A Hope @ Indian Education System

"We need to de-traumatize it and reduce the burden on parents and children. We could, for instance, think of abolishing the Class 10 board exam. Why does a child need to appear for a board exam in Class 10 if he or she is continuing in the same school? For Class 12, it is different. We need to have exams because the students will be going into graduate colleges" --- Kapil Sibal, Union Human Resource Development Minister.

From my perspective, the proposal to do away with the 10th boards is a right step by the human resource development ministry. It not only reduces the trauma but also exponentially increases the scope for personality development of the children at their early ages.

There are N number of concerns supporting this opinion. I may not go ahead with all, but I consider the top two.

Students’ mindset:

School days are the best memorable ones in most of our lives. Those little friends… sharing lunch boxes… silly n lovely games… punishments from teachers… home works… performances in school day functions… Inter school competitions… and you name them. Those are precious moments mainly because of the innocent enjoyment that we feel and cherish. Most importantly, the way they help in developing each and every child’s character is the most fascinating one, because they have their own role in keeping them as proud citizens of their country in their future.

The competition that one participates is the starting of one’s wish to get succeeded. Its one’s own way of development of taking the results either they are good or bad. How they respond to the competition is the one thing that writes down one’s perception towards the success and failure. The game one play is the base for their emotional outcome in their later ages. The discipline one gathers at his early ages is the strength for their future accomplishments.

To keep alive all these fresh feelings of early hearts, it is necessary to reduce the burden on them first. Presently they are getting exposed to the worry of the 10th exams, well before they actually get to know what’s all meant by a public competition is. Teachers and parents are very much worried about their marks, which creates an unnecessary tension in the little hearts. On top of every thing, the current private education system is sounding a death-knell to the cultural competitions, sports competitions, extra curricular competitions etc. Their students are completely packed in a new world, without mingling with actual life. It may call for highest totals but they are certainly not producing best students, after all they are killing the actual essence of the education system.

The current examination pattern:

This has reached a worst possible situation, where in the government schools are trying to attain good scores in the process of retaining the posts allotted to their respective schools. Had it been in spirit it would have increased the respect towards them in the people. But the actual situation is different. They are encouraging the students for mass copying deliberately, just to get good scores and percentages. The teachers who don’t allow this mass copying are being removed from the invigilation duty lists well before. I’m not just saying it; my mother is a government school teacher. She didn't get the invigilation duty for this year just because she had opposed it during the previous year’s exams.

It would be better understandable even though I don’t speak much about the private schools. They are just taking students like a business, of course its a kind of business with knowledge sharing, but for them now it is only business and nothing less or nothing more.

The current proposal from the human resource development is a right step at the right time from a right department. I wish them to take it along through the implementation stages. I would recommend some actions for its more development.

** Open book system: for this teachers have to do their best to inculcate the thoughts in their students and to set the question paper. (It helps students a lot in loosing the habit if mugging up the subjects; they need to feel the subjects to get through)

** Every school shall keep regular intra-school competitions such as elocution, quiz (on broad aspects, not just with subjects. The best team from every school shall be called for the inter-school competitions. (Increases the exposure, competitive spirit and a desire to do it for their organization)

** Sports competitions are most important for healthy physical and mental ability. The control on one’s emotions develops from these activities mainly. The sportive spirit, the easiness towards any work without thinking much about success and failure must be the main goal for any physical educational teacher. (For this teachers are need not to be well trained, but they should be able to show things as they are to their students)

** The students must be exposed to different professions of the society at their early ages. The regular guest lectures from the famous personalities in different positions and their real life experiences add most value to any child’s future. The profession may be economics, civil services, education, sports, singing, actors, management, writers etc. it should create a feeling of rejoice in them, so that they get exposed to the enormous options that they have.

** Students must be encouraged to make science exhibits based on their knowledge and thoughts. It helps them in utilizing the possible resources in a best possible way based on their knowledge.

** Libraries and laboratories must be well equipped ones to keep the constant in take of social and scientific exposure.

** Cultural activities must be given their importance. It helps students in developing their presentations skills. Presentation is as much as important to getting any thought. These cultural events habituate the process of good presentation skills.

** Apart from these every student must be closely observed and analyzed by his class teacher(s). The regular feedback about his easiness in moving with friends, participation in different activities, helping habits, his confidence levels must be informed to his parents along with the traditional ‘report card’. I mean a report card must a resemblance of his attitude towards life and educations and should not only be the reflection to his academic performance.

I agree that it takes some significant amount of time to develop our current education system, but we should remember that it is the transition time of young India. It should be utilized properly. Government may not be able to service all schools with their contribution, but it shall give the moral support to each and every school and student.

** Schools may collect funds from in their villages
** They may collect funds from their old students
** They may conduct some cultural functions and can collect money
** Conduct some sports and activate the people to contribute for them
** They can inform about their school achievements and shall inform it to different charitable organizations
** Help of the NRIs can be expected by dealing with them.

There are possibilities. Teachers are the first ones to take the possible things in to consideration and shall contribute their best.

As a citizen of India and with my past experiences I wish these changes to our educational system. Please let me know what you think about it. Take a chance and let me know the further better ways to improve our system in your point of view and also put your opinion about the proposed methodology.

PS: This post is a special one for me. The same 'educational system' was the topic of my first post. I still cherish those moments when I wanted to express myself. I can feel the difference in the way I write, I think, and I express today compared to the way when I wrote my first post. I thank blogger facility first and then its you, who have been inspiring me with your comments and suggestions. I would be grateful if you could keep me updated with your valuable views.

Thank You So Much for Your TIME.