Question

Explain the role of a teacher in inculcating democratic values into the attitudes of the pupils

Answer 1

Role of School and Teachers in Inculcation of Values



After reading this article you will learn about the Role of School and Teachers in Inculcation of Values.

In ancient societies, religion had a dominating influence in every sphere of human activity. Result was, the content of education was more or less religious in nature. Besides mental training, moral training was emphasised to a great extent. Learners had to undergo rigorous character training and value-education during their stay in Gurukuls or Ashrams.

Much stress was on spiritual development of the teachers. Thus, The Entire Education System Was Primarily Value Oriented! But as the days passed by, there was a gradual erosion of values and the so-called modern education entered inside the modern world.


Character training and value-education started getting ignored. Materialism, cut­throat competition, influence of Western Culture, etc. contributed a lot which resulted in all kinds of value-crisis.

Newspapers were full of news like rape of minor children, kidnapping, forgery, gang-rape of girls/women, thefts, murder, killing of brides for dowry, etc. Vices like drinking, drugging, gambling etc. are now on increase. Thus, by all such quoted facts it is seen that a factor called ‘CONTENTMENT’ has started losing the ground! Corruption has entered in all walks of life.

Based on the above quoted facts one can understand the strong need for the education in human values. The process of inculcating values must start right from the primary education level. In other words, Education in Human Values need to be incorporated as an integral component of the entire educational system.

After all this discussion, the question that now jumps up like a boomerang is “What is vale?” Literally, value means something that has a price, and is precious. In a given situation, a person may have a number of alternative responses. However, he or she chooses one which is guided by his or her values.


A value is an emotional attitude which motivates a person directly or indirectly to act in the most desirable way preferred by him or her. Without values, one floats like a piece of drift wood in the swirling waters of a river. Values control and guide human behaviour. Value is a norm. It is an abiding goal. For progress, values are needed. In our philosophic tradition, we come across the widely accepted concept of value —

Truth, Beauty and Goodness —

Swami Vivekananda declared selflessness and sacrifice to be our national values in the following word:

“The national ideal of India are service and renunciation. Intensify her in those channels and the rest will take care of itself.”

Swami Vivekananda also observed —

“Every act of love brings happiness. There is no act of love which does not bring peace.” He also said further —“Love never fails, today or tomorrow or ages after, truth will conquer and love shall win the victory.”

According to Swami Vivekananda, “Education is not the amount of information that is put into your brain………. we trust to have life-building, man-making, character-making, assimilation of ideas.”

Shri Satya Sai Baba mentioned five Universal Human Value —

Satya (Truth)

Dharma (Righteous Conduct)

Shanti (Peace)

Prem (Love) and

Ahimsa (Non-violence).

The above said values Satya Sai Baba has beautifully emphasised in the following sentence:

“Truth, Righteous Conduct, Non-Violence, Peace and Love are the five life breaths of even human being. Among these five life breaths of a human being, Love has a unique place. Therefore, establish love firmly in your hearts.”

He has further elaborated the significance of love saying:

Love as thought is Truth,

Love as action is Righteous Conduct,

Love as feeling is Peace and

Love as understanding is Non-violence.

Gandhiji advised the inmates of Sabarmati Ashram on the practice of following values in their day-to-day life.

Ahimsa (Non-violence)

Satya (Truth)

Astheya (Non-stealing)

Brahmacharya (Chastity)

Asamvah (Non-possession)

Swadeshi (Swadeshi)

Asprushyata (Removal of Untouchability)

Shareer Shram (Manual Work)

Vrata Ashrem (Control of Palate)

Nir heedta (Fearlessness).

Sri Aurobindo mentioned that ‘education is not realised through what a person learns but what he becomes’.

Aurobindo’s concept of integral education has given five following components:

1. Physical,

2. Vital,

3. Mental,

4. Psychic and

5. Spiritual.

These five components must continue complementing each other till the end of one’s life.

The Preamble of Indian Constitution has laid emphasis on the following 4 universal values:

JUSTICE of social, economic and political;

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith, worship;

EQUALITY of status and opportunity and to promote among them all; and

Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation.