Role of Ethics and Morality in Education: Building Responsible and Humane Societies

Ethics and morals play critical roles in the development of a progressive and fair society, and education is crucial in developing morals and ethics among people. Over the last few decades, there have been tremendous transformations in knowledge, technology, and globalisation that have had significant impacts on education systems. Some of these impacts include an increasing emphasis on skill enhancement and employability, thus resulting in moral degradation, among other negative effects. Therefore, ethics must be introduced back into the education system for a harmonious co-existence in a globalised world. The present paper focuses on the concept of ethics and morality in relation to education. The research will be done using qualitative and analytical methods. Thoughts and opinions from eminent thinkers like Aristotle, Mahatma Gandhi, and John Dewey will be considered to show the need for ethics in education. The views from Aristotle revolved around virtuousness, those of Gandhi revolved around truth and non-violence, while those of Dewey were all about democracy and ethics. It will be seen through the study that incorporating ethics in education is likely to promote thinking, empathy, and decision-making among students. Despite this, there are various obstacles that prevent the incorporation of ethics in education, which include the commercialisation of education, a value-free curriculum, and pressures from society. Some recommendations have been offered for overcoming these problems in the study, and include value-based education, teacher education, and learning experiences.