Animal dissection and education

In formal education, the subjects can be divided into two main categories viz. science and art. The art category contains the following subjects – Languages, literature, commerce, economics, history, some parts of mathematics that is lower math, political science and home science etc. although the latter two themes have the word science but even then are considered art subjects. The science group contains physics, chemistry, biology, medicine and engineering etc. The medicine, biology and life-science are the area of study which deals with animals and human life. To learn these discipline, students do experiment and dissection on the live animals. The animal loving and caring people and their organizations protest against the use of animals as a study material. They have their own arguments that the cutting of animals for the sake of knowledge is not required, and should be banned. They write articles on the affair, and rally on the matter. They are sensitive to this concern but I don’t know how long it is true. Anuradha, an animal lover activist wrote an article on this problem in HT on 22nd. Oct. 2010. She has suggested some alternative methods of teaching in these fields of study. She says that even UGC is sincerely making efforts for the use of some advanced methods of teaching these topics. If it is so, it should be welcomed. She says the anatomy of the animal can be taught through computer aided programs. It is possible only up to some extent but it is not fully correct. We learn the subject especially science through our all the five senses. Touching, feeling and smelling also play an important role in learning the subjects. The science students learn the topic efficiently when they do experiments themselves. But one thing is true that many students who study science subjects in school and college level don’t use them as a profession. So there is no harm if these students do not experiment on live animals. But the question arises how it may be decided at college level that who will adopt science as a career. One thing is clear that dissection of animals can be banned at school level. Even on graduate level it can be restricted up to a certain point, but not in the post-graduate courses although it is necessary that the syllabus, keeping this issue in mind, should be prepared with caution so that the quality of education is not deteriorated.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *