Education of Our Children – Concerns & Solutions
Education has a crucial role to play in the development of a person, and subsequently, the entire nation at large. I am going to address a difficult topic, difficult because my own child is young and is part of the system. I will reflect on the problems and then give possible solutions for Parents and Teachers – the people who shape the future of our children.
The government is definitely paying attention to education in India and making every move possible to educate each and every child in India as a basic right. This can be seen in the National Education Policy of 2020, which is for me a exemplary document. As a result, the literacy rate is climbing up, but there are hurdles in the process. A lot has to do in the way we have been conditioned and brought up. It is a mindset problem, a problem we must correct with our minds.
So what are the problems in Indian Education System ? Well , there are plenty. Let me give you 5 of them !
No.1 : High Grade Syndrome
In our country, we mostly measure talent by the grades the students get. It is common within our communities to call a student fetching over 90% marks as brilliant while the one getting average marks are considered substandard and often ridiculed. The curriculum designed decades ago is still in place now without many relevant modifications and updates on time. The emphasis is given on getting good grades than achieving an all-round development of the student. Bookish knowledge is passed down to generation after generation of helpless students.
No.2 : Lack of Innovation
The current education is theoretical with little scope for practical learning and research on the part of the students. There is no room left for creative learning and critical thinking . Students are always pushed to learn a specific syllabus and are not really encouraged to go out and explore. Our teaching methodology has become monotonous and, I must say a little boring, and there is an absolute dearth of innovation in it. Students are mostly subjected to long lecture hours with questionable sum total of learning.
No.3 : Teach To A Test
Utmost significance is given to year-end results and board examinations in the Indian education ecosystem. The ramifications are not limited to loss of confidence in students, infact studies suggest that not getting enough marks may subject students to a series of humiliation and mental bullying at the hands of peers, family and friends . Extra-curricular activities aren’t held in high regard by society, parents, and institutions. There has to be a base understanding of the very process of learning here.
No.4 : Teaching Methodologies
Teachers shape the future of our Children. But it is sometimes the teachers and teaching methods that require a whole new makeover . Our teaching methodologies are out dated. I am not generalizing anything here, I come from a family of teachers. The criticism is for those who do not adapt and not at all for teachers at large. We all know this but don’t accept it. Teaching methodologies need to change.
No.5 : Market Knowledge and Functionality:
Negligible changes are made to the syllabus in any Indian Board. It is like our road planning , by the time they complete the road, they find out that they need to expand the road. One thing that the Indian Education System lacks is market knowledge and functional aspect of literacy. We are not in tune with how the market functions and how the economy runs. Students are not ready for the real world even after years of education. The syllabus needs to be updated regularly to make our students future ready.
Now the Solutions, solutions to the above problems :
Overall development of a student should be our priority and needs to be a part of the curriculum. The need of the hour is to develop a system wherein students are not forced to be showcased for their hard work in the form of a grading system. Parents and Teachers need to allow students to be curious, ask questions, and take up subjects they are really interested in early in their careers.
Find interesting modes of teaching, offline and online . This would help the students and also bring out a sense of real interest in them to pursue the subject in a different manner. Learning is a creative process, an individual is expected to think, react, act and process the information with a blend of creative and practical conclusions. The entire weight should be shifted to learning and not just scoring marks. This has to be done both from the school and the parents end.
Teachers mean well. I have had wonderful teachers. So I never ever minimize the importance that teachers play in the growth of students . The problem lies in the advancements of technology and teaching methodologies which need to be addressed. School Management should understand this and take measures to up skill the teachers with newer methods of teaching as well as adapting them to the progressive e-learning. E-Learning can be a very creative learning process, but only with a combination of a good tutor. We have been working on this for a while at Leapwaters and the results are phenomenol. Planning for the future – that is the key. Technology will play a vital role in the learning process. With the advent of audio-visual aids, smart-boards, online content, and connected classrooms, the task of planning seems to be getting easier and tougher at the same time. We all need upgrades.
Students need upgrades from this outdated curriculum too. They need Skills. Skills that matter. Skills that give real world knowledge. Skills that sometimes are not taught in schools. We cannot just criticize the system – we need to make the extra effort to find that perfect extra curricular balance with the schools.
My final thoughts are that if you are like me, a concerned parent , then you should be looking at extra curricular skills for your child. Use technology, go online, learn from the comfort of your home – go find those future skills.
