I was arguing with someone the other day, what makes education special for him. Is it learning, friends, a way to social security, what? He gave a very good answer and I could not reply after that. He said - Teachers. For me, teachers has always been essentially a group which forces their curriculum and knowledge on you. Many a times in a way they have stored it themselves. I for one has always believed in practical knowledge. Going out on streets and asking those who know rather than someone who wrote someone else's account and a third party trying to make some sense out of it.
I loved the old Aryan system. The division of human life into 4 segments and gurukul education being a very important integral part of human growth both in terms of spirit and knowledge. Time and again, one learns about the whispers about progressive schooling which essentially means giving freedom of thoughts and action to children beyond books and rules and campus. Studies say that such methods have been much more successful and skill orienting than regularly used British methodology. Many after Lord McCaulay introduced English Education to create babus for English offices, we still hold on to dilapidated structure learning Hinglish as we grow. Hardly does anyone has the idea, that the only image created by this is lack of understanding of any of the two languages of which many like me are the victims.
80 years after Gandhi's emphasis on vocational training and skill based knowledge sourcing, we still look down upon Vocational colleges and stand at the bottom with 1 trade school of repute while China has in access of 4000. Having graduated from the trade school, I felt cheated because we were never taught about shipping, logistics management and port handling. At least never given any practical assignment so that we might learn. No field trips. No videos even. At best some ship photographs. All we are taught throughout our lives is to pass with flying though no one explains why. Even the Social Awareness Program, an NGO attachment is a farce. We are associated to an NGO for 2 weeks and are asked again to make a report. The idea is to improve the college brochure.
I believe the idea of education in India is marketing and as an offshoot may be learning for a few geeks. Few days back, i met someone who started a tourism and hotel management course in Agra. His business plan aimed 120 students in 2 years and he ended up with 1600 after two years. That too when the course if of 3 years and the first batch never got placed. Now more than half of his spend is on marketing.
Consider a normal course of Indian education. A child grows. Goes to school. Read books. Only other source of education. Questions to people he meet. Taking an average, 1-2 social outings in school per year for him. Come 9th and he has to prepare for college. Two options if ain't in a metro. Doctor/ Engineer? Next 4-5 years are dedicated in getting a college. Next 4 is questioning why. You get out with a job you never deserve and cry about your bad luck. Then either people try to go abroad or go for higher education. Either way the same story continues and in another two or so parents get you married. Most of us are virgins till marriage for heavens sake.
Sorry for the humor. Could not help it. Be it the gurukal system, progressive schooling or even the oldest democratic method of teaching created by Plato where he suggested different layers of education both in terms of period and skills imparted produced different categories of workers. From labors to clerks to engineers to doctors with believe me politicians and ideologists coming at the very last after 50 years of age; we need a change. Not just another brick in the wall.
First of all i believe there is a deep rooted flaw in education system. It creates too many people with too many degrees for white collar jobs when there are no
80 years after Gandhi's emphasis on vocational training and skill based knowledge sourcing, we still look down upon Vocational colleges and stand at the bottom with 1 trade school of repute while China has in access of 4000. Having graduated from the trade school, I felt cheated because we were never taught about shipping, logistics management and port handling. At least never given any practical assignment so that we might learn. No field trips. No videos even. At best some ship photographs. All we are taught throughout our lives is to pass with flying though no one explains why. Even the Social Awareness Program, an NGO attachment is a farce. We are associated to an NGO for 2 weeks and are asked again to make a report. The idea is to improve the college brochure.
I believe the idea of education in India is marketing and as an offshoot may be learning for a few geeks. Few days back, i met someone who started a tourism and hotel management course in Agra. His business plan aimed 120 students in 2 years and he ended up with 1600 after two years. That too when the course if of 3 years and the first batch never got placed. Now more than half of his spend is on marketing.
Consider a normal course of Indian education. A child grows. Goes to school. Read books. Only other source of education. Questions to people he meet. Taking an average, 1-2 social outings in school per year for him. Come 9th and he has to prepare for college. Two options if ain't in a metro. Doctor/ Engineer? Next 4-5 years are dedicated in getting a college. Next 4 is questioning why. You get out with a job you never deserve and cry about your bad luck. Then either people try to go abroad or go for higher education. Either way the same story continues and in another two or so parents get you married. Most of us are virgins till marriage for heavens sake.
Sorry for the humor. Could not help it. Be it the gurukal system, progressive schooling or even the oldest democratic method of teaching created by Plato where he suggested different layers of education both in terms of period and skills imparted produced different categories of workers. From labors to clerks to engineers to doctors with believe me politicians and ideologists coming at the very last after 50 years of age; we need a change. Not just another brick in the wall.
First of all i believe there is a deep rooted flaw in education system. It creates too many people with too many degrees for white collar jobs when there are no
2 comments:
Right on.This is an edublogger scribbling down the crude facts! I preety much liked this blogpost.
Very concise, crisp, well comprehended ,also timing of that one unique humor was incredibly gibberish yet very much acceptable :D
I think , a continuation to this blog post is very much possible.. which will entertain more to read on.
N.B: India's Education system , really need a check. Just see the Top 100 B-school '2008 records, IIM-A stands at 68th position ! phew!
Yes, I agree with you. There are flaws in Indian education system. Do you want to change it, go ahead? The problem with Indian education system is not system, the people associated with it, Teacher, student and parents. We need to change their mind set toward education. Every parent wants their child to be top in study. Do any parent ask their child to top in sports, carpentry, welding, or any vocational training if the school provides it. I remember my school provides science Lab, but I never used it. It also applies my class mate. This is because it was not compulsory. Even we did not get any encouragement from parents or teacher for it. We go to college lab because it carries marks. Here I like to high light one point that most of the students in college or school study only for getting marks or rank. They don’t study to gain knowledge. Just read the books or notes one night before the exam, appear the exam, get good marks and forget the topic. Do you really think they get any knowledge? Some pointed out that IIMA is 68th rank in world and I am proud of it. What make a college to be in top in world ranking? Its course structure, professors, students, facilities etc. I believe that Indian Govt provide adequate facility for its student. But what the student do? Do you think student use those facilities properly? Internet is there for study purpose, but they use for chatting, orkutting, movie, songs. How many student you can find in library. Hardly few. We scold the teacher, if he give a lot of assignment, case studies which keep us busy to solve these. Even we copy the assignment from our frens. Does it add any value to our learning curve? As the blog post say Gurukul was one of the best method to progressive leaning. I too believe it. In gurukul students are fully dedicated to what the teacher says to do. They put their heart, soul, mind to finish the task. Similarly if we put our dedication, commitment towards our study, the eager to get knowledge then marks, we can convert our normal school or college to Gurukul.
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