HARMONY - September 2012

Special Feature: Soka Education

DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF SGI,

This month we look at Soka education; what its history is, how it differs from other ways of teaching, and how it has impacted people’s lives.

While we all agree that education is of paramount importance, there are many schools of thought as to what education should do, what its purpose is and how it should be conducted.

The shaping of young minds will have a long lasting impact on the individual, family, society and the world at large. Laying a proper foundation is of utmost importance for the future, and it is vital to create a safe environment for all students to thrive.

In a sense, the education system is the seedpod to foster capable future leaders for a lasting change in society, and it is therefore imperative that the next generation be properly educated.

Unfortunately, we live in a world of quick fixes and immediate gratification that demands instant, quantifiable results. With enormous pressure on educators to produce students with excellent academic results, we can sometimes see the focus of the educational process to be on immediate grades instead of the overall well-being and creativity of the individual. If the emphasis is on nurturing the gifted students that make the school look good, the slower learners may be left by the wayside.

Soka education, as originally propagated by Mr. Makiguchi in Japan, is not a mere injection of knowledge, but has at its foundation a humanistic process that nurtures wisdom and enables the individual’s potential to bloom to the fullest; education that fosters and allows the creativity and the full potential of each student to grow.

According to Makiguchi, the ultimate goal for a child’s education is to enable them to choose a path that will lead to happiness in their adult life, one that will allow them to be a positive contributor to shape a society that values the same humanistic principles.

“Life itself is a learning process, and learning as long as we live is the way to lead a fully human life. The true purpose of education is to develop human beings. It is the process of using knowledge as the sustenance to foster people who can demonstrate infinite creativity and self- reliance. Gaining knowledge is indispensable for guiding a changing society, but knowledge itself is not the same as creativity. Education must enable us to manifest our inner potential, and learning is just a catalyst for drawing that out” (NHR v.23, chap.2, p.4, Light of Learning).

We hope you are inspired by this month’s Harmony.

skip Williams

Quote of the month

“The starting point and essence of Soka (value-creating) education is the spirit to treasure each student’s individuality so that they can become happy and enjoy a glorious future. Education does not exist for the sake of the nation, for business, or for religion. The aim of Soka education is the happiness of oneself and others, as well as society as a whole, and peace for all humanity.”
(www.daisakuikeda.org)
Available at all HKSGI Culture Centres