Education now........from here where?

While flipping through the pages of TOI last Saturday, I came upon an article by a renowned novelist on the Education system in India. Yes I agree a cent percent here, about the two factors being the stumbling blocks in our education system; one, the lack of A class universities and second, the age old syllabi still in the available universities. I would like to add the third biggest impediment to this that is lack of competent educators and facilitators. Who are there for their sheer passion for the profession and the young minds and not for filling yet another job position.

I oft ponder over the issues around me and wonder who is responsible for them. The only answer that screams back at me is ‘We are to be held responsible for all that happens around us’. This is an interesting analogy on how the issues around us are directly proportional to the education system

This education system was adopted by us taking what the British left us with. We did not even bother to change a wee bit in the Education system. We forgot the British had made the Education system for the slaves and we were not slaves anymore. And today after 62 years of independence we still studying under the Education system meant for the slaves, then how do you expect to have leaders out of this education system.

The teachers in Government Schools and Universities have been employed on the basis of their degrees and certificates and not as much on their exposure to education. In the 80’s and 90’s, people who didn’t do much with their lives became teachers, because they had cleared the Bachelors of Education examination and had the degrees. This is the plight of our country, educators with high degrees but no exposure to imparting education. Education is not about teaching a subject, it’s about creating life-long learners. For those who say, “I teach English, Math, Science, Social Science……..” are only teaching subjects, but for those who say, “I teach children, educating them and equipping them with life skills” are the ones who are molding the future of a nation.

I sincerely wish for a better Education system, along with a fine teaching faculty. I just hope that I am able to bring a little change here, by changing the thoughts of a few teachers.