Only holistic education can save us

THE EDITOR: Recent pronouncements about Mickela Panday’s political forum left me taken aback. I could not believe what I heard. Was I hearing wishful thinking or naive affirmations?

Constitutions may be described as frameworks, characterised by fundamental principles, which facilitate governance in a state. They are not a panacea for political or governance ills. Ideologies, on the other hand, may refer to systems of ideas and ideals, used to formulate economic, political theory, or policy. Like constitutions, they are not a panacea for political and economic ills.

The concept of good governance here is defined in terms of president Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg emphasis, “Government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Based on the above, my conclusions are:

1. Governmental systems ideally function when supported by people’s integrity, love for country, collaboration, cooperation, and a united vision and mission rooted in their constitution and ideology.

2. People become prepared for governance by way of socialisation which is promoted by the family, the church, mosque, or temple, the school, the media, and the arts.

3. If socialisation is ineffective, constitutions, ideologies, and good governance will simply be pie-in-the-sky dreams.

4. Socialisation agencies must be linked to the education system.

My perspective suggests that good governance lies in the quality of a nation’s social and ethical fabric; that good governance will continue to be elusive in TT if we refuse to start preparing our future generations for it. Indeed, only a holistic education system can save us.

RAYMOND S HACKETT, Curepe

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"Only holistic education can save us"

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