling more and more miserable as to who we are . It leads us away from oneself and engulfs us in lot of fear and insecurity.