Education is the architecture of the soul. Nelson Mandela said “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world” However it is important how it is spread and in what manner. Every Human takes birth as pure heart and pristine spirit/soul. But with time, desire, outside environment, cultural influences, insane practices make human Mephistophelian and eccentric.

In the recent days, educational institutions have ceased to be temple of values due to:

• Due to commercialization of education teaching has become a pure profession rather than a passion.
• Success of a student is being measured only in terms of ranks and grades which is resulting loss of values such as integrity and discipline. Students are forced to adopt any means-moral or immoral to achieve good grades. For example, Bihar board examinations where mass copying was done. 
•  It has also caused increased stress in the minds of students which has resulted in unfortunate events like ending the life of another student just to avoid an exam i.e. Gurugram school incident. 
• In order to reduce the expenditure, several schools have outsourced transport and housekeeping to third party which lead to unauthenticated staff entering the premises. This has resulted in sexual assaults and rape of innocent children, especially in national capital and other major cities. 
• Moral vacuum created in the schools and colleges have led to incidents such as drug abuse and intolerance towards fellow classmates.
•  Increasing influence of social media and internet has distanced the hearts of human beings. Team work and compassion have been lost. Students have become insensitive to the problems of self and society at large thus falling prey to games like Blue-Whale challenge.

Implications: 

• On Self: Loss of self-worth and confidence. Bad attributes like greed, jealousy, revenge, violence are cultivated as a result. Though one can be a successful lawyer, engineer or a doctor but one will remain as ethical dwarf without values.
•  On Society: School is a building with four walls with a brighter tomorrow inside. If schools fail to inculcate values, then future generation may be influenced by societal evils. Increase in intolerance, radicalization, gender discrimination and crime may be seen.
• Trust in the educational institutions is lost.

Role of educational institutions in value education: 

• Education in its aims, curriculum and methods is linked with values. It is through education that society seeks to preserve and promote its cherished values. 
• Whatever is learnt and imbibed will determine to how students will live out their lives in future. 
• Educational institutions provide a structured environment where children learn values of cooperation, hard work etc. 
• Punctuality, Commitment, Sincerity, Sharing, Caring, Fairness, Helping, Independence, Responsibility, Humility, Pride need to be inculcated in a child. 
• Lessons of Honesty, Social Justice, Sensitising children with empathy towards vulnerable sections of the society.  
• Teaching Gender Equality, Respect for elders, Truthfulness, Tolerance, Peace, Love for nature & mankind, Positive Attitude, Spirituality, Nationalist feelings, Patriotism, Discipline etc.

  “The aim of education is the knowledge, not facts but of values.” –William Ralph. Schools and colleges must ensure that strong value system is in place right from the childhood through timely ethical education. Value education is the first step for a peaceful and happy society.