People of good character are easily spotted and become reliable friends / workers / marriage partners. They get along in the world and generally are the generators of progress.

This is even more important in the modern environment of broken families and the current lack of socialization due to phone and gaming addictions in youth. I would strongly recommend a 'no phone' policy in schools.

Students need to develop self-discipline. Freedom can grow from here on. If you lack the discipline to exercise, for example, you will become a slave to disease. If you lack the discipline to work hard and save money, you will become a slave to your dependence. If you lack the disciple to manage your time, you will end up with no free time. In reverse, if you develop your self-discipline, you will end up with more freedom. * (Source - Internet podcast)

School should provide a safe environment with lots of opportunity that students can easily see and take. If it has to be forced, it is not working.

As we know, there are many students/people of bad character. They will almost certainly develop negative traits that permeate their entire being and it is only natural that they will struggle though life. Bad habits may lead to bad choices in all sorts of directions. They will fall in and out of relationships, study programmes and jobs, and find it very hard to get ahead.

It is not easy to change such people but what they need to realize is that they will find it very difficult to get along in this world if they walk about with a bad attitude towards study / work / other people. They are likely to live unproductive, unhappy lives unless they change their outlook. There are many unhappy resentful types out there. What they are is all their own creation. School is basically their best chance to become aware of and deal with this. Teachers, by their nature, will constantly be pushing them to do better but once a student leaves, it is highly likely that no one else will.

After leaving school, there will likely be no one to 'push'. Some may eventually come to a realization and 'wake up' but - sooner is better than later. Schools and teachers can help to stimulate change but the major 'decision' can really only be initiated from within.

A person of good character is 1,000 times more likely to live a happy, decent life. Positive opportunity will 'present' itself and the positive mind will recognise and jump at it; a negative mind would likely not even notice it passing by.