High EQ essential for today's students

More recently, though, there is evidence that high intelligence is in fact not a guarantee of success in life and that IQ is perhaps too narrow a concept to fully encompass the wide range of human abilities and knowledge.

Of interest is the concept of EQ – emotional intelligence – which is the ability to identify, use, understand and manage emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathise with 

others, overcome challenges 

and defuse conflict. Emotional intelligence affects the way 

we behave and interact with others.

Of course, even the smartest people aren’t necessarily successful or fulfilled in life. Most people know someone who’s academically brilliant and yet socially inept, unsuccessful at work or in personal relationships. IQ can help us get into college, but it’s EQ that helps us manage the stress of final exams – and in many other life situations where emotions come into play.

If students have a high EQ, they are able to recognise their own emotional states and those of others and use this understanding to relate better, form healthier relationships, achieve more at work and lead more fulfilling lives.

I believe EQ is a key factor in the growing process of today’s students. And it not only affects their learning and their mental health, but also the quality of the whole nation. Therefore, improving college students’ EQ level is of importance to the whole of society. Policy-makers and teachers should perceive this and develop curricula with a clear goal of improving EQ as well as IQ. The country needs its future generations to have more of both. High IQ alone perhaps will not allow society to tackle the challenges of the 21st century.

Danuvas Sagarik