Abu Umamah relates that the Prophet said, "A learned one is as much above an (ordinary) worshiper as I am above the least of you; and he added: Allah, His angels and all those in the heavens and in the earth, even the ants in their holes and the fish in the water, call down blessings on those who instruct people in beneficent knowledge." (Related by Tirmithi)
So..
why were we told to respect elders, seniors, abang, kakak, sunbae?
Even in some establishment, an office as example, although you are younger, with more energy, latest "syllabus" learning experience, still it seems like a requirement by culture, religion, and common sense to respect the seniors, even in "sekolah berasrama".
are we required to do this?
Is it a reasonable thing to do?
Is it logical?
Is it islamic?
Based on the hadith, and more other hadiths and quranic verses, one can see the importance of knowledge.
It is for this reason i think we should respect seniors..although some have lower academic qualification, but the main difference here is
TIME
which people usually say as gold
They have more gold, just as what the modern end times usually do hey respect that guy coz he got a ferrari! ..kamonnn... so y not do the same to someone older than us. they got more gold! they have seen earth longer than us.. eat more food than us.. Experienced, observed many diff thing than us...
more KNOWLEDGE!