By 
Fr Soroj Mullick, SDB –
From a pastoral point of view a relevant education has to be related to life and to life changing experiences e.g. teaching values, teaching principles of life and the Bible through the use of various life related materials and flash cards etc.
Methodologies have to be put in place for educating towards responsible citizenship, constitutional values, mutual help activities to initiate learning promoting self-help movements and campaigns, etc.
A life oriented alternative education has to be geared towards teaching of virtues that affect the family and bring about rural transformation by use of drawing, painting and competitions. Smart goals in building human relationship through direct eye contact have to be focussed upon – enabling children to encounter God through the prayer habits, the Word of God through accompanying them. They must learn to befriend the Bible, Jesus and People. They need to be made aware of the electoral process and ensure fuller ethical election practices. Teachers will need a heart to listen, see and speak.
The Church needs to depart from conventional education at the Primary and Pre-Primary, and introduce Montessori Method of education. The conventional education that presents answers instead of asking question, does harm to students. There is the need to come out of our conventional teaching in early education and impart scientific, activity oriented, play based education that promotes growth in an atmosphere of joy.
This is a crying need in our Christian schools. Most of the Christian schools are succumbing to conventional learning downward to the pre-primary and primary classes to the detriment to the mental growth and overall maturing of children.
Children in their freedom of expression, preach through spontaneous deeds. They lead to the treasures of simple truth. They live the wonder to explore, learn and love life. Childhood, filled with nature and spontaneous living, is a great experience and it is natural. Learning becomes all fun. We all go through childhood, a wonderful phase of life.
School education becomes essential part of childhood. Children, already at the age of two and half or three, carry a load of books, note books and lunch box to Nursery/Primary school, which a time is burdensome and boring. Education, as a gift for life should be enjoyed by all students, irrespective of their religion, class and origin.
Play being the highest phase of child development, it helps children unlock their potential, sharpen their creativity, and secure a life of dignity and confidence. Through a child-friendly environment, interactive teaching-learning methods and healthy competition, learning becomes a joyful fun.
Often the parents are anxious about the admission of their children in Christian schools of ‘excellence’. They forget that education begins at home with time and space given to the children. Parents deprive them of parental affection and deny their childhood experience by admitting them into commercialized day-care and Pre- School.
To be continued…
Fr. Soroj Mullick, SDB is a Salesian priest from the Kolkata Province. He has a Licentiate in Catechetics and a Doctorate (Christian Education) from UPS, Italy. He has number of years of teaching experience in college and in the formation of future priests. Besides, he has written number of research papers and articles, and has 25 years of Ministry in India and abroad as Educator, Formator, Retreat Preacher, Editor and engaged in School, Parish Catechetical & Youth Ministry. He is now an assistant priest in Bandel Basilica, rendering pastoral and catechetical ministry to the parishioners and to the pilgrims. He can be contacted at [email protected].