Becoming a Responsible Citizen Can Education Help

The word 'education' has Greek roots. Ancient philosopher Aristotle defines education as “a process necessary for the creation of a sound mind in a sound body.”
Education is a process of developing a human being into a person who is reasonably informed about the world in which he lives. This enables him to model his life according to the aims and objectives set forth by the cultural and ideological entity of which he or she is a member and tells him about his responsibilities to make him punctual and to balance his life. Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) Said:
“And acquire knowledge from cradle to grave.”
Education is the fundamental factor in the process of human development. The importance of education in the process of nation building and economic prosperity can not be denied. The famous Greek philosopher Plato, while emphasizing the need and importance of education, said:
“Education brings light to human mind and eye.”
There is no denying the fact that uneducated and illiterate people cannot perform their duties, national as well as personal, in a proper and befitting manner. The success of democracy, the most popular system of government in modern times, largely depends on education.
Every civilized society is desirous of progress in the modern age, gives top most priority to the acquisition of knowledge and spends huge amounts on education in order to curb and eradicate ignorance. Educated people are the source of strength for the state, for they can effectively contribute towards the development and progress of society. They can ably help and assist the state in achieving the desired goals of a welfare state.
It is imperative that education should be imparted in view of the Islamic ideals in order to enable them to fully understand their social and political commitments. It is also essential to train the young generation in a way as to inculcate national spirit in them so that they should always prefer national interests over personal motives. The technical and professional education should be emphasized in order to prepare the youth to take on the national responsibilities. The educational system should therefore be built upwards from the foundations so as to reflect national aspirations and goals.
Improvement in the education system is not being implemented suitably so as to develop a proper understanding among the people for solving the monster problems of over population, inequality, unemployment and corruption. Only the masses (the common people) with suitable education can produce national leaders to take the country to the heights of success that it deserves. It is commonly known now that our education system is not functioning well and cannot be compared favorably with the education system of the developed countries.
Most of the students in our schools and colleges are not receiving quality education with the result that most of them are neither able nor wise after the completion of their studies. How many of our highly qualified people can write correctly, speak coherently and discuss logically our social, political and economic problems? Then many thousands of young men and women cannot get employed for months and years because of the education system. To be more specific, the first requirement for our society is to introduce an education system that guarantees universal education up to a certain level within a few years and then the continuation of this education beside teaching the children and adults how to read, write, speak both Urdu and English.
They should be made to understand social and political problems and taught to think correctly and behave properly according to their ages. Without doing this a stable, balanced democracy and government cannot be brought into being or social and economic progress be ensured and religious tolerance (fair understanding of each other), mutual respect and even self-respect be possible.
Education makes a citizen useful and peaceful by learning skills and providing civilized behavior. Good citizenship is the first perquisite of democracy, and education is the first pre-condition of good citizenship. Only careful education can make citizens well informed, enlightened and conscientious. The education of the citizens is the heart of the modern state.
Education does not mean literacy alone. Education means:
“The consequences of population development for the socio-economic and natural environment and vice versa are of such significance that the new generation of young people needs to be aware of them”.
If most of our people get educated, they can understand the value of unity and discipline. They can co-operate in different fields of life. They can understand and work for their own high aims and those of their nation and country. They can understand and obey the law of the land and become good citizens.
Educated people can understand the political problems of their country and those of other countries. They can follow the policies of their government. They can also follow the programmes of different political parties. During elections, they can wisely vote for those political parties or candidates whose programmes or policies they find beneficial and useful. They can discuss the political, economic and social problems of their country with one another and with their representatives.
Education enables our people to make proper industrial, agricultural and technical progress. Educated people prove to be more efficient and useful than uneducated people. They can work in a proper and sensible manner in offices, factories and shops, on farms and at other places. They can learn new effective ways of using machines for different purposes. They can learn different technical skills for industrial and agricultural work. Educated people cannot easily do all this.
Education should be given on a revolutionary basis: all the illiterate adults should be able to write letters and to read newspapers and to understand social and national problems. Those who can afford the expenses of education should be made to pay, otherwise it should be free.
Educated adults know or understand their rights and duties and the laws of the country much better than uneducated people. They can read newspapers and magazines and can learn about social and natural problems. They can discuss the political, social and economic aims of the government and the programmes of political parties. Then they can be the most suitable candidates for positions of power.
Co-education helps boys and girls to understand each other’s' problems. Girls can prove to be successful wives and boys successful husbands after the completion of their education. They can work side by side for a better society as equal citizens. Education is a basic unit of life, and if a citizen will be educated he will know that how to deal with responsibilities. Citizens have many responsibilities and with the help of education these responsibilities can be undertaken successfully.
If every citizen will be educated then the citizen will be loyal to his country and he will know how to take care of his country. If citizens will be educated then they learn to avoid violation of laws. If citizens will be educated then they will know who the correct person is to serve their country and they will vote in the right person. If a citizen will be educated then he will know how he should deal with his duties and what to do in social activities.
In personal responsibilities of citizen, education helps:- * If they will be educated they will do their job nicely, they will know the mannerism of dealing with the job. * If a mother / lady / girl will be educated then she will be able to take care of her husband or family and give her child a good life. * If a citizen will be educated, he will obey his parents and respect them. * If a citizen will be educated he will know how he can keep others or his country clean. * If a citizen will be educated then he will know how to face problems. He will find solutions by understanding problems and then solving them.
Educated people in a developing country like ours can work for social and national progress. Our students especially in the colleges and universities can educate uneducated people. They can engage in a universal education programme, which may be arranged or sponsored by the government, rich industrialists, businessmen and land lords.
Classes for children and adults can be arranged in schools, colleges, suitable government buildings, specially built structures in open places and even in certain parks, gardens and fields.
Students should understand clearly that:
Unless most or all of our people get educated, we cannot join the family of advanced or developed nations.
Students can take part in social welfare activities for general social progress. A wing of the social welfare department may advise the different categories of students about work they can perform in their respective fields. Junior students of colleges and high schools can engage in the general cleanliness of parks and grounds; students can serve their country by getting trained in the military. The senior students can assist the law- enforcement agencies in their work.
From all this it is proved that education is a basic unit of life and it is necessary for becoming a responsible citizen.