Knowledge Without Character Is a Deadly Sin

The difference between knowledge and character has been clearly established for long. The ability to acquire knowledge is considered as primary to that of good character but sound character would definitely reinforce the effective use of knowledge. Knowledge can be referred to as an ability to learn and understand new things while character in the other hand can be referred to as an ability to possess a sound behavior that will strengthen the so-called knowledge in accordance with the fundamental principles guiding the human society in general. These basic principles include respect for the societal norms, values, beliefs, laws, cultures and for the other feelings while at this point an individual is said to be socialized. A person may be knowledgeable without having good character. It is through character that one can transfer abstract knowledge to physical equivalent that could benefit the society. In the contemporary world, students in search for knowledge in various tertiary institutions hardly consider sound character in their academic pursuit. They associate schooling with fashionable pastimes with occasional deviant behaviors. From this wrong perception, some students engage in hooliganism, cultism, and all such of negative vices along their way when seeking for knowledge hoping these to be part of educational experience. It is no more news the worrisome development in our schools where students harass, intimate and attack their teachers and fellow students for no just cause but through illegal association to cultism. Unfortunately students graduate by only acquiring the knowledge and obtaining the certificate without the basic knowledge guiding the human behaviours. Academic education may be necessary but there is a clear difference between an educated individual and non educated one because generally speaking the former has acquired academic knowledge which still needed to be supplemented with a sound character before he can be regarded and accepted as a...