EDUCATION AS EMANCIPATION

By ~ Muante Samte Paite

The Great aim Of Education Is Not Knowledge but Action. –Herbert Spencer

The term 'education' etymologically is derived from Latin words combination of 'educere' and 'educat' which means ' to lead out' or ‘to  draw out’ or ‘to rear’- somebody from something where he or she was lay.  Precisely, the words combination of 'educere' and 'educat' gives a new  word known as ''educe'' meaning ''bring out or develop something latent  or potential from evil practices and ignorance''.
By the word 'latent'  we meant 'existing but not develop yet' and by 'potential' we meant '  the ability or capability of somebody to something in order to have  ruled over it. The root word of latent is also been taken from Latin  word 'latere' meaning 'be hidden'.

So, in a broad senses, Education is  the theory and practice of teaching, giving information about or giving  or receiving training in a particular subject and enlightened the mind  and sets an intellectual, moral and social consciousness to specific  field. Moreover, it also meant to lead out people from their bondage  and wounds -mentally and physically into a safer places, where one could  enjoy one’s personal rights and dignity or freedom.

The root  word meaning of emancipation is closely related with the word education.  The subject matters both on enlightening and freedom over any issues of  humanity. Emancipation is directly inverse with the state of  ill-treatment, seduction, abduction or secluded by the stronger objects  (object here means the opposing personnel).

The word has also been  taken from combination of Latin words 'emancipat' and 'emancipare' which  means 'transfer as property' with 'e' which means 'out' and 'mancipum'  means 'slave'. So, It is to set people free especially from legal,  social and political restrictions or bondage. -One clear example of  bondage is those who are carried away by enemy’s into wilderness known  as POW or simply captives who are deprive of their personal rights,  wants and longs. Sufferings, pains, grievances are its features. But  when people are emancipate or restrain, he realized the joy of freedom  and taste the smile of happy man. Not necessarily of wealth but in the  mind. The physical body is liberated from cruel, ferocious and savage  hand.

In today's world emancipation may also include religious  awakenings- which is a clear comprehension of the Living God and His  supremacy over Men and Nature.

Education has been the main door  that opens the mind to hover over the rest of the world. Though we have  never been there to the South and North Poles of the Earth, we, through  our education –knows; the ice shades areas, the Alaskan Icy land, and  even we can imagine that how cold would there be to stay for a while!  Education gave us an Eye that term it as Education's Eye, which can  focuses whatever, wherever he found attractive, eye catchy, interesting  and, marvelous and enormous. The geographical patterns and  classifications of the earth crust, the high seas, flora and fauna, the  ranges of Himalayas, which is says to have its rings with the northern  hill ranges of India. The Alps mountain, the Mississippi ranges, The  Steppes etc are the unseen calculation that circulates in the mind.  Above all, the geo-politcal structures of the world, the scientifically  high-fi instruments and technologies, the arms and weaponry  fortification like The Iron Dome. The world of entertainment  (includes-infotainment, edutainment), the world of Cosmetic and Beauty  Industry. Philosophies and Religions. These are the things that we  learn, no matter of their subject but with the intention to master  oneself while shaping the world into a better home with an egoism to  explore more and more values that remains intact in one's life.  Education is not just to learn, but to emit the light, spread the value,  make awareness among the people irrespective of their level and  attitude, ignorance or poverty to all; to make an effective growth in  their status, both mentally and physically. To lead out one another from  bondage, darkness, captivity are the main objectives of education. This  will result into an Emancipation. So. The importance of education are  inevitable- each-one has their own roles to fulfill and responsibility  to take up, handle and envision what effect would it brought in the  next. The escalence taste of education, as we have already known is  sweet. The strategy of emancipation would brings closeness, relativity  and unity among individuals, then it will reached nations of the world.  With education the amnesiac rate of boredom can be measured and too  reduced. If one didn't get the required amount of corrections during  his/her childhood days have often shows dissonance against his fellow  being when he got the maturation. Probably, he might be found disastrous  in his natural. This proved that education goes hand in hand with  discipline.

Education is reliable, not necessarily for high  income but for high thinking and broadmindedness. The prevailing  molestations that used to happen in many parts of our country including  ours; perhaps, credited to receiving insensible system of education or  just by the namesake- without getting the core values or it may be else.  The brutality and miscreants acts are palpitable to have its space on  the ground. Also, corruptions are another big issues especially in  India. Can you guess the reason what makes politicians corrupt? The  answer may vary from person to person. But, basically- the root caused  laid on the basic education one’s got. There is a fact that says- In  every moves, we are showing off the quality of honesty, sincerity and  dignity of labor that we inborn with; which may be shaped by education.

Well, Let’s try to give short, exact and precise meaning of Basic  education. Firstly it lays on the hands of parents, Then moves next to  next. The basic education while childhood days are most important. Some  Psychologist found out that the mind at the child and the at the aged  are unchanged- the same. That is the core of the mind.

It was  the Britishers who came, as missionaries in our land; brought education  through the Gospel of Christ. They teached our fore-fathers the Gospels  with a firm affinity and determination, when they (parent) could realize  the truth beneath under their arms, again missionaries reflects the art  of studying- written and oral with high self-esteem and persistence,  with all the odds and obstructions. As a result, the spark ignited and  reignited tremendously with the passage of time and spreads the Gospel  hand in hand with the systematic education all over the land. When more  than half of the tribal were inclined toward this systematic uprooted  changes. Some people along with orthodox Chiefs opposed it. At length  they could resist it. But, later, they feels dilemmaic over the changing  wind. After years, they could accept it as people moves toward this new  trend.

The legacy toward the 1910s and beyond by the Britishers are  awakenings. But, today the society as a whole grasp the system of  valued-change and passed it to one's offsprings to the coming  generations. Indeed, this fact was preserved to maintain an equilibrium  momentum distance with those of the other parts of the world. Schools,  Hospitals, Colleges and even Biblical Institution are established in  various parts of our land. Moreover, different kind of philanthropic organizations like the women cells, the students' federations, tribal  unions and political revolutionary cells are the other impact of this  societal change through education. The living standard of the people was  heighten, bussiness centres and private marts are opened. The system of  clothes we worn were obviously change. We began to use Tie which is far  from our custom and traditional attires. By traditional attire we meant  that the handmade cotton clothes design usually by women by molding  cotton in thread. In order to complete one suit, the process takes  different local handmade devices namely- Helhhawt, Mui, Suutlaam,  Patphel, Chiangtang, Khautui, Siam, etc and harnessed into Kantha,  Tualpuan, etc. this usually takes time sometime more than a week or two  to finished into suits. These are never found in the other Civilizations  of the world, but only with the Zomis.

It is education that  Change our lifestyles. Now, the ethical or traditions are of  intermingling with those of the Westerns, even though the Household  Councils and its Affair (Inndongta) keep on practiced. But many old  practices and relics were kept aside. Besides, many of the customs have  been lost as the idea of westernization have occupied our society with  an exorbitant rate. The transition was emanate since the Gospel lands  to our area in the dawn of the twentieth century. Acculturation and  exagomy has also taken place to each and one another, as the present  system of societal norms have forcefully urges and with the  hi-technological abounce.

There are lots that praises Education. ''A little knowledge is danger''. A scientist who propounded  'The Theory of Relativity' named Albert Einstein says that. ''The only  thing that interfere with my learning is my Education''. Education in a  sense is not only to go to schools, colleges or receive high degree(s)  in universities; but persistence and hardwork over anything we do. There  are number of Scientists and Great men who do not get school, college  or university education, who still discover, invent, opined or propound  theories and practices etc. For people like us, it is the only Christian ethos that give Education. The Britishers came and teached the Gospel  hand in hand with Education. They create the A, AW B CH D.....Z from the  Mizos/Lusei which itself is taken the English script. Our letters  depict the greatness of The British Empire, they let us use their  scripts rather than composing another or new version, hence we used it  seems like ours till today. While the rest of the world have their own.  This may be one the worst legacy that the Britishers left to us. But we  do not meant that a prompt change to do to replace it.

Supposing, if the Britishers didn't came and sprayed the Gospel. Can one  imagine with what rate our education would move. May be we still  collect fruits, nuts from the vicinity, or else we may still hunt the  animals for sustenance. We may still practice the Sumtawng Ceremony  with having been indulged in the lascivious devil worshiped.

Over  the past 50 years, the Education revolution has transformed our society  into what can be called the schooled society . Along with a few other  major phenomena. Schooling whole populations for ever more years to  complete a widening array of educational degrees has changed both the  individuals and the institutions that makeup the core of society. While  the education revolution has significant material and political  consequences, it is primarily a cultural phenomenon.

Widespread  education in society creates new cultural ideas about types of  knowledge, models of expertise, definitions of personal success and  failure, conceptions of work and workplaces, measurements of  intelligence and human talent,and so forth. At the same time,  educational achievement and degree attainment have come to dominate  processes of social stratification and social mobility.

If so,  this would be the reminiscence, but Gospel have greater effect on and  on, nobody seems to remonstrate the remuneration of the Britishers. The  credit have been goes to them about our sectarianism. Many gets solace  with elation and took a solemn oath to be Missionary to light the world.  Indeed, all these transition are called an Emancipation from our  ignorance, poverty, bondage and wounds. Moreover, we are enlighten.  Love, Peace, harmony, unity, broadmindedness and integrity may fill our  mind.

Education sometimes have an illusive conclusion when  somebody or someone tries the depth of scientific knowledge and the  skeptical or ideology of God. Schism among the same takes place, this  may probably be due to the monetary consideration that sways the mind  into greed.Intrinsically, we are uncivilized and maul, that some today’s young's may not believe it. We might also be vicious naturally.But the Great change have taken place by adopting education and Gospels. Thank God! We are saved and awaken!