Archive · 7 Sep 2026
Literacy Opens Education’s Door, But Learning Must Go Further
Education is more than learning to read and write.
It should help children understand the world and become kind and responsible.
The article says every child has abilities that can grow with support.
Families and schools both help children develop those abilities.
A free school was started in 1981 for children who could not attend school.
That effort has grown to 1,356 schools serving more than 120,000 children.
These schools aim to teach values as well as academic skills.
Literacy opens the door to knowledge, but education helps children use knowledge with compassion and wisdom.
The article argues that education should increase awareness and cultivate virtues, not merely provide information.
It says children’s abilities need nurturing at home and in school, regardless of their potential.
A first free school was started in 1981 for children around an Ashram who lacked access to education.
That effort has grown into 1,356 schools providing free, value-based education to more than 120,000 children in remote areas.
The article says literacy begins education, while true learning develops compassion, wisdom, awareness and belonging.
- Who
- Children needing access to education, along with educators, families and schools.
- What
- An argument that education should extend beyond literacy to develop awareness, virtues, compassion and children’s talents.
- When
- The first free school was started in 1981; the article describes the network’s current reach as 1,356 schools.
- Where
- The schools serve children in remote areas, beginning with children around an Ashram.
- Why
- To reach children facing educational deprivation and help them discover their abilities and develop fully.
- First free school
- Started in 1981
- Current school network
- 1,356 schools
- Children reached
- More than 120,000
- Education model
- Free and value-based
- Main educational goal
- Develop awareness, virtues and inner talents beyond basic literacy
- Key principle
- Literacy opens the door to knowledge, while true education guides its use