BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
These days, the world is facing grave moral decadence and the issue of morality is becoming a concern of everyone. This in turn is eroding the good value of the community and is leading individuals to be trapped in the material world which causes general destruction.
However, following the challenge, individuals; groups and even some institutions are working to inculcate good values among the generation, especially the young ones.
According to experts and religious leaders, the issue of moral value should be everyone’s concern for the fact that we humans are connected to one another.
The worst part of this is no matter how the religious fathers or elders preached about the essences of moral virtues the generation has preferred to turn its ear deaf on the reality. The passion to follow one interest at the expense of the moral virtues of the mass is being contaminated by immoralities. Due to the availability of social media and other means of exchanging information Ethiopia, as part and parcel of the world, is not safe from such a poisonous lifestyle.
Using this as a ground, The Ethiopian Herald had recently approached religious leaders to share their reflection means of restoring the moral values that, this generation lost through time.
Megabi Hadis Kessis Tiguh Mehari is a religious teacher at Aryam Tserearyam St. Rufael Church and also a theatrical art instructor at Entoto Polytechnic College. According to him, though many people are good in heart and have a sound mind that adhere to the moral values of their forefathers, there are also others who enjoy their sinful and immoral practices.
“That is why we are witnessing the acts of bribery, discrimination, abuse of power, greediness and hatred widely. I am worrying and keep on asking myself about the future of the new generation who compromise moral values with financial or material gains.”
Commenting on the solution, Megabi Hadis Kessis said, it is high time to work on the mind of the new generation and restore moral values through formal education and religious teachings. In this regard, the government and the whole society are duty bind in shaping the generation.
One of the peculiar features of immoral generation is prejudice, discernment, sexual harassment or partiality. For this reason, it can be concluded that moral decadence is a path to self-destruction. “That is why we should combine our hands to fight all forms of immorality.”
“Parents are responsible for cultivating their children and teaching them about compassion, all societal values and religious commands. As such, they become responsible for the action or inaction, behavior and attitudes of their children from childhood to maturity.”
Megabi Hadis also said that, in the fight against immorality the role of the media is undeniable. Since they are reachable to almost all members of the society they have the power to influence the majority. In this regard, the media houses should play a vital role in producing contents that promote the moral values.
On his part, Social Science Education Curriculum Desk Head with the Ministry of Education Oumer Imam said that, when the evaluation on the previous curriculum had been conducted, experts noticed the moral crisis of the community that stem from a number of driving factors.
To reverse the crisis, the Ministry is working along with local partners to enhance efforts in building morality through developing new curriculum that transcend to generation. Cambridge University is responsible for the consultancy work with the Ministry through a local development partner.
As to him, morality helps people try to work together toward a common goal rather than seeking only their own advantage at the expense of others; it also encourages making personal sacrifices when it is necessary for the good of all.
“Without morality, there would be no hope for human civilization; without moral values, people would simply act according to the desire of their selfish interests at the expense of others` need,” he added.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 5 JANUARY 2023
