Education must mean acquiring wisdom, says Sashi Kumar

Education must mean acquiring, not knowledge and information anymore, but wisdom,” said Sashi Kumar, chairman of Asian College of Journalism at the Diamond Jubilee Valedictory event held at Asan Senior Secondary School in Chennai on Saturday.

Releasing the Asan Coffee Table Book, he said, “This stays with you because you can adjust your personality, mental abilities to understand context and perspectives that evolve in a fast-changing world. The human capacity to understand and cope with this is going to be a big challenge.”

Noting social media is a space where everybody interacts, he said that it is also rife with a lot of disinformation and misinformation. “It’’ a dangerous space for young vulnerable minds. Many countries today have decided to keep social media away for children below 16 years of age. This is another area that needs serious thought,” he said.

General secretary of Asan Memorial Association Shyamala Jayaprakash said that alongside traditional schooling, the school also embraced vocational education as practical skills are as essential as exams and debates. “We wanted young people to leave here ready for life, for livelihood and for the promise of responsibility,” she said. The coffee table book released on the occasion chronicled the 60 years of the institution.

President of the association C.K. Revi and other members also spoke on the occasion. Alumni, teachers and students of the institution were also present.