BACK  TO  BASICS  WITH  2  FORGOTTEN  ‘R’s

Never have the opportunities been so great for people to study and learn as arguably exist today. There are courses and workshops on a plethora of subjects that are usually open to all regardless of age, with some even free to attend! You may recall one recent electioneering Prime Minister explaining his priorities as, ‘education, education and education’. There is certainly no shortage of evidence to support the notion that better education provides the passport to more employment opportunities. From 2013, for example, nursing is set to become a degree-only profession, while schoolteachers’ unions continue to press for teaching to become the sole preserve of graduates.

While recognising the financial motivation for some professions wishing to become all graduate organizations, I feel sad that such moves are taking place. Do we really want nurses to devote their time solely to medical procedures and to leave all the patient’s personal hygiene and welfare tasks to be done by minimally trained health- care assistants? Do we honestly think that only teachers with degrees can relate well to children and handle pupil misbehaviour effectively? I am far from convinced!

There is no doubt that knowledge and academic qualifications are valuable. They may help people to secure employment in the area of their choice, can build up a person’s self-confidence and provide opportunities that would otherwise have been impossible. I am furthermore quite sure that God wants us to make the most of the gifts and skills that we have got [Matt. 25: 14-29]. Yet paper qualifications say very little about the person that we are in terms of personal qualities and emotional strengths and weaknesses. I’ve yet to read of an adult education course being held on honesty, kindness, reliability, loyalty or TLC (Tender Loving Care). I’ve not yet heard of certificates being awarded for graciousness, self-control, humility or friendship. Are not just such personal qualities of infinitely more value to society’s well-being and to God, than a string of graduation ceremonies however?

Despite all the educational courses offered nationwide and all the increased opportunities to learn that modern technology has provided, I don’t see much evidence of a greater stability in families or more contentment in society generally. Indeed the levels of unwanted teenage pregnancies, divorce, domestic violence, alcohol-related diseases, reported self-harming and loneliness are alarmingly high. Somehow society seems to have lost its way, in spite of all the education being done.

When education experts speak about ‘Back to Basics’, they are usually referring to a greater curriculum emphasis on the ‘3 Rs’ (reading, writing and ’rithmatic). But there are ‘2 Rs’ that appear to be increasingly sidelined in our school time-tables: Christian teaching about religion and relationships. The once obligatory daily assembly/ act of worship seems to have now vanished from most schools. But how much better society might be if more teaching was available and guidance given to young and old alike about the long-term benefits of Christian values. In the meantime, may we at least do all that we can to promote those Christ-like qualities that St. Paul so concisely listed for his friends in Galatia:

‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’  [Galatians 5: 22].

                         God Bless  -  Your Minister and Friend  -  Martyn.