The other day, I read this article on the education system in our country, specifically the literacy rate vis-à-vis the world average for the children...I need to take a very optimistic view while I say this, maybe I am being unrealistic but does it make sense to even have a yardstick such as world average here? Should the education not be the right of every child born in our country?
I know that am ignoring the facts such as poverty or inequality or the basic fact that even birth certificates do not exist for many children and here I am questioning our education system. If the seeds are not sown today, then where is the question of redeeming the society in the future? How do we make such an impact without laying the foundation of education? Eradicating poverty, increasing per capita income and to be termed as ‘DEVELOPED’ country (sarcasm meant…btw, I do not pay heeds to such a terminology or demarcation as developed and developing, that would be another topic all together to discuss), removing the inequality due to income, caste and gender…how is all this possible without bringing in education as basic need for all.
Maybe its time the government realizes that setting aside 3-4% of GDP is not the solution for increasing the literacy rate. The requirement is not another reform group to suggest what to do and the study report collects dust in the corner of the bureaucratic office…A conscious decision from our political groups not to compromise on the education or its budget…if there are resource constraints, there are always ways to make things works creatively…we have such wise men who have survived the political games to reach the top and have sharpened their shrewdness to remain there…why are they not using those wonderful grey cells to generate this basic improvement?...The most simple way to increase our primary education in the urban area is to follow what graduation colleges do to earn more money through the evening batches…use the similar strategy in school where the schools in city could spare their teaching resource and infrastructure to provide free education for a small group of children who are below the poverty line after the regular school hours are over…while the school teaches and sets the basic morality in their students, maybe they should act upon it and stand as someone who just does not preach but acts upon it too…the government can tie in this as one of the requirements for giving permissions to run schools or meet the standard laid for them. Its part of this noble profession and being socially conscientious would set the pace for the learning of the future generation. I am sure there are many such ideas that could be put in place which can eradicate the biggest evil…lack of education.
While the ways to make education accessible is very important, even the type of education provided to reach the mass carries a significant role as well…what the child needs to develop has to be recognized and the fact that education should support but not hinder their personality is vital. Being a literate, who can read and write, vote with awareness, open mindedness for accepting the required developments in the society and to make the choice of vocation that aid their desire and interest should be the ideal objectives for providing education to every child.
Maybe this would help us achieve the state where we do not talk only about our glorious valorous past but the state of achievement of the present generation…then we can truly stop paying tributes to the British rule that laid the foundation and recognize our countrymen for taking it all the way through.
I know that am ignoring the facts such as poverty or inequality or the basic fact that even birth certificates do not exist for many children and here I am questioning our education system. If the seeds are not sown today, then where is the question of redeeming the society in the future? How do we make such an impact without laying the foundation of education? Eradicating poverty, increasing per capita income and to be termed as ‘DEVELOPED’ country (sarcasm meant…btw, I do not pay heeds to such a terminology or demarcation as developed and developing, that would be another topic all together to discuss), removing the inequality due to income, caste and gender…how is all this possible without bringing in education as basic need for all.
Maybe its time the government realizes that setting aside 3-4% of GDP is not the solution for increasing the literacy rate. The requirement is not another reform group to suggest what to do and the study report collects dust in the corner of the bureaucratic office…A conscious decision from our political groups not to compromise on the education or its budget…if there are resource constraints, there are always ways to make things works creatively…we have such wise men who have survived the political games to reach the top and have sharpened their shrewdness to remain there…why are they not using those wonderful grey cells to generate this basic improvement?...The most simple way to increase our primary education in the urban area is to follow what graduation colleges do to earn more money through the evening batches…use the similar strategy in school where the schools in city could spare their teaching resource and infrastructure to provide free education for a small group of children who are below the poverty line after the regular school hours are over…while the school teaches and sets the basic morality in their students, maybe they should act upon it and stand as someone who just does not preach but acts upon it too…the government can tie in this as one of the requirements for giving permissions to run schools or meet the standard laid for them. Its part of this noble profession and being socially conscientious would set the pace for the learning of the future generation. I am sure there are many such ideas that could be put in place which can eradicate the biggest evil…lack of education.
While the ways to make education accessible is very important, even the type of education provided to reach the mass carries a significant role as well…what the child needs to develop has to be recognized and the fact that education should support but not hinder their personality is vital. Being a literate, who can read and write, vote with awareness, open mindedness for accepting the required developments in the society and to make the choice of vocation that aid their desire and interest should be the ideal objectives for providing education to every child.
Maybe this would help us achieve the state where we do not talk only about our glorious valorous past but the state of achievement of the present generation…then we can truly stop paying tributes to the British rule that laid the foundation and recognize our countrymen for taking it all the way through.
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