By Dr. Jayantee Mukherjee Saha
Across generations and civilisations, genuine leaders and scholars have resonated with the fact that
“Education is a liberating force….” and is the foundation of a productive and efficient society.
They emphasised that if there is a focus on value-driven education that aligns learning with a set of core values that embeds knowledge and skills with values (Moral, Social, Cultural & Spiritual values) and ethical behaviour (Fig 1), the present and the future of the society is sorted.
© Aei4eiA, 2025
Such practice of embedding values in the learning environment should be done across all levels of education (Fig 2) on a continuous basis and should be monitored regularly as well. It may be acknowledged that discipline play a significant role in building the foundations of an economy and society and that an undisciplined society cannot be productive at the macro-level.
Pioneering research by an Oxford University scholar note, “There is particular concern about children's lack of personal, social, spiritual and moral development, which is linked to the increase in indiscipline in some schools and anti-social behaviour, violence, racial harassment, suicide, addiction and child abuse in society (Hawkes, 2006).
© Aei4eiA, 2025
The above findings may also be seen together with the OECD report of 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test. It studied nearly
700, 000 students from 81 OECD Member and partner economies, representing 29 million across the world.
It highlighted that though there are many strengths that can be identified in Australia’s education system, Australian classrooms are among the ‘least favourable’ for discipline. Poor student discipline and engagement are also leading to high rates of teacher turnover (OECD, 2022) .
When these findings were further analysed the reasons for such unruly classroom behaviour was attributed to-
a. Students find the schoolwork too difficult
b. Students trying to impress their peers and
c. Students modelling the behaviour of their parents
(Leif, 2023)
But, who benefits from indisciplined, unruly society if not organised criminals and vested interest groups? Did the infiltration of such groups into the schools and education system trigger such changes or is it the other way round? Whatever may be the sequence, the problem is visible, and it needs to be addressed.
Senior criminal intelligence expert note, “Organised crime are parasites. They feed off the problem we’ve long had in Australia with lost, disengaged kids. They groom them as cheap dispensable labour. They always have, but now social media has given them a huge recruiting ground.” (Groch, 2025)
The newly launched #DontBeAMule campaign launched by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and other law enforcement agencies to raise awareness about criminals recruiting financially vulnerable students – particularly from overseas – as money mules, is a testimony to the fact that the vested interest groups/organised criminals infiltration into the education system and what could be worse than if they catch them young.
Coupled with the above are the issues of immigration fraud, fake schools, fake students and its cascading effect (The Age, 2023).
Overworked teachers, infiltration of organised criminals/vested interest groups consequently impacting the selection and employment of teachers/staff, controlling the regular functioning of school activities and the myriads of issues that follows makes it a perfect vicious cycle. Productivity- certainly it is lost….and discipline and ethical behavior? Who will teach whom?
Therefore, if we are looking at not just cosmetic changes but genuinely concerned to address the core issues then the above matters need to be urgently addressed.
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Brief Profile-Dr. Jayantee Mukherjee Saha
Dr. Jayantee is Founder & Director of Aei4eiA Pty Ltd. Aei4eiA, is an Australian company that believes in translating research into action. Aei4eiA is into socio-economic research (Aei4eiA Research), Premium Indian Tea trade (Maya of Australia®-Indian teas) & Indian arts (Maya Indian Arts). Maya Emporium- an exclusive & one of its kind Premium Indian Tea & Indian art gallery was opened in killara, Sydney to further the objectives of the above [More].
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