Allow me to share with you the short letter that woke me up in my long deep slumber as a teacher:
Dear Teacher,
I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no man should witness: Gas chambers built by learned engineers. Children poisoned by educated physician… So, I am suspicious of education. My request is: Help your students become human.
According to Mr. Adam Smith, “the real object of education is to give children resources that will endure as long life endures; Habits that time will ameliorate, not destroy; Occupation that will render sickness tolerable, solitude pleasant, age venerable, life more dignified and useful, and death less terrible.”
In school, students should be taught to be professionals. Thus education should not only be centered on teaching skills and competence in certain field of expertise. At the same time, values of students should be enhanced for them to possess habits that will turn to virtues. As such, their integrity as a person, balanced with their skills and competence, will bring out true professionals.
The true professionals’ integrity and values are centered on Divine Laws, and these are God’s or Allah’s commandments. On the other hand, their knowledge, attitude, skills, and habits are aligned with the work values, and these are industriousness, order, punctuality, initiative, creativity, sense of responsibility, resourcefulness, perseverance, spirit of service, and teamwork.
Thus true education is education in values: Moral Values for people to have an unquestionable integrity and work values for commitment to excellence. For knowledge of God or Allah is the foundation of all true education and of all true service.
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