"Education? For What?"
INSIGHT #2
The term ‘education’ was always a mystery to Prachana. She has read the same word in many contexts. She asked her father about it. But he lovingly told.
“Ask your Sarvaa. He will tell you”.
Prachana got a little upset but thought it was a good idea. Her father was always right. He always tried to make her think and find the answers. But she was not sure whether Sarvaa would come again. With that thought, she slowly slipped into sleep.
Exactly at 3 O’clock in the early morning, the room brightened and she saw Sarvaa sitting on her study chair. He seemed to have shrunk his massive body frame with the heavy cloak attached with a lot of paraphernalia to fit into her chair. This time, she noticed his long white beard and his pony-tailed long butter white hair.
“My Child, why are you so confused about the term ‘education’?”
Prachana looked at him with her big round eyes in wonderment.
“OMG, Really? You came again?” She ran to him and hugged him. He smiled, picked her up like a child, and sat her on her study table.
She could see him holding three cards close to his chest through the beard.
Pointing to the Cards she asked curiously “What are you hiding behind your beard?”
Sarvaa said “These are three magical cards which will be revealed to you one by one”
“Sarvaa!” She stopped suddenly and after a beat, she continued with great care “Can I call you like that?”.
Sarvaa smiled and nodded in affirmative and said "Absolutely! I have many names. This name is exclusive to you. Feel free!"
A happy Prachanaa continued “Sarvaa. I am indeed confused because everybody is using that word left, right and center. Some say it is only for students, some say it is for anyone, anything, and everything. That's why I am confused. I am all ears”.
She smiled and sat comfortably on the table crossing her legs like a kindergarten kid waiting to hear a story from a storyteller.
Sarvaa said, “Listen! You must have heard the usage broadly in three different contexts. Understand that, education need not be always related to schools or colleges alone. Like, you are home-schooled by your parents, your acquaintances, nature, and life itself. You don't go to any school. Yet you are getting educated, right?”
Prachana’s eyes got widened when her name was mentioned.
“It is all about getting prepared to live in a society and be useful. The society that includes your friends and family or even strangers. That is called ‘The Sociological Use of Education’. There are two more types of uses for the word ‘education’. But you need to understand this one in more detail. Then only you will know the difference”.
She was wide awake now and jumped to the bed and sat on it. “Sarvaa, tell me more about it”.
Sarvaa replied, “Beta, be patient. This is only a start. The world is not going to end. We will go step by step. Otherwise, this will be overwhelming and you will wish you had never met me. Now sleep”.
The room went dark. She slept. In the morning, she saw a card revealed on her table which read “The Sociological Use of Education”. The card had the picture of Sarvaa on the backside. She got excited and carefully kept it inside her precious diary.
End of Insight #2
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