Population Education Definition Problems of Over Population

We all recognise that population explosion is one of the world’s most fundamental challenges, which is affecting various components of the quality of life of people in general, particularly in emerging countries like India. The population of India is increasing at a rate of 1 percent every year. According to the definition of UNESCO- “Population education is an educational programme which involves the study of population situation be it of family, community, nation and world. Its objective is to develop students’ responsible and logical attitude and behavior while dealing with the situation..” There are other definitions of the population education given by various recognized personalities. According to Stephen Viederman,  “population education  is the process through which a student studies and analyzes the nature and significance of population processes, population characteristics, population sources of change, and the repercussions of these processes, features, and changes for himself, his family, society, and the world.”

Nature of Population Education

• By its very nature, it takes consideration of the quantitative and qualitative aspects such as quality of life. Therefore, population education is fundamentally linked to human resource development.
• It is solely an education programme and it helps the students in gaining knowledge, skills and value.
• Population education is related to a number of disciplines and is a multidisciplinary concept.
• It provides a learning environment for comprehending the population situation and population issues for the individual, family, and society’s well-being.
• Population education is the study of man’s interaction with his environment in terms of his quality of life.
• Population Education mainly talks about the relationship between population factors and socio-economic processes.
• It also deals with study of population change and social and biological consequences.

Objectives of Population Education

There are several objectives of Population Education which were discussed in a workshop organized by NCERT in New Delhi. They are as followed-

1. To have a better knowledge of some demographic processes and concepts.
2. To develop an understanding of the impact of population trends on various aspects of human life – social, cultural, political, and economic.
3. Knowledge of the most crucial phenomena of the modern world which is rapid increase of population and cause of it among the younger generation.
4. To gain a better knowledge of the strong relationship between population increase and the development process, with a focus on development programmes aimed at enhancing people’s living standards.
5.  To gain a better knowledge of the negative consequences of overpopulation on the ecosystem and the resulting risks from the pollution.
6. To gain a better understanding of scientific and medical progress, allowing for greater control over famines, diseases, and ultimately death, as well as the imbalance created between death and birth rates.
7.  To gain a better understanding of biological factors and reproduction phenomena that are responsible for the survival of the species.
8. to cultivate an understanding of:

• Norm of a small family as proper and desirable.
• Knowledge of the relationship between size of population and the quality of life.
• The reality that family size is a result of conscious choice and human regulation rather than chance or factors which are beyond the control of people.

9. A sense of responsibility and mutual aid and cooperation in matters of personal and family living
10.   to have a better understanding of the relationship between the mother’s health, the well-being of the children, and the family’s small size;
11.   Understanding of the policies and programmes of the population.

Significance of Population Education

1. The interrelationships between births, migration, and other aspects of life might be characterized as the population situation. The rapid rise of population is caused by a high birth rate and a low mortality rate, which has a negative impact on the country’s welfare, economy, and values. As a result, family planning education is required in order to slow the rate of population expansion. Its goal is to raise knowledge about the number of births that may be reduced by utilizing contraceptive techniques. Programmes to control the birth rate have also been started in the country for couples with a single child who are of reproductive age.
2.  Population education can provide answer to problems of environment, and other problems due to over population like juvenile delinquency, terrorism and other social problems.
3. The younger generation should be well-informed on the effects of population growth on the country’s political, economic, and personal lives. In order to live a planned adult life, small children need to be well educated. As a result, it is imperative that young people receive population education in order to create positive attitudes toward population issues and to ensure that they behave responsibly in the future when confronted with population issues.

4. Population education, as an educational programme, has the potential to influence people’s knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices in relation to population issues. Many studies have shown that knowledge influences attitudes, and attitudes, in turn, influence behaviors. As a result, population education becomes a prerequisite for desired population-related actions.

Conclusion

Population education contributes in the establishment of a true democratic society, either directly or indirectly. As a result, it is obvious that the smaller the population, the better the democracy. It is behavioral and multi-disciplinary in character; as a result it is a potent tool for promoting value changes. It aids in learning or discovering the best ways to deliver value-oriented education and ensuring that youngsters build a value system, instill socially desirable attitudes, broaden their cognitive map, and imbibe the spirit of human attachments.