Is education merely a piece of paper that tells the world that we are trained in a particular skill? Surely literacy seems to be a basic requirement of an educated individual, but can someone be illiterate and still be educated? To most of us, the answer to this last question may seem obvious, “of course not…literary skills form the very foundation of a strong education.” However, the answer would really depend on how we view and define education. By most definitions, education involves the acquisition of knowledge and skill to perform a particular task. By this definition, one can think of a variety of fields where a person need not have literary skills in order to posses the knowledge and skill to perform a task in that particular domain. Of course, literary skills empower an individual, but they need not be a requirement in the definition of an educated individual.

Of course, these are questions and thoughts that are interesting from a philosophical standpoint. But instead moving in that direction, I would like to use these questions in order to focus on our own (societal and national) attitude toward education. Society has begun to view education as merely that piece of paper. A degree that states that an individual has learnt a particular skill or acquired knowledge in that particular field. While this degree may be important, it does not imply that the particular individual is educated. Or conversely, a person who does not posses this degree—this piece of paper—need not be considered “uneducated.”

Recently I met an individual who was on his way to an interview for a faculty position at a University in the United States. The person had only recently acquired his doctorate degree (I am not sure of the field) and was talking about his past years as a young student in India. As a young boy he had to work hard to pay for his own education. Without any complaints he worked on the streets of Bombay selling pani puri. In the midst of our conversation he quite emphatically said, “Only now I realize, that I was always educated…I had no problems doing what I had to do….” In other words, he basically meant that his education wasn’t about the PhD degree as much as it was about his willingness to work sincerely—no matter what the job at hand. Later on, he was talking about his recent marriage and the attitude of some of his friends when they found out that his wife had “only” a bachelors’ degree. He was telling us that his response to such friends was always the same, “I spoke to her, I could tell she was well educated, and I was happy with that.” Again, his emphasis was not so much on the difference in their formal education levels, but on something less quantifiable. Here is a person who’s spent all his life striving toward some of the highest degrees the world can offer. Not only has he been a hard working student but during this time he has also taught other younger students. So he was in a unique position of being a young graduate who also had ten years of teaching experience! Surely he must know a thing or two about education!

I have heard similar statements made by academics before. Being a graduate student pursuing a doctoral degree, I have had similar thoughts about education throughout my student life. Academics often have a broad view of education that goes beyond the particular science we master, or degree we obtain. This particular graduate’s view was not revolutionary, but I use the story of this particular individual because it serves as an ideal example to explicate the point I am trying to make here.

So how should we redefine education? What is that key factor that defines an educated individual? Primarily, it is the wisdom to acknowledge the dignity of labor associated with any duty—no matter how mundane it may seem—and the sincerity to carry out that duty to the best of ones ability. That is, they must be humble, sincere and reject any illusory hierarchy that society may have created. To this primary requirement I will add the following tertiary qualities that an educated individual might possess. An educated individual must have the confidence to accept the views, opinions and aspirations of others. They must have an open minded attitude that is willing to question, or let others question. And they must be willing to accept that some or all of their own views can be flawed, that is, they must be open to introspection. Or in other words, an educated individual must always be open to learning more. By this definition, we can see that a person selling Pani Puri need not necessarily have a formal degree, yet he may be educated. At the same time, another person who has completed his Graduate studies in Physics at a top rated University may be formally empowered but not necessarily educated.

It is important to understand this distinction because it projects our country in an entirely new light. Suddenly, most of us educated folk are not as educated as we might think we are. We might actually have to open our eyes and educate ourselves. And most of the people we think are uneducated or illiterate are suddenly a lot more educated than we ourselves are. It is important that all individuals recognize this distinction. It has the potential to empower an individual and give them self belief, regardless of the duty they perform. If we look at our society and our history as a nation, traditionally, most of our skilled workers such as our artisans, our weavers, our farmers, and so on, were respected for their skills. These skills were passed on through generations and eventually entire specialized communities were formed. No duty was considered inferior. However, this system has changed over centuries and this change has affected us as individuals and as a society today.

Consider for example a mechanic who works on our vehicle at a local garage. This mechanic need not have a degree in Mechanical Engineering, but he or she is excellent in their work. Shouldn’t this be considered as a valuable skill set and essentially be valued and respected? Here is a situation where a simple change in our attitude can make a difference and it is our duty to make this change. What changes can we make? Change must take place at two levels, the individual and societal. The change must first start in our own views towards everyone around us and we must begin by treating everyone with equal respect and dignity regardless of an individual’s job description or educational status. On the other hand, as employees, whatever may be our job, we must strive to do the best we can in that particular task. In doing this job with our utmost sincerity, we must demand the respect and dignity that is rightfully ours.

Recently, a policeman stopped and fined a famous cricketer for driving in a vehicle that had tinted glass (which was against the law in that particular city). In his defense, the cricketer stated that he had permission from high ranking officials, but he did not have the letter to prove this. Hence, the policeman rightfully did his duty and fined the cricketer. Later on, the policeman was transferred. Then, a high ranking official made a public statement that this cricketer did not deserve the treatment of ordinary citizens. An honest and sincere policeman was penalized for doing his duty. This is a travesty. Our society must not accept this kind of example. However, public outcry to this particular event was minimal to non existent. This says a lot about where we place our values as a society and how we may reward or punish a person who does their duty in a sincere manner. Who was more educated in this case? The high ranking official? The intelligent media or public? Or the simple policeman who was doing his duty? It doesn’t require a great deal of thought to realize that something isn’t right and things need to change. And it is imperative that this change begins with us.

Silent Change, April 2007 Issue

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