The right education

Stories by Morris Mtisi
IS there anything like the right education? Yes, there is. That is the simple straight answer. This also means there is wrong or useless education. The question is, ‘Where does Zim-education fit?’ I will not answer the above question, lest I am labeled a subversive or leftist critic. Those who know me well will testify I am not a separatist philosopher or thinker. I am only a fierce straight talker who does not speak or write to please anybody or somebody, but enjoys myself to the marrow if someone is pleased by what I speak or write.

And so I will labour to define what a right education is. And leave it there.

The teaching job or educating the mind is for me the most beautiful job assumed by men and women to deal with youthful minds…building youthful minds. Most adults, already well damaged or badly damaged need repair. And that is not easy to do.

Repairing damaged adult minds is the most difficult job anyone can attempt.

What am I talking about? Greatest care must be taken in the education of youth. That is my point. Teachers, education inspectors and planners must ensure that the art and manner of instruction are competently varied so as to motivate and develop powers of the mind. Schoolteachers are important-very important because they must rise above imparting bookish knowledge and teach learners to learn lessons of self-control, patience, forbearance, gentleness and love. These are essential wants of the mind. Education philosopher and Adventist founder, Ellen G, White says about The Right Education, “The education of children, at home or at school, must not be like the training of dumb animals; for children have an intelligent will, which should be directed to control their powers.” This she says endows them with moral energy and intellectual responsibility. Good. Do products of our schools give the nation such assets?

Children who receive the wrong education do easily succumb to peer-pressure, namely the disease of inability to think, act and decide for themselves. They cannot make their own judgment. They cannot make their own opinion. They are easily led by others’ judgment in the wrong direction. They have no stability of character.

Many schools bring children to subjection by force and fear. This is not the work of democratic education. This is not the right education. A right education does not produce or build children who act well-drilled like trained soldiers. A wild, sometimes violent want of independent action from firm principle is seen when the restraint is removed. A right education moulds children who when the guiding hand lets go, refined character takes over intrinsically influencing growing into responsible adulthood.

Ellen White says, “Those who make it their object to educate their pupils that they may see and feel that the power lies in them to make men and women of firm principle, qualified for any position in life, are the most useful and permanently successful teachers.”

I agree. Unreservedly! Sense is not vague. It brews no argument. Their work (successful teachers) may not show to be the very best advantage to careless observers and their labours may not be valued as highly as those of the teacher who holds the minds and wills of his pupils by absolute authority, but the pupils’ tomorrow will visibly show the fruits of a better plan of education.

Listen to this. The right education gathers children close to their teachers which teachers in turn must show them that they love them, manifesting an interest in all their efforts and even in their sports….they would make the children very happy and would naturally gain their love and win their confidence. Indeed the right education will make children learn more quickly to respect and love the authority of their teachers. Listen to this too. The habits and principles of the teacher are of even a greater importance than his or her literary qualifications. Saying qualifications don’t matter? Of course not! The point here is that a good teacher must be richly imbued with love for his pupils and job. Not a permissive, do-what-you-want kind of teacher, but one with loving firmness and depth of character both needed to mould the minds of his or her pupils.

The right education shapes characters for life. Not wisdom to behead thy enemies, invent bombs and proliferate weapons of mass destruction.

This installment of The Right Education appropriately ends on Ellen White’s words of wisdom: “Those who deal with the young should be very careful to call out the qualities of the mind, that they may know how to direct its powers so that they may be exercised to the very best account.”

Finally, I most humbly recommend that every teacher and parent, but most of all our education directors, planners and policy makers read COUNSELS TO PARENTS, TEACHERS and STUDENTS-to every nation, and tribe, and tongue and people by Ellen G. White from which most of this write-up unfolds. This little book is an inspiring embodiment of a true higher education driven by His curriculum and syllabi with whom is “wisdom and strength,” out of whose mouth “cometh knowledge and understanding.”

Next week allow me to handle The Right Education around Close Confinement at School, The Ideal Plan, Physical Degeneracy and The Importance of Home Training. Don’t go away, I will be right back.