School is a place where we learn to understand the world we live in and get prepared to enter the society. Well, is it really so? These days, schools concentrate on producing machines but have failed to create humans. Increasing competition amongst the students and the pressure to win and be on top has lead to quite astonishing study schedules. Schools have done almost everything to admit their students into prestigious educational institutions but not the society.

Schools often tend to stress on making the students literate but not educated. By making one literate you instill knowledge into him but by educating him you instill wisdom. The difference between knowledge and wisdom can be best explained by the following line:
" Knowledge is knowing that tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to to put it in a fruit salad"

With so much to teach with very less time in hand, schools do not seem to have "time" for values. One cannot deny that children are taught what is right and what is not to some extent. They do learn their rights and duties as citizens, social etiquettes etc. But the problem: It's all theoretical. They do not bother to see if these are being implemented. It's a clear case of teaching for the sake of teaching. What is the difference between not learning something and learning something and not applying it? Same as that between someone who cannot read and someone who can read but doesn't want to.

Increasing pressure to excel by schools has resulted in students turning to wrong, unethical means to succeed. The only thought in their minds is reaching their aim for which they are willing to do anything. Seriously anything. Sadly, they fail to understand that what you do is not important; it's how you do it.

At the same time, it's wrong on one's part to blame the school alone. Students ought to realise what is good for them and what is not, after all, it's their future that's in question. Schools might teach them a bit; it's upto them to choose whether or not to imbibe it. Afterall, you can take the horse to the river but cannot make it drink water.

The present crime rates are clear reflections of the attitude shown towards teaching values by schools. Unless and until we stress on education rather then just literacy, the future will turn out to be no different. One must remember that once out of school, no one is going to look at your report card; your attitude is what matters.

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