Philosophy of education, ha!

Education is an area of interest for me. Especially, philosophy of education. When I went there what stuck me acutely was how it was not about education at all. It was all about livelihood. I doubt if they could divorce education from livelihood. Education is a ticket to livelihood for all of them there.

Thinking about philosophy of education seemed like a privilege of the privileged alone. In the Soliga lands, the need of the hour is employment. People are increasingly turning to education not because they want the further generations to be enlightened human beings, but because there is no other way they will secure jobs if they are not educated.

Exposure to the world outside and the loss of rights over their ancestral forests, have together skewed their self-esteem and self-image. Simultaneously, education (a programme designed by the state) has attained a lot of importance. Sometimes, I wonder if employment alone should be a reason for education. Or should education be for reasons for self development. But where is the time for the latter when one is busy trying very hard to make ends meet.

What a horrible world we live in with its really unfair structures. Some perspective, this! It is indeed sad that even thinking about education is a privilege of a few privileged people!

Shobha S.V.