A plea to students
THERE was a time when formal (academic) schooling was not even in anyone’s dream. Yes, this was ages back when the only learning required was the skills to survive within the horizons of the needs and necessities of life.
This was before the creation of the new era of life. New inventions began to increase the lust for more and more, so called the advanced and modern ways of living.
This desire to get more complicated in life has led us to being in a world when reaching five years or even earlier we are being sent to institutions to be taught how to read and write, calculate figures, experiment science reactions, understand biodiversity and its significance to life, become critical thinkers and create pathways for more inventions to make life easier and better.
You are students at the moment and your role at the moment is to put in concerted efforts to obtain the qualification you desire provided by such institutions you are in.
Our forefathers established schools and other learning institutions together with of course our governments.
You are being supported through free school fees, free bus fares, free text books and whatever else that is free.
While these are free, please feel free to engage in constructive learning, engaging with a diverse group of class and school mates.
Get involved in the search for obtaining knowledge, skills that will develop you into a person who will be desired by your family, community and the nation.
Select the company of those adults who care for you through best practices in human values, family care and lawful engagements.
The best thing you can do is to follow parental advice without compromise.
Your time pass shall be school work, attending to religious taskings, family commitments and peaceful engagements in sports.
The takeaway from your schools shall lead you to success that you are or will be desiring for as you go along the journey of academic learning.
All other engagements that you see, some are engaged in is in futile. There is nothing for them apart from the free food and services in the correctional sections of our institutions.
You do not have to go to these institutions to reform yourself and re-turn your life. You can do without such engagements and involvements.
Our The Fiji Times is full of successful students and their success stories. Do not let these remain stories only but use these as a guide for your engagements.
You may not be getting a supportive environment at home but this shall not act as an impeding factor but an inspiring factor to dictate a journey into enlightenment.
Life is getting difficult day by day. The reality is something no one wants to dream about but there is no other way.
We have to find a way out of poverty and the dehumanised environment of polluted minds, absolute one way of thinking without reasonings, high-headedness and fantasies of modernity and technology.
No one will come to your assistance when you will be in trouble. You will have to answer for your own actions whether they are good or otherwise.
Then only you will come to terms with the realities of life. These friends you have will be gone when you will need them most. Even upon death you will be held accountable in front of him (almighty) alone.
So, the onus is on you and only you. Be good companions with your friends and relatives, promote goodwill and get involved in your school work while you are still at school.
I have known friends who now regret that they should have done better at school back then but regret is not an option for retuning life.
The hardship of life now shall form a solid foundation of a successful life ahead of you. The harshness of life currently shall form a shield for you when you face difficulties at an adult level of life with responsibilities to fulfill.
Reading this article may not be interesting but the realisation of the realities of life through this script should convince you to change your philosophies of life.
Lead a simple life free of the complexities created by lots of wants. Join a world of constructive thinkers and enjoy a life full of fulfillment.
Our nation deserves you and your attributes of good studentship. Your school will one be proud of you.
You may be cited for being exemplary and a symbol of inspiration for the next generation.
It is not hard to differentiate between good and bad. If you can do this, you have everything to change for the best.
Our country is investing a lot on you and it is time that you consider this investment positively for an outcome much needed.
Treat social media with care. It has the ability to brush you as well as crush you. You have a lot of polluted minds around you.
Tread with utmost care and do dare to make commitment for self and the nation.
DHIRENDRA PRASAD is a regular writer to this newspaper. The views expressed are the author’s and do not reflect the views of this newspaper.