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ROLE OF FAMILY, SOCIETY AND

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN
INCULCATING VALUES
Role of Family
• Family being the first and major agency of socialization has great influence and bearing on value inculcations.
It is the home which sets the pattern for the child's attitude towards. People and society, aids intellectual
growth in the child and supports his aspirations and good values.
• Some of the values and methods that help up in bringing up child in a harmonious environment.

• Praise and encourage them to explore.

• Set realistic goals for them.

• Act yourself as a role model. Show respect to all humans, animals.

• Sensitize children towards weaker and marginalized sections.
• Set religious and cultural values together with your children.
• Never indulge yourself in dishonest deeds. It is what the children learn at home that they practice later on.

• Help your children to develop the sense of discrimination between right and wrong so that they could
develop their own value judgement.

Role of Society
• Society inculcates values through its various institutions and tools.

• Next to family, it is the society that teaches children about social values. It is the society through which
young children start getting social acceptance from friends.

• The society also provides a place for social disapproval for anti-social conduct. But it is less structured than
the schools.
• The role of society is very important for the social development of child.

• Individuals who get more opportunities to take up social roles and responsibilities are better equipped to
take moral decisions in their life.

Role of Educational Institutions

• 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.
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Contribution of Family in Value Education

• Family is the cornerstone of society. Human society cannot function without it. It is an universal social
institution.
• Family is the first home of citizenship and mother is the first and most important teacher of the child.
From mother, he/she would learn values of life like truthfulness, honesty, love, respect to elders and
selfless service etc.
• Good relationship between husband and wife can help children to imbibe good values. In ancient India
women were occupying same status as men in society or perhaps even a higher one. Some of the examples
- Husband used to address his wife 'Patni' (The one who leads the husband through life) or -'Dharm patni'
(The one who guides her husband on the path of 'Dharma' or righteousness.) or 'sahdharmacharini' (The
one who moves together with her husband on the path of 'Dharma'.)
• Hence each woman has a 'dharma' towards the world and to herself. Along with men she is expected to
shoulder equal responsibility in the growth and development of the society.
• The following values may be kept in mind while dealing with women in the family and society.
• Enhance self-esteem and self confidence in women.
• Build a positive edge of women by recognizing their contribution to the society.
• Foster decision making through collective process.
• Enable women to make informed choices in areas like, education, employment and health.
• Ensure equal participation in the developmental process.
• Provide information, opportunities knowledge and skill for economic independence.
• Enhance access and informations related to their rights and entitlements in the society in view to have
their better participation.

Methods of Promoting Values in Family

1. Love - Love, sympathy and friendship creates a balanced outlook.
2. Enthusiasm - To make life worthwhile and fruitful, we must generate enthusiasm within ourselves.
Generations of enthusiasm will take place when we discover for ourselves a goal and attach ourselves with
a spirit of dedication, reverence and love.

3. Promoting basic values - Values such as tolerance, non-violence, sympathy and compassion need to be
cultivated for the well beings of others and to create a viable and sustainable world of trust and mutual
understanding to dominate suspicion, fear, tension, insecurity and greed. We must ensure peace and
harmony in the family in order to eliminate domination. None of these values can be legislated but are
possible through education in values and spirituality children would consciously and unconsciously imbibe
the values being in practice in the family.

4. Harmony in family - harmony among all members of family is basic for promoting good values among
family members 'Harmony is a precious treasure of human life'. Success, satisfaction and happiness are
the different facets of harmony. Harmony should be maintained in all spheres of life especially in family
and these are:
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- Between body and life

- Between wisdom and habits

- Between individual and family

- Between self and family

- Between the purpose of life and the method of living.

The more one understands family, the more one will achieve harmony; and success will be proportionate
to that. Harmony would be beneficial to all members of the family and ultimately harmony in family can
promote harmony in the cosmos.

5. Peace - It is a basic value for promoting good will in the family. A family in peace can achieve perfection
and family members will be a source of strength to society.

6. Holistic Education - We should not teach industrial values or technical values but must follow holistic
values which can make a family a heaven for its members. All the problems and pains are the results of
human beings aggressive nature and wrong doings. The spiritual path is the only right and sure way to
change the behaviour of the mankind by long term plan. The beginning for this must be made in the
family.

7. Positive Attitude - All the members must have a positive attitude which can enhance the reputations and
prestige of the family.

8. Constructive Actions - Negative actions always bring pain and sorrow, but constructive actions bring us
pleasure and joy. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well being.
Cultivating a close, warm hearted feelings for others automatically puts the mind at ease.

9. Chapter on family life in school curriculum - The content could be

- Need of family

- Cooperation among family members

- Cleanliness and good environment of home

- Respect for elder members of the family

- Sharing of goods happily

- Eating food together

- Soft speaking

- Love and affection

- Prayers to one's god

- Enjoying and participating in family functions.

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10. Religious places to educate on family life-

- Ethical values may be engrained in the minds of children.

- Religious preachers can tell the benefits of happy family life.

- They can hammer to the people that the first God is to serve their parents and do their family duties
honestly.
• Values of Dharma in the family - In the Indian social system, the unit of society is not an individual but
a family. It is this admirable family system which led many historians to comment that the law and order,
culture and personal values did not suffer in India even under foreign rule, or in times of war.

11. Holistic view - We must revive the institution of family with old values, tradition, love, affection, enthusiasm,
truthfulness, honesty etc. from families, individuals would promote these qualities in the society and the
cosmos.

Contribution of Society in Inculcating Values

• Man lives in society for his mental and intellectual development. Society preserves our culture and
transmits it to succeeding generations.

Chart
Society should discard values
which have crept in like Society should
dowry, communalism, alcohol, drugs imbibe good values

Social cohesion Society and values Social harmony

Education

Unity among people of Love among the members

different religions

Peaceful and
stimulating society

Equilibrium Nation based on values

No ethnic conflict
progress and prosperity
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• It both liberates and limits our potentialies as individuals and shapes our attitudes, beliefs, morals and
ideals. Thus society fulfills not only our physical needs but also determines our mental conditions.
• A society thrives best when it is composed of men and women who are intelligent, hard working, honest
and dutiful.
• An ideal society is one which gives opportunity to every individual to grow physically, intellectually and
morally.
• We are passing through a crisis of values in our social and political life which gives special urgency to the
question of values in education.
• Lack of social cohesion, national disintegration has become patently manifest and our democratic social
order is under severe stress.
• Social tensions, unrest, prejudices have transmitted through the social environment vitiating the quality of
life.
• Narrow casteist, regional, linguistic and communal platforms divide the people as never before.

Role of Society in Inculcating Values

• Like norms, values are essential for maintenance of order and control in the society.
• The term cultural pluralism means the coexistence of several subcultures within a given society on equal
terms.
• The advocates of pluralism hold that cultural differences within a society should be retained till these
differences do not conflict with the major value and norms of the dominant culture.
(a) Effect of Selfishness on Society
• Selfishness is the root of all trouble in the world.
• Some amount of selfishness is natural, but when excessive, it becomes dangerous.
• The necessity for a state to frame laws and devise a mechanism to enforce those laws arises because of
this selfishness.
• Within certain limits, selfishness is legitimate, but where it exceeds those limits, the offending member
may have to face expulsion.
• This happens even in the animal world. In man's case, the cheek is more rigid.
• At this stage there is a need for the liberation from the bondage which narrow selfishness imposes on a
man from the feeling that you, as an individual have a separate indentify from others.
• When this selfishness is gone, you have the feeling that you are one with others.
(b) Society, Morality and Ethics
• Man is basically human because he has a kind heart. He has intelligence, so he is rational.
• This rational human being draws ethics for the welfare of the humanity.
• Having been born as human beings, let us not be unethical. Every profession has certain ethics.
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• A teacher is unethical if he does not teach with affection. A doctor is unethical if he or she does not treat
the patient on account of insufficient fee. A lawyer is unethical if he uses his brainpower to defend crime
and presents his arguments to get acquittal for a criminal.
• To be unconcerned to the society's needs, if a person enjoys luxury, he is the most unethical.
• Swami vivekanand says "Him, I call a traitor who having been educated at the cost of millions of poor
and innocent enjoys the luxurious life without paying any attention to improve their lot."
• Rockfeller wrote at the end of his life "There is more to life than the accumulation of money. The best
ways to prepare for the end is to live for others."
(c) Avoid Social Differences Based on Caste
• In trying to remove the evils of social differences, swami vivekanand was against all strife, fro that will
weaken the nation.
• The solution being not bringing down the higher, but by raising the lower up to the level of higher.
(d) Tolerance and Harmony
• The only way to worship an infinite God is not to take a copyright on him.
• The correct approach is to accept and respect the spiritual experiences of other religions also.
• That attitude alone can make one not only to tolerate other religions but also to accept them with
reverence.
(e) The Ethics of National Integration
• We all desire that our nation should be healthy, physically as well as mentally. However the greatest
challenge to the nation today is the malady that affects its mind and heart.
• Cynicism, self centredness and utter concern for others are more deadly than physical diseases and the
virus that cause them, for they corrode the nation's resolve to stay free, to be united and to march onward
to progress.
• We live under a democratic setup, which derives its strength from its free, disciplined, responsible and
responsive citizens and in whom the nations has its guarantee of unity, strength and continued progress.
(f) Discipline: Individual and Collective
• Discipline is much talked about these days but very little practiced. Those for whom discipline is
recommended, however have the feeling that people who talk so much about discipline are the very people
who need it most.
• Why is there so much indiscipline today? One reason is that man has suddenly become conscious of his
power. There was a time when people depended upon each other for an individual to depend upon another is
now much less than ever before. Men and women have become ego-centric they live for themselves only.
They want to be free and by freedom they mean a condition in which they can do whatever they please.
• We need individual discipline and collective discipline. Collective discipline reflects collective will. Discipline
individual or collective, is the outcome of a long process of self-negation, sacrificing one's own interest
for the sake of others.
• An ideal society allows the maximum freedom to individual, while giving him every possible opportunity
to grow.
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• It protects the weak and defenceless and ensures justice and equality. It expects every individual to grow
not only materially but also morally.
• An ideal individual is he or she whose social conscience and abhors the idea of selfishness. The highest
good of him is the good of all. His concern is for all especially the weak and helpless. Budha, Christ,
Ramkrishna were such individuals. Society can justify itself only, if it produces such individuals

Role of Educational Institutions in Inculcating Values

(a) Education System and Values
• Value education is virtually going to emerge as a new science for inspiring human values in our highly
scientific and technologically advanced society. Einstein's brain should be combined with Buddha's heart.
Napoleon dynamism should be combined with Vivekanand's prophetic passion for helping human beings.
Chart

Educational Institutions
must inculcate values

Executive
and values
Teachers should be Environment Congenial to
embodiment of values growth and development
of values

Educational institutions must

As part of As an independent
teach theory and practice of
other subjects subject
value education

Parent teachers Dedicated teachers

association
Essentials of value
education
Morning prayers Seminars on different aspects
in schools of value education

Excellent education
and
excellent student

Nation building with

peace, progress and
prosperty
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• Importance of ethics and values in education system is re-emerging, especially for sustenance and growth
in LPG period. To prepare future citizen of multi-dimensional capabilities and also to provide wisdom
with knowledge, the importance of ethics and values is re-established.
• The Indian ethos from the extreme north to the extreme south has been shaped by our own religious,
economic and cultural factors. The western culture which we want to replicate is built around comfort and
enjoyment of the body.
• Ramamurti committee enumerated some of the values which should be imparted through educational
institutions. They are - Democracy, Secularism, Socialism, Scientific temper, Equality of Sexes, Honesty,
Integrity, courage and justice, Respect for all life forms, Different cultures and language etc.
• According to international communication on education "The aim of the education is to transform a
person into a complete man. Right education leads to refinement of conduct. Good intellect alone can
lead to happiness in the family, prosperity to the nation and peace in the world.
• National education policy (1986) expresses. "In our culturally plural society, education should foster
universal and external values oriented towards unity and integrity of own people. Such value orientation
should help eliminate obscurantism, religious fanaticism, violence, superstition and fatalism".
(b) Role of Education in promoting Ethical Values
1. Education helps in speedy acquision of accumulated knowledge - Education can pass on distilled knowledge
of ethical values to students at a very fast rate. However the teachers teaching these ethical values must
be scholars and embodiments of these ethical values.
Society institution Religious institution

At higher education Value Education At school level

level

Removes impurities
Vital for Essential for
in mind
personality character development
development

Makes stress
free personality
Steadfastness Absence of
of mind Pride

Absence of Develops selfless

Non attachment
Egoism service

Results into peaceful

society having
no conflict and tension
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2. Education promotes refinement of senses - Education is one of the best means of preparing the
consciousness for a higher development. Education of right type can sublimate the energies of students
to achieve higher spiritual goals of life.
3. Unfolding mental potentialities - The potentialities of mind are unlimited. One has a mental instrument
with many possibilities, faculties, but they are latent and need a special education. Mental culture and
intellectual education changes the constitution of our brain, enlarges it considerably.
4. Promotes Crystallizing of Thought - Every average person has the capacity to practice concentration
although it is usually directed towards persons or objects of gain and enjoyment. For a spiritual life, the
old capacities and tendencies are simply to be given a God ward turn, and then the worldly man is
transformed into a spiritual man. Negative thoughts and emotions, such as Violence, Greed, Anger, result
in endless pain. Thus there is the necessity for pondering over the opposites.
5. Achievement of true freedom - The true spiritual life, complete freedom, is something much higher than
highest moral realization, but one must take care that this so called freedom is not an indulgence and a
contempt of all rules. Ethics must go higher, always higher, nothing less than what the highest of the
humanity has achieved.
6. Guarding against despair - In all circumstances of life one must always be, very careful to guard against
despair. One, who has faith in himself, can face all difficulties, all circumstances, even the most adverse
without despair. He fights like a man to the end.
7. Perfect development of reasoning - One should be dominated by reason and not by vital impulses. The
first thing which should be taught to all children from their infancy is that he should obey reasons. One
must obey reasons and absolutely refuse to be the slave of instincts.
8. Control impulses - Swami Yatishwaranand says that attachment in any form may be enough to muddle
the brain and bring about spiritual ruin in the mind of the aspirant, but when attachment and anger
combine, the whole mind becomes chaotic, and all progress is stopped. We should not give an opportunity
for passion to sway us.
9. Perfection of Goal - When we reach perfection which is our goal, we shall perceive that the truth we seek
is made up of four major aspects, love, knowledge, power and beauty. One should know what he says, and
only says that he can do. There should not be a gap between thought and action, word and deed.
10. Promoting value of human excellence - Aim of all education, undoubtedly is the attainment of human
excellence and perfection, not just in any field of knowledge but life in totality. In practical life this is
translated into qualities of truthfulness, righteous living, purity in personal life, self confidence, integration
of mind, body and intellect, love and compassion towards all living being and surrender to almighty.

(c) Contents of Value Education

• Education to be complete must have the five principal aspects, the physical, the vital the mental, the spiritual
1. Physical education - has three principal aspect -
- Control and discipline of the functioning of the body
- An integral, methodical and harmonious development of all the parts and movements of the body and
- Correction of any defects and deformities
• We must by means of a rational and clear seeing physical education, make our body strong so that it
may become a fit instrument for the true force.
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2. Vital education - One must gain a full knowledge of one's character and then acquire control over one's
movements in order to achieve perfect mastery of all the elements that have to be transformed.
3. Mental education - A true mental education, which will prepare man for a higher life has five principal
phases. Normally these phases follow one after another, but in exceptional individuals they may alternate
or even proceed simultaneously. These five phases are
- Development of power of concentration
- Development of capacities of expansion, widening and richness
- Organization of one's ideas around a central idea, a higher ideal that serves as a guide in life
- Thought control, rejection of undesirable thought
- Development of mental silence, perfect calm.
4. Spiritual education - Every human being carries hidden within him the possibility of a greater consciousness
which goes beyond the bounds of his present life and enables him to share in a higher and a vaster life.
Indeed, in all exceptional beings, it is always this consciousness that governs their life.
(d) Role of Teachers in Value Education
In order to impart value education, we need teachers at all levels of education system who can effective
in molding the minds of the students for understanding and practice of values.
• In order to intensify the establishment of an integrated education system, on the basis of peace, human
rights and democracy, training of teachers in value education becomes essential.
• The personality of the teacher must be the embodiment of values. The teacher must possess qualities of
head and heart.
• There is great need to infuse civic consciousness, patriotism and discipline among the students. In higher
education the teacher is the central figure in whom the university sees its past glory and around him it
builds its future dignity.
• A teacher must be constantly searching, researching, criticizing, and learning and making himself fit for
teaching.
(e) Rapport of Teacher with Students
• A teacher should have -
- Commitment to the learner which can be seen in his love for the learner
- Commitment to the society
- Commitment to the profession
- Commitment to achieve excellence
- Commitment to the basic human values like impartiality, objectivity, intellectual honesty, national
loyalty etc.
• Dr Radhakrishnan uses to say about teachers
- 'Mother India expects from you that your lives should be clear, noble and dedicated to selfless work'.
- We do not wish to train mere specialists and technicians but civilized human being.
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• Swami Vivekanand compared teacher with 'Rishis' and says

"When you are a Rishi, you will find other obey you. Something mysterious emanates from you which
makes them follow you, makes them hear you, makes them unconsciously even against their will carry
out your plan". That is 'Rishihood'.
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