RIYADH, 25 September 2007 — Bishruddin Sharqi, president of the Students Islamic Organization (SIO) and chairman of All-India Talent Identification and Promotion Trust, has emphasized the importance of value-based education in order to encourage people to do virtuous deeds.
Addressing an iftar party here recently, the visiting dignitary called upon academics and policymakers to assess contemporary educational systems in order to understand how useful they are for society.
“Today the result of education is measured in terms of certificates and jobs,” Sharqi said, stressing the need for taking education beyond such goals. He wondered if the objectives of education could be fulfilled if it did not make a person humane and respectful of his or her fellow beings.
The SIO chief called for adopting a prudent educational philosophy and providing adequate guidelines for teachers and mentors to help students receive a proper education. “Education does not mean students mastering literature or science and mathematics, but education concerning values is fundamentally important,” he said. He cited the Holy Qur’an and pointed to one of the goals of education: “And turn not thy cheek away from people in [false] pride, and walk not haughtily on earth: for, behold, God does not love anyone who, out of self-conceit, acts in a boastful manner.”
He strongly criticized efforts to introduce sex education into Indian schools, saying the idea was alien to Indian society.