Why the Need for a Value-based Education?

Education in Human Values (EHV): An Alternative Approach for a Holistic Teaching

A good and comprehensive education system is expected to create the necessary human capital and knowledge workers who will bring the country to greater heights. In this regards, a holistic education programme is needed which can equip kids/students with skills required as well as human values. However, the main emphasis in education today lies in acquiring large amounts of information, passing examinations and securing qualifications for future employment.

This paper highlights the implementation of a programme called the “Education in Human Values” (EHV). This programme seeks to improve the teaching-learning environment that will foster character building through the incorporation of basic universal values, thus, contributing towards academic excellence. The stress of an ever-increasing workload, and a working environment dominated by social problems will continue to make a teacher's profession more difficult and less satisfying.

The many behavioral problems in society are vividly mirrored in schools, through bullying, drug abuse, theft and vandalism and scores of criminal acts. With so many external influences, demands and constraints, it can be easy to lose hold of the values that make up a civilized society. This education in human values programme seeks to help teachers, parents and children to re-focus on the basic positive values that that underlie all aspects of a moral society. This is done through what is called a "Triple Partnership for Education" between teachers, parents and students/kids, meaning that all three groups play key roles in reversing current trends, and in reaching towards the goal of truly successful value based education.