Every great philosopher of education agrees that virtue should be at the core of learning. They put ethical instruction before practical instruction. The reason is that intellect without virtue cannot bring true and lasting success or happiness on earth.

 

Society at large agrees that character building training for children is necessary and that good morals and values are formally  taught to children. It is assumed that children don’t learn good values accidently and as easily  - as bad habits are learned instinctively and informally.  One can also assume that if children don’t learn good values that they will grow up to suffer, and make other people, animals and the planet suffer.

 

In this sense, then, character education is the priority of all education.

 

Character education should equal other subjects in school, such as reading and writing as a pre-requisite to live a full, productive, and satisfying life in a modern world.

 

Also in the light of our fractured societies and disintegrating family life where often the electronic media baby sitter upsurpes the role of parent,  it becomes even more critical to develop and implement a formal moral literacy character building education curriculum at school.